now happening at c spire

Jackson Continues Strong Momentum by Qualifying Two More Areas for C Spire’s 1 Gbps Fiber to the Home Internet Technology Initiative

2015-03-31

Hinds County town accelerates efforts to expand nation’s first and only statewide rollout of 100 times faster Internet access

Jackson, Miss. (March 31, 2015) – Homeowner pre-registration exceeded the required threshold in two more areas of Mississippi’s largest city this week – helping Jackson expand eligibility for C Spire’s ultra-fast 1 Gbps (Gigabit per second) Fiber to the Home Internet service and related Super HDTM TV and home phone services.

Jackson’s Highlands East and Country Club fiberhoods reached their pre-registration targets this week and now join the Eastover and Fondren East fiberhoods, which qualified for the next-generation suite of services earlier this month.

The Ridgeland-based telecommunications and technology services company expects to finish engineering and begin construction by the end of August in the two latest fiberhoods to qualify for the next-generation services. Commercial service is expected to be available in January 2016 in both areas.

Meanwhile, C Spire is continuing to work with the city to provide free Gigabit Internet access at two municipal community centers to help Jackson residents learn more about the benefits of 100 times faster fiber-based broadband Internet access and related services.

The technology program, which will help the city expand its computer learning lab at the Johnnie C. Champion Community Center and offer digital literacy classes at the Medgar Evers Community Center, is expected to begin in June.

Online pre-registration began in Jackson last fall at www.cspire.com/jackson. Since that time, several thousand residents throughout the city have expressed their interest in the suite of game-changing services by making $10 refundable deposits and providing credit card information.

“We’re impressed with the momentum in Jackson and consumers’ growing excitement for Internet at the speed of light,” said Suzy Hays, senior vice president of Consumer Markets for C Spire. “Fiber to the home is a transformative technology that can serve as a platform for technology investment, economic growth and job creation.”

Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber said the latest progress shows that momentum is growing as more residents are educated and learn about the opportunity to invest in the city’s future.

Yarber and his staff have rallied volunteers, schools, community groups, churches and homeowner associations to help inform and educate consumers about the 21st century infrastructure opportunity. “We’re seeing more areas qualify faster as we continue to educate consumers and as individuals share the opportunity with their neighbors.”

Jackson is largest city to qualify for the historic statewide technology initiative. C Spire turned up commercial Gigabit Internet and related services for its first residential customers in Quitman, Ridgeland and Starkville last year and expects to activate service in Clinton and Corinth later this year. Madison was added as the 7th city in the program earlier this month.

For C Spire customers, the 1 Gbps Internet access is available for $70 a month, $90 a month for combined Internet and home phone, $130 for Internet and super HD TV and $150 a month for the entire package of all three services. Non customers are required to pay an additional $10 a month on all packages.

To learn more about C Spire’s Fiber to the Home initiative or to pre-register for the service, visit www.cspire.com/fiberhome.

About C Spire
C Spire is a diversified telecommunications and technology services company that provides world-class, customer-inspired wireless communications, 1 Gigabit consumer Internet access as well as a full suite of dedicated Internet, wireless, IP Voice, data and cloud services for businesses. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire.