BTC Fiber opens sign-ups for fiber optic internet service on Walden’s Ridge

Fiber optic internet service has arrived on Walden’s Ridge, thanks to work from BTC Fiber and a state grant.

Residents in the Walden’s Ridge community of Rhea County will have their first opportunity to sign up for service Saturday, June 22, at the Walden’s Ridge Community Center. BTC Fiber is offering a $50 discount for those who sign up in person on that first day.

“This is so exciting to get this fiber project off the ground,” said BTC Fiber General Manager Charlie Boring. “We’ve worked hard to build a world-class network in the Sequatchie Valley, and we’re very pleased to be extending that network to these unserved rural residents in Rhea County.”

BTC Fiber employees will be on-site to sign up customers from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. ET. After Saturday, Walden’s Ridge residents can visit the BTC’s Pikeville or Dunlap office to sign up for service but will not receive the half-price discount on the $99 installation fee. All new sign-ups require a deposit — $100 for residential customers and $200 for business customers.

Fiber optics deliver the best online and Wi-Fi experience available anywhere. Using funding from a Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Grant, BTC Fiber has invested in an all-fiber network to bring lightning-fast fiber connections to about 500 homes and businesses in Rhea County.

“Today, a reliable high-speed connection is no longer a convenience — it’s essential,” said Boring.

In March, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced that BTC would receive a $701,120 grant, which BTC Fiber is matching for a total investment of $1,402,240 to build a fiber network in the Walden’s Ridge community in Rhea County.

Many residents in Walden’s Ridge submitted testimony to support the grant application, citing how a lack of reliable broadband negatively impacts their quality of life in areas such as education, business opportunities, health care, family and safety.