By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–The Paris Board of Public Utilities and TEC marked the beginning of construction on infrastructure that will bring high-speed internet to Paris and parts of Henry County this morning with a special gathering in downtown Paris.
Staff from both companies, as well as officials from Henry County and the city of Paris were on hand.
The partnership aims to build a state-of-the-art fiber network to support grid modernization and provide high-speed broadband services to the local area.
Also announced was a plan between TEC and downtown Paris to offer free WiFi to the community. Free public Wifi will be available in downtown Paris, with the WiFi service being donated by TEC.
Main speakers this morning were Paris Board of Public Utility President Terry Wimberley and TEC Executive Vice-President of Operations Scott Pell. Both stressed that the coordination between the two organizations is a “true partnership”.
Wimberley said in the history of BPU there have been many big announcements and today’s could certainly be included in that company. “This is not new to us,” Wimberley said, noting that BPU has been installing fiber since 2008 when the company installed 100 miles of fiber for substation communication. “We were ahead of a lot of our colleagues”, he said.
Pell spotlighted how the two entities will work together to provide service to Paris and Henry County residents. The project will make high-speed fiber internet available to over 10,000 residents and businesses with connections starting later this year.
“We know how to hang fiber in poles” and TEC said it will handle the internet, Wimberley said, noting he was impressed when Pell “asked us what works for us” throughout the project.
According to the TEC company website, the partnership and resulting network will offer high-speed internet access to residents and businesses, bridging the digital divide and fostering local economic growth.
Wimberley said, “Our customers are excited. Businesses are ready. There’s a lot of excitement.”
Wimberley said grid modernization will enhance Paris BPU’s ability to monitor and control critical functions across the water, wastewater, and electric departments.
TEC will handle the planning, design, construction, and project management of the fiber network. Paris BPU will own the existing and future fiber infrastructure, while TEC will be the internet service provider for customers connected to the network.
Wimberley recognized individuals who have played a large role in planning for the construction.
Availability information, Frequently Asked Questions, and more details about the project can be found at tec.com/paris-bpu. Here, those who are interested can enter their address and contact information to receive updates from TEC about when service becomes available and pre-register for service.
Photo: Terry Wimberley speaks, with Scott Pell at right. At left is BPU Board President David Flowers and Paris Mayor Kathy Ray. Shannon McFarlin photo.