April 30, 2019
Bibb County has a Internet Speed & Connectivity problem, just like most of rural Alabama and America. Lack of high speed internet access is a problem for businesses, students, anyone employed in industry or agriculture, and all rural households. By record-keeping definition, the small towns existing in Bibb County today are still classified as rural communities.
Important to economic growth and development the lack of high speed internet access continues as a perplexing obstacle to the economic growth of the area, especially in the South end of Bibb County.
Recent studies released by Broadband USA, the National Telecommunications Industry Association, the National Association of Realtors, and other industry associations, have shown that access to high speed broadband not only increases property values it may be an essential requirement to a property sale in a metropolitan area [see resource links listed below]. While lack of broadband for a single metropolitan property may be a handicap to a sale or rental, for an entire community to have no reliable high speed broadband access it can be disabling and prevent economic growth for a widespread area, even an entire county.
The City of Centreville recently approved a franchise application for Alabama Lightwave, Inc. to bring high speed broadband internet services to the City. The generally accepted modern definition of high speed broadband means that residential applications must be capable of delivering download speeds of not less than 25 megabits per second and business applications could range from 100 to 1000 megabits per second (Gigabit Speed).
Josh Lambert, a local business owner and President of the startup company Alabama Lightwave, Inc., told The Bibb Voice that his new company has plans to build a high speed network capable of providing high speed internet coverage to all of Bibb County.
The company has just launched a pilot program providing high speed wireless service to a limited number of customers centered around the town square in Centreville. The proof of concept startup will offer wireless speeds up to 100 megabits per second upload and 100 megabits per second download speed after the test period.
Lambert says the service will provide higher reliability (uptime) and satisfaction than consumers in the area may be presently experiencing. The wireless system is capable of higher speeds if there is market demand for up to Gigabit speeds.
Market interest will drive where customers are added. The next areas to be served will be those areas that serve the highest number of customers, businesses and residences, driven by interest surveys. Over time the goal is to serve anyone or any business in Bibb County who is looking for reliable high speed internet service at a competitive market price.
Alabama Lightwave, Inc. is a local company with local ownership and will have an office in Centreville. The company expects further expansion of its network in 2019.
To get on the company’s customer interest list you can sign up for free by visiting their website at the following address (click on the link below):
http://www.alabamalightwave.com
Resources:
Fiber Broadband Association: Study Shows Home Values Up
Wall Street Journal: How Fast Internet Affects Home Prices
Primex:HOW BROADBAND INCREASES PROPERTY VALUES
