In big cities and their surrounding suburbs across Tennessee, access to high-speed internet is a given. In rural communities, however, broadband connections aren’t always guaranteed to be available.
Mary Catherine and her family, who live in the scenic countryside of Primm Springs, Tennessee, which has a population of less than 1,000 residents, know this all too well. When they moved into their home in August, they found themselves without a dependable internet connection, relying on mobile hotspots and tethering just to get by.
But everything changed when United Communications brought fiber internet to their small, rural community in the far southeastern corner of Williamson County.
The Challenge: Limited Connectivity in a Rural Area
Mary Catherine, the director of sponsorships at the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, works from home. Her husband also runs a small business from their house, and their teenage son relies on the internet for schoolwork and entertainment.
But with no high-speed internet service available in their area, daily tasks became a significant challenge from the moment they moved to their newly built home.
“For about 10 weeks, we suffered through using hotspots and tethering our phones,” Mary Catherine says. “It was nearly impossible to work efficiently.”
Determined to find a solution, she kept an eye out for any updates on fiber expansion in her area.
The Turning Point: A United Truck on the Road
One day, Mary Catherine spotted a United Communications utility truck just a few miles from her home. Having recently been a United customer while renting a home in Thompson’s Station, she immediately recognized the truck’s branding and pulled over for a chat.
“I asked them, ‘Are you guys coming? How soon will you be here?’” she recalls. The technicians reassured her that service would be available within a few weeks.
Shortly after their chance encounter, she reached out to a United representative, who confirmed that her home was on the list for installation. In April 2024, United announced that it would be expanding the reach of its fiber optic network to serve 8,000 under-connected homes and businesses in Williamson County, and Primm Springs was a part of that expansion effort.
“I told them, ‘Please, we are dying out here. We need United Communications!’” she laughs. “I’ve always been a fan of Middle Tennessee Electric and what they’ve done. Knowing United partnered with them, I knew it would be a solid service, always customer-focused.”
“We considered satellite, but it’s costly and unreliable,” Mary Catherine adds. “After experiencing the difference in those 8 to 10 weeks, we couldn’t wait to get back with United.”
The Solution: Reliable, High-Speed Fiber Internet
After waiting for weeks, Mary Catherine’s home was finally connected to United’s fiber network. The difference was night and day.
“It has exceeded our expectations,” she explains. “We’ve used other large national providers before, and the service would go out regularly. But with United, I don’t think we’ve ever had an outage. If we did, it was maybe for an hour or two, and it came right back on without us even having to report it.”
Her neighbors quickly followed suit. Many had been using expensive, unreliable satellite internet service, and the opportunity to switch to a reliable fiber connection was a game-changer.
Now, Mary Catherine’s family enjoys seamless connectivity for work, streaming, and gaming. Even in a rural area surrounded by cattle farms and rolling hills, they have access to the same high-speed internet as those in more urban locations.
“You’re not just a number with United,” she says. “If I ever have a question, I know I’ll talk to a real person from my area. You’ll probably even run into a United employee at the store and recognize them. That’s how it should be.”
Her Advice to Neighbors: Don’t Hesitate
When asked what she would say to someone considering United Communications, Mary Catherine didn’t skip a beat.
“Switch immediately,” she says. “It’s more cost-effective, incredibly reliable, and the customer service is unmatched. Plus, the technicians are great. They won’t make a mess of your house, and the process is simple.”
For Mary Catherine and her family, United Communications didn’t just provide internet service—it transformed the way they live and work. And for those still on the fence about making the switch, she has one final piece of advice:
“Don’t wait. If you see the United truck, flag them down like it’s an ice cream truck. You won’t regret it!”
If you’d rather not wait for a United truck to roll by, fill out a brief online form to let us know that you want United fiber broadband service in your community today.
Curious about why customers like Mary Catherine love United? Click Here to hear more about Mary’s internet journey!