JONESBORO, AR – March 3, 2015 – Ritter Communications has partnered with iRis Networks to establish a fiber Ethernet interconnection which combines the capabilities and reach of both networks.
The combined network allows for fiber based broadband connectivity to over 100 rural markets in Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Additionally, this interconnect allows for broadband connections to key regional locations such as: Knoxville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Huntsville, Paducah, Bowling Green, Little Rock and Jonesboro, as well as direct and diverse connectivity to several national locations such as Atlanta, Memphis, Chicago, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Fort Worth and Dallas.
“This interconnect will allow our customers to expand their connectivity and geographic reach” said Steve Smith, vice president of sales at Ritter Communications. “Broadband is the commercial accelerator of the 21st century so creating this network means many of our customers, especially multi-site businesses, will see more capacity to more locations.”
This interconnects adds value for both companies by:
- Bringing end to end broadband speeds from 1Mbps to 10Gbps to over 100 rural and urban markets along unique routes.
- Enabling ILEC’s, CLEC’s, and cable providers to connect their infrastructure, access cost effective internet access, and partner on national and regional connectivity projects.
- Expanding the broadband footprint for anchor institutions such as healthcare, financial, and higher education across Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama.
- Enhancing the resiliency and reach of the national and regional FTTC (fiber to the cell) projects that are currently taking place.
“Ritter and iRis are equally committed to continually investing in rural to urban connectivity,” said Smith. “The further we can extend fiber into our communities, the more opportunity is created for better economic development.”
This network partnership will serve customers ranging in size from small to enterprise level businesses, as well as regional telecommunications providers with capacity from 1Mbps to 10Gbps and greater.
“At iRis, our mission is to serve rural communities with uncompromising dedication from the ground up by having an efficient and effective team,” said Terry Metze, president of iRis Networks. “This project is just one of the ways that we are continuing to embody that mission, and Ritter was the perfect partner for the job.”
To see a map showing the combined network footprint, please click here. You can also visit www.rittercommunications.com or http://iristransport.com/ for more information.
About Ritter Communications
Ritter Communications, founded in Marked Tree, Arkansas and headquartered in Jonesboro, began providing local phone service in 1906. Today, Ritter serves 59 communities and more than 45,000 customers in northeast and north central Arkansas as well as west Tennessee with advanced voice and data services typically found only in major metropolitan areas. Ritter invests heavily in the communities it serves by deploying proven, best-in-class infrastructure and technology while coupling it with a world-class customer focused experience.
Residential consumer services include local and long distance phone service, cable television and high speed Internet. Business services include customized communications systems and services, including broadband Internet services, Managed Voice, data center services, Ethernet connectivity, customized networking and hosted applications. For more information, visit rittercommunications.com or facebook.com/rittercommunications.
About iRis Networks
iRis Networks is the sure choice for a wholesale carrier’s carrier delivering state-of-the-art, high-speed transport for voice, video and data in and around Tennessee. IRis is a uniquely positioned company providing a gateway to broadband transport to many underserved rural areas of the state. Using the latest technology, known as Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing, iRis also provides fully redundant high capacity transport between the larger Tennessee markets of Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Huntsville, Alabama.
