SC Telco Alliance

Issues

Broadband

Just as universal, affordable local telephone service has proven to be indispensable in today’s world, high-speed access to the internet (“broadband”) is proving to be a vital driver of our information age economy. The members of the SC Telco Alliance have worked very hard, and invested a significant amount of capital, over the past few years to make broadband internet access available to over 93% of our residential customers. Availability to business customers is virtually 100%. Many individual Alliance member companies have 100% availability, and the rest continue to strive to achieve the goal of complete coverage as quickly as economically possible.

We offer affordability.

Alliance members have created promotions and other basic entry pricing plans to allow all most everyone in South Carolina to try our broadband service at affordable rates. We have designed our business strategies around the rural population to which we provide service – addressing our subscribers’ specific needs. We pride ourselves on providing our customers with cutting edge technologies that meet or exceed the level of service provided to customers in more urbanized areas.

We serve our schools.

The SC Telco Alliance believes that, in today’s information economy, broadband access and related applications are essential educational tools. In fact, the members of the Alliance, along with other South Carolina incumbent local exchange carriers, were key partners in the government’s initiative to rewire our schools in order to bring Internet access to them. By the early 1990s, every single school in South Carolina – elementary, middle and high schools -- had internet access. In fact, South Carolina was the first state in the nation to make internet access available to every school and library. Today, every South Carolina school has broadband access of at least a T-1 circuit and most have much more bandwidth.

We support economic development.

Members of the Alliance have upgraded their respective networks with fiber optic cable. Virtually all industrial parks in rural areas served by the Alliance companies have fiber facilities onsite or in near proximity to the site. With the proper electronics installed, there is very little if any limitation on bandwidth supply.

The SC Telco Alliance member companies have been very successful in deploying broadband throughout the rural areas of South Carolina. We have demonstrated a commitment and a capability to recognize, develop and economically deploy technological innovations and advanced services in South Carolina - not only in response to consumer demand but, in fact, ahead of consumer demand. We believe that the continuation of our efforts in the state of South Carolina will result in the best broadband network possible for our state’s residents.