By Michael Cabra, Manager of Network Engineering and Operations at United Communications
When it comes down to it, reliability is the most important factor for your internet. In today’s world of fiber-optic internet, speed is relative, but reliability is paramount. Whether you’re a small business, a volunteer fire department, a student, a parent working from home, or an online gaming enthusiast, the ability to connect to the internet when you need it is essential.
Read more: Mythbusters: Are Local Internet Providers Really Less Reliable?After nearly two decades in the telecommunications industry, I’ve had the opportunity to work at both nationwide carriers and local internet providers. One of the most common myths I encounter is that smaller, local providers offer less reliable service. However, based on my experience, I have found the opposite is true.
As one of the most reliable local internet providers in Middle Tennessee, United’s residential and business internet plans are just as reliable (if not more) than providers across the nation. In this article, I will highlight United Communications’ reliability and share how we can offer the area’s fastest and most reliable internet service.
United Communication’s Reliability
At United, our team constantly evaluates how well we serve our customers. On the network engineering and operations side, monitoring our reliability is one way we measure our success. Here are just a few metrics that speak to United’s internet reliability:
99.99% Network Reliability
Network reliability measures the length of time infrastructure operates without disruption. At United, we’re proud to offer one of the highest network reliability metrics in the nation. For context, that’s better reliability than the U.S. power grid.
Resolving Issues Same-Day
One advantage we have as a local internet service provider is that we can address problems quickly. Our local customer service team can resolve issues over the phone in minutes. When we do need to send a technician to fix the problem, we can usually schedule the same-day or next-day appointments.
Symmetrical Download / Upload Speeds
It’s essential to consider that many internet service providers will promote their download speeds and ignore their upload speeds. At United, we’re proud to offer both downloads and uploads at the same high speeds for our fiber customers, meaning the bandwidth we offer for uploading data is just as good as downloading.
Industry-Leading Customer Satisfaction
Ultimately, an internet provider’s reliability will impact its reputation. We all know what it’s like to hear a friend describe how their internet is always going out. At United, we use the Net Promoter Score (NPS) metric to survey our customers and evaluate their satisfaction with our internet service and our customer experience. To date, we maintain an NPS of 85 on a scale of -100 to 100, the highest of any internet service provider, which is something I’m truly proud of.
Our Reputation as a Reliable Local Internet Provider
How do we maintain reliable connections and industry-leading customer satisfaction? Here are a few commitments that have helped United earn our reputation as one of the fastest and most reliable local internet providers in Middle Tennessee:
We Set & Achieve Some of the Highest Reliability Scores in the Industry.
United’s goals for reliability and uptime are some of the most aggressive in the industry. While United has internet packages that offer the same speeds as national providers, our goal isn’t to sell speed. United is here to serve our customers and our local communities with reliable connections.
We Invest in Our Infrastructure to Offer the Best Possible Internet Connection.
Our board of directors and executive leadership team are committed to investing in network infrastructure to deliver exceptional customer service. We offer robust DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) products that mitigate potential disruptions caused by malicious attacks to ensure the security of our small and mid-size business and enterprise customers.
Recognizing the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth, we are upgrading our core network, which allows us to support additional capacity and accommodate our customers’ growing data transfer needs. We are consistently investing in advancements that improve the overall response times for customers and reduce latency. A low-latency network connection is one that doesn’t experience many delays. This means the internet user is able to interact online in real-time. These investments showcase our dedication to providing reliable and high-performing network services while ensuring the growth and satisfaction of our customer base.
We Put the Customer Experience First in Everything We Do.
One of the many things that I love about our team is their laser-focus on our customers’ experience, which provides industry-leading service for our customers. As with any service provider, there are planned maintenance and unplanned periods of downtime. We all know that we can’t completely prevent outages, but we can influence how quickly they’re resolved. From how we develop infrastructure to the internet packages we offer, I can easily say that every decision is made with the customer experience as the top priority. United is committed to investing in the right areas to mitigate downtime and improve the customer experience, from the people to the network infrastructure.
United Communications: Changing the Way People Think About Internet Providers
For most people, internet providers can be a source of frustration. As a local internet provider in Middle Tennessee, United Communications aims to change that paradigm. We care about and appreciate our customers and believe in doing our part in making the communities we serve the best possible places they can be. As the Manager of Network Engineering and Operations at United, I’m proud of the time, energy, and resources we’ve invested in making our network one of the fastest and most reliable in Middle Tennessee.
Learn more about how we put our customers first and explore our high-speed internet services today.
Author Bio:
Michael Cabra
Manager of Network Engineering and Operations at United Communications
Michael Cabra is an innovative business disruptor & entrepreneur with over two decades of leadership, business strategy, product management, and technology development experience. As the Manager of Network Engineering and Operations at United Communications, Michael oversees the personnel, budget, and other resources that support the company’s expanding network. Prior to joining United, Michael held various leadership roles and helped develop cutting-edge technologies at organizations including Sprint, AT&T, CSpire, and Cybera.
Providing internet access to underserved areas has been a trend throughout Michael’s career. His experience and expertise are valuable assets for United’s Project UNITE initiative to build a more connected Middle Tennessee. Since joining United in 2022, Michael has recognized the distinctive culture at United and considers himself lucky to have the privilege of working alongside some of the industry’s most talented engineers and operations professionals.