NTS, a competitive fiber-centric broadband provider, has begun providing fiber to the premises (FTTP) services to its first customer in Abilene, Texas.
Leveraging the same methods it used in its Wichita Falls buildout, the network in Abilene is a metro build that’s targeting over 1,000 area business customers.
Since launching its PRIDE FTTP network in 2010, NTS has built out the network in 17 markets in Texas, including a recently completed build in Iowa Park and earlier in Slaton, Texas. It complemented its own ongoing build out in September 2011 by purchasing 1,800 cable customers and equipment from regional operator Reach Broadband.
“We have seen a strong demand for our high speed, triple-play offering from our metro build in Wichita Falls, and we believe Abilene is an ideal market for the expansion of our metro build strategy,” said Guy Nissenson, chairman, president and CEO of NTS, in a release. “The business community relies on high speed bandwidth and the speed and accessibility of our network meets its expectations. We’re pleased to have connected our first customer in Abilene and look forward to adding more in the coming weeks.”
Outside of Texas, NTS has begun building its fiber network in Hammond and other communities in Louisiana. Upon completion, the service provider said that its fiber network will reach 19 new communities and will pass over 53,000 locations.
To build out the PRIDE network, NTS is leveraging $54 million in loans and $45.9 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Broadband Initiatives Program.