Tennessee Provider United Communications Taps Electric Company Ties to Expand Broadband

Broadband provider United Communications and majority owner Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) are partnering to expand the scope of a major fiber buildout that they undertook in 2023. They are expanding a fiber build in Williamson County, Tennessee. Construction in that county was initially designed to reach 2,800 addresses but the new target is 8,000 locations. Funding for the initial stage of the Williamson County project came through Project UNITE, an initiative consisting of United, MTE and Duck River Electric Membership Corporation. Project UNITE secured $14 million in infrastructure grants for Williamson County through the Tennessee Emergency Broadband Fund in late 2022, as part of a $53.4 million multi-county award. United and the Williamson County Commission added $6 million in supplemental funding for the initial build in the county.