Cumberland Connect Expands Fiber Network in Middle Tennessee
Sponsored by: Cumberland Connect
Being surrounded by beautiful landscapes shouldn’t mean sacrificing connectivity. It’s why Cumberland Connect, the broadband and phone service subsidiary of Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (CEMC), brings the bandwidth of a fiber internet network to more than 110,000 Middle Tennesseans outside Nashville’s urban core.
“Internet access is a game-changer as far as people being able to relocate outside a metropolitan area,” notes Mark T. Cook, P.E., broadband manager for Cumberland Connect. “Our technology would not only compare, but would most likely exceed, any service in any metropolitan area in the country.”
Kaitlyn Bonds, creative director for Cumberland Connect, agrees. “Not everyone wants to live in the big city, but they shouldn’t be punished by a lack of connectivity. We’re going to communities no other provider would.”
Primarily serving five counties in Tennessee — Cheatham, Montgomery, Robertson, Stewart and Sumner — Cumberland Connect will have built a 100% fiber-optic network spanning 5,500 miles by the time the project is completed in the latter half of 2024.
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Fiber Connectivity Brings Reliable Internet Service
Cook explains Cumberland Connect is the next generation of utility cooperatives like their parent organization, CEMC. “We consider broadband connectivity a utility just as important as electric or water,” he says.
Not-for-profit cooperatives, he adds, were created by the Rural Electrification Act to address service disparities. “In the 1930s, no one was taking electricity out into the rural areas, so the co-ops stepped in,” he explains.
However, Cook continues, “Rural electric cooperatives in Tennessee were prohibited from offering retail broadband services until April 2017, when former Gov. Bill Haslam signed the Broadband Accessibility Act.”
The timing couldn’t have been better. After a planning and design period, Cumberland Connect began building the fiber internet network in 2019. The first customers were up and running on May 1, 2020, just as a global pandemic reshaped the way the world did business. Cook points out access to reliable internet service had never been more critical as people began to work from home, go to school remotely and rely on telehealth.
Members Matter in Community-Owned Fiber Network
As part of CEMC, Cumberland Connect is a membership cooperative. “Our network is owned by our members and being built for our members,” explains Bonds.
She adds when the customer is also the owner, you look at service a little differently.
“There’s another level of investment,” Bonds continues, “not only in our fiber network, but most importantly in the communities and members we serve.”
At no extra cost, members enjoy:
- 100% fiber network
- Multi-gig equipped, state-of-the-art router
- No data caps
- No throttling speeds
- No residential contracts
- Free standard residential installation
- In-house technical support
- Local customer service
“We help our subscribers get the most out of our services,” Bonds says of additional offerings including education to help users understand the full capabilities of the technology. And if there is an issue, she continues, “You can walk right into your local CEMC office and get help.”
Created to provide suburban and rural availability, Bonds says that commitment extends to financial accessibility. As a not-for-profit organization, the emphasis is on transparency and offering reasonably priced plan options.
Additionally, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides qualifying households with a monthly credit of up to $30 for broadband services. Eligible households can enjoy a special ACP 100 Mbps plan at no charge or apply the credit toward other available plans to reduce the monthly price.
Connect with us at cumberlandconnect.org.
High-speed Internet Boosts Local Businesses
In addition to residential services, Cumberland Connect offers customized business solutions for companies of all sizes, from neighborhood shops to large enterprises.
“We have a terrific team that meets with businesses individually to create the best solution to meet their needs,” Bonds says.
Fast and reliable connectivity is critical to keeping companies running smoothly. However, should something go wrong, Bonds points out the network operations team is local to provide quick support and minimize service disruption.
“Businesses, like everyone else, can’t operate without high-speed internet service,” agrees Cook. He adds having reliable service not only supports current businesses but is also a selling point when trying to attract new companies to the area.
Community Engagement Is Important
In addition to living in surroundings with access to great internet service, Cumberland Connect subscribers enjoy the personal touch that comes with a hometown provider invested in community success.
“Your money is going back into the community where you live,” says Bonds. “Your dollars are not just paying for electricity and internet service but are helping organizations that serve our communities, as well.”
CEMC and Cumberland Connect have a proud history of supporting the communities they serve through sponsorships and voluntarism.
Just a few examples include sponsoring lunch for 250 teachers at the recent Robertson County Tech Conference, supporting Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen and the CADS Walk in Clarksville, supporting efforts to provide free school supplies to more than 800 families in the Portland area, serving as water sponsor for the Veterans Rally 5K event in Gallatin and making donations to support the Stewart County Coordinated School Health (CSH) Self-Care Fair.
Network Is Focused on the Future
“Bandwidth and usage in homes is increasing every day,” Cook says. “We want to stay up to speed with the needs of our subscribers.”
He points out the network initially rolled out at 1 gig (Gbps) of speed but is now at 3 gigs (Gbps) and growing. Additionally, he adds they have built an interconnected communication network to manage the electric grid and field applications more efficiently.
“Fiber-optic cable is future proof,” explains Cook, “so we’re set up pretty nicely to be able to deliver whatever speeds are needed.”
Customers Share Their Experiences
Hear what customers have to say about being part of the Cumberland Connect family.
“I work from home and appreciate the reliability that Cumberland Connect provides over my previous provider. I have way less drops and interruptions in service since I’ve switched. It’s a superior broadband service at a better price.”
— Gregory, Clarksville
“We did not have access to the internet before Cumberland Connect, and we’re super excited to have the service. We can work from home, stream TV, surf the web, etc. Our cell coverage is hit or miss, but now we use Wi-Fi calling from anywhere in the house! It’s amazing!”
— James, Springfield
“While I had access to broadband previously, the cost was prohibitive for my small business. I was happy to make the switch to Cumberland Connect and save some money.”
— Dragonfly Comics, White House
“We work from home and download very large files with amazing speed. We also stream on seven devices (sometimes at the same time) and have had no lag or buffering. Fiber is the way to go, and Cumberland Connect is the provider you want to use!”
— Bradley, Ashland City
“We feel like we’re in this century now and don’t have to trade our ‘out-of-city-limits’ life for no technology.”
— Robert, Adams
