Dark fiber route connects Central Georgia EMC headquarters in Jackson, Georgia to GTC’s statewide fiber backbone
Southern Telecom, Inc., a subsidiary of Southern Company, has entered an agreement with Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC) for a new dark fiber route between GTC’s fiber backbone to Central Georgia EMC headquarters in Jackson, Georgia. GTC is jointly owned by 38 of Georgia’s electric membership cooperatives (EMCs), including Central Georgia EMC.
A national leader in electricity transmission excellence, GTC partners with its member EMCs to provide Georgia residents with reliable, affordable energy. GTC is focused on building a fiber optic network for its members to improve communications reliability, increase network bandwidth and control costs. Southern Telecom has previously supported GTC’s initiative by swapping a 75-mile fiber route between Winder and Hartwell, Georgia, with the company’s Atlanta to Jacksonville route.
Earlier this year, Southern Telecom entered into a leasing agreement with Georgia System Operations Corporation (GSOC), the statewide industry association for Georgia’s electric membership cooperatives, for dark fiber on Southern Telecom’s Atlanta central business district fiber ring to connect GTC’s and GSOC’s headquarters office in Tucker, Georgia, to the midtown Atlanta office of Georgia EMC. Georgia EMC is owned by the 38 EMCs and associated with GTC as well.
“Southern Telecom is a valued partner for us as we work on expanding our fiber network across our EMC membership to improve communications and support operations in the regions our EMCs serve,” commented David Van Winkle, Vice President of Operations and Maintenance for Georgia Transmission Corporation. “This new route complements our existing fiber network and further establishes our connectivity in central Georgia.”
Southern Telecom markets or owns more than 2,600 route miles in the Southeast, anchored by a robust conduit and dark fiber metro network throughout Atlanta.
“We are very happy to work with GTC again on expanding its network and helping to empower EMCs with connectivity that rivals the speeds found in major metropolitan markets such as Atlanta,” commented Barry Navarre, Business Development Manager for Southern Telecom.
STI is offering two facility tours daily during the upcoming ITW 2019 show on June 24th and June 25th at 11 AM & 1 PM, complete with lunch. Tours will begin directly across from the ITW venue in STI’s 270 Peachtree building lobby. RSVP to [email protected] to schedule or to meet with STI at the event.
