NCTC celebrates a complete fiber network

North Central Telephone Cooperative (NCTC) has done something that few have done. It has become a 100% fiber network.

In 2007, NCTC was one of the first rural telecommunication cooperatives in the United States to begin the construction of a fiber-optic network. The board of directors and management had a vision to lead NCTC to the future with technology that even large companies and big cities dreamed of providing.

Now, in 2023, NCTC has completed fiber construction and deployment to 100% of its members. It is something that few companies — small or large — can claim.

President and CEO Johnny McClanahan addressed his staff, board members, and retirees at a recent luncheon.

“There may be another technology in future years, but as of today, fiber provides the best network available for fiber services,” McClanahan said.

With broadband speeds up to one gigabit per second, NCTC has plans to begin offering multi-gig services later this year to high-usage consumers. An all-fiber network allows for those faster speeds to be provided.

Sixteen years may seem like a long time to work on a project, but providing the kind of network that NCTC offers is neither cheap nor easy.

“Without funding and support from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Rural Utilities Service through various loans and grants, we would not have been able to build the network we have today,” said McClanahan.

Work began in 2007 in the Winklers community, near the Clay County and Macon County line, and completed construction earlier this year in Scottsville, Kentucky.

“We have deployed over 4,300 miles of fiber and electronics to our exchanges, but the construction was definitely worth our time and investment,” McClanahan said.

Through dedicated leadership, not only in the beginning of the build-out process, but also under the current administration, NCTC strives to be a frontrunner in the deployment of fiber in rural America. In fact, NCTC’s experience and leadership in the industry is one reason why Warren Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (Warren RECC) reached out to NCTC for help in providing high speed internet to their members in unserved areas of Kentucky.

As a member of the community, NCTC is committed to providing its members with the most advanced services available anywhere. The cooperative indicates that its goal is not just to be good enough for a rural area, but to be the best for any area.