FTC UNVEILS NEW 3G WIRELESS UPGRADES (9.20.11)
Representatives from Farmers Telephone Cooperative Inc. (FTC) announced upgrades were recently made to the cooperative’s wireless network.
Enhancements to the FTC Wireless network included upgrading wireless towers throughout the Sumter area, making them 3G capable. There are now 14 fully operational 3G sites in Sumter and through the first half of 2011, the speeds of these sites have been increased tremendously through upgrades and new equipment.
In addition to these upgrades in the Sumter service area, FTC also recently completed the implementation of 23 additional 3G sites, which tie in to the cooperative’s current network of 14 3G sites.
The newly upgraded sites expand service from Sumter toward Manning and the Lake Marion area, down Interstate 95 and S.C. 260 and from Manning to Kingstree along U.S. 521 and S.C. 261.
Future plans also call for the addition of nine 3G sites from Kingstree to Lake City. The purpose of adding these towers and completing the 3G upgrades is to provide faster data speeds to our customers.
“By adding these new towers and making these upgrades, FTC customers who live and travel throughout our service area can now talk and send data more freely without worrying about dropped calls or an interruption of service,” said FTC Public Relations Director Chip Chase. “The improved coverage and speeds are definitely noticeable. When using a smart phone for going online, even in rural areas, it’s like having Wi-Fi.”
About FTC
Founded in 1952, Farmers Telephone Cooperative Inc. is a local, multifaceted telecommunications company headquartered in Kingstree. Serving more than 60,000 customers within a coverage area of 3,000 miles, FTC provides cutting-edge technology to businesses and residents in Williamsburg, Lee, Sumter, Clarendon and Florence counties in South Carolina. A veteran in the telephone industry, FTC is the second largest telephone cooperative in the United States. FTC has evolved into a state-of-the-art organization offering local and long-distance telephone service, security systems and monitoring, video, digital wireless and high-speed Internet services. Customers can choose from a wide array of products and services at any of the eight full-service business offices. For additional information about FTC, call 888-218-5050 or visit http://www.ftc-i.net or http://www.facebook.com/FarmersTelephone.
