Project UNITE has impacted thousands of people in Middle Tennessee—our community residents, our local businesses, and even our own United Communications team members. Erik Rivas, our Customer Support Supervisor, had been living without access to high-speed internet, leaving him and the other members of his household challenged when the COVID-19 pandemic required them to work and learn from home. He knew first-hand what other rural residents were dealing with, and how it was affecting their families.
When United accelerated our mission to connect Middle Tennessee, Project UNITE, Erik was excited to upgrade his connection to fiber when it came to his area. Now that Erik and his family have high-speed internet, it’s his mission to provide our customers with the same. We sat down with Erik to learn more about his experience with United and how a faster, more reliable internet connection has improved his life.
The Challenge with Erik’s Internet
Before his fiber installation, Erik’s family used a 3 Mbps copper connection. Limited bandwidth made working from home more challenging. Plus Erik’s younger brother needed access to distance learning, and the rest of his family hoped for the ability to participate in streaming Netflix, playing video games, and communicating with loved ones online.
Working at United Communications, Erik was excited to see that Project UNITE had targeted his area for the next fiber expansion. As soon as it became available, he put the wheels in motion.
The Opportunity with Project UNITE
Erik scheduled his fiber installation and received it at the end of 2020. This upgrade brought a wide range of opportunities to his household. From remote work to distance learning to video games, everyone in his house could now use their devices at the same time without interruptions in speed. “Productivity increased for everyone,” Erik said. “I want to reiterate that there is such a big difference with fiber. There are so many opportunities opened for you and others in your household. I would highly recommend that anyone within the service area consider upgrading.” Currently there are several Middle Tennessee homes with access to fiber that continue to use DSL or satellite services.
Hoping to make a large impact in Middle Tennessee, Erik encourages his current customers and other Middle Tennessee residents to check fiber availability in their area.
Erik’s Experience with United as a Customer and Team Member
With his unique perspective, Erik has been able to experience United Communications from both a customer and a team member standpoint. His experience reinforced Erik’s trust in our company’s excellence when it comes to customer service. As a Customer Service Supervisor, he’s proud to be a leader of those efforts.
“Our goal is always to make our customers happy. You can’t do better than that, really. I am happy to be part of this company and Project UNITE because I look forward to positively affecting more people,” Erik added.
United Communications is Connecting Middle Tennessee
United Communications is proud to have people like Erik Rivas on our team who are passionate about helping to expand our reach to other United customers. To learn more about Project UNITE’s mission, vision, and progress, please visit our website.