Standing, from left – William Bradford, President and CEO of United Communications, Will Wilson, a Duck River Electric board member representing Giles County, and James Wright, President and CEO of Duck River Electric, joined county leaders to celebrate the launch of a $10.5 million rural fiber internet expansion project on Monday, March 17, 2025. (United Communications)
PULASKI, Tenn. (March 18, 2025) — United Communications, Middle Tennessee’s local fiber internet leader, and its partners from Duck River Electric joined the Giles County Commission and County Executive Graham Stowe yesterday during the commission’s monthly meeting to celebrate the official launch of a $10.5 million investment that will bring high-speed internet to nearly 1,900 additional homes and businesses in rural Giles County by the end of 2025.
A map of Giles County displaying future coverage areas that will be connected to United Communications’ market-leading fiber broadband network.
The historic investment combines federal and state funding along with private contributions from United Communications through an initiative called Project UNITE. This effort expands high-speed internet access to rural areas by pursuing grant awards and leveraging partnerships with Middle Tennessee communities. Through this initiative, over 40,000 local, underserved homes and businesses now have lightning-fast internet connections.
To date, United has invested more than $200 million to construct Middle Tennessee’s largest fiber broadband network, connecting 100,000 locations with residential broadband speeds of up to 8 Gbps and even faster multi-gig speeds for small business and enterprise customers.
“The Commission and I are thrilled that our partnership with United Communications will open many new avenues of opportunity for Giles County, from infrastructure investment to distance learning and overall quality of life,” said County Executive Graham Stowe. “It’s always great when we see a vision come to fruition, as this advancement puts us on the cusp of more great things to come for Giles County.”
“We’re grateful for the visionary leadership of County Executive Stowe and our partnership with the Giles County Commission for making this project possible,” said William Bradford, President and CEO of United Communications. “Their commitment to connectivity along with the support from Duck River Electric is helping us ensure that everyone in Giles County has the opportunity to learn, work, and thrive with light-speed internet.”
“We are proud to partner with United Communications and the Giles County Commission on this transformative project that will bring reliable internet to every Duck River Electric member in Giles County,” said James Wright, President and CEO of Duck River Electric. “This collaboration is a significant step toward bridging the digital divide in our rural communities. In today’s fast-paced world, having reliable, high-speed internet service has become just as vital as having electricity in the home or business.”
The speed of fiber internet is an advantage over older technologies. Cable-based internet connections are always split up to serve multiple customers at once, resulting in mismatched download and upload speeds, while 5G cellular and satellite-based plans are notorious for their lagging connections and spotty reception.
In contrast, United’s high-speed fiber service in Giles County will provide every customer with a dedicated hardwire connection capable of multi-gig download speeds and matching upload speeds with industry-leading customer service and 99.99% network uptime.
The first areas of the project will be completed as early as April 2025. Giles County residents are encouraged to secure priority access to United’s award-winning fiber internet by visiting United’s website to sign up now and guarantee that 8 Gig internet service is extended to their homes under this program.
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About United Communications
United Communications is a leading provider of internet and phone services to enterprise-class businesses and residential customers in Middle Tennessee. United has been nationally and regionally recognized, including a 2024 Gold Stevie Award by The American Business Awards, a 2024 and 2023 Best Place to Work from the Nashville Business Journal, a 2023 Top 100 Fiber-To-The-Home Leader designation, a 2023 Torch Award from the BBB, and a Smart Rural Community Provider award.
United operates more than 3,800 route miles of fiber covering portions of Bedford, Davidson, Franklin, Giles, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Rutherford, Williamson, and Wilson counties. United Communications is a service of Middle Tennessee Electric. To learn more, please visit united.net.
About Duck River Electric
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation is the fourth largest electric cooperative in Tennessee. DREMC delivers power to more than 85,000 homes and businesses in southern Middle Tennessee, which includes part or all of 17 counties: Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Rutherford, Warren, and Williamson. The resolve and dedication of those who began the electric cooperative movement in the 1930s established something that continues to thrive and bring life to the rural areas served by Duck River Electric. DREMC is member-owned and committed to delivering safe, reliable electric service at the lowest possible cost to all who live and work in the areas served by the cooperative.
Media Contact for United Communications
Chris Song