Of the 850 electric distribution cooperatives operating in America today, more than 200 have now entered the broadband business. The majority of these transition stories have involved the selection of a consulting firm to help guide the process. Initially, Blue Ridge conferred with some consultants about broadband. Somehow, those discussions didn't produce a scenario that quite met our satisfaction level.

Along the way, President Lovinggood heard reports about West Carolina Telephone Co-op in Abbeville. West Carolina had a reputation for delivering quality services, and its president and CEO, Jeff Wilson, was recognized as a strong leader. After a series of preliminary contacts between the two CEO's, the agreed to meet.

Long story short, it soon became apparent the Blue Ridge and West Carolina had very similar cultures. They both were operating in conformity to the cooperative business model. Subsequent interactions between the respective staffs and board members demonstrated a like-mindedness that was truly special.

In addition, each of the so-ops brought a key ingredient to the table. For West Carolina, it was its expertise. What Blue Ridge had to offer was an 1,800-square-mile territory that was populated with tens of thousands of members who desperately needed internet service. That territory also included more than 7,000 miles of Blue Ridge power-line infrastructure that could be utilized to support the fiber-optic cable that could take broadband to member locations.

Out of that combination, UpCountry Fiber was born. By the end of 2023, more than 17,000 newly served customers are on the receiving end of UpCountry Fiber's highest-quality service. 

Surprisingly, the tandem broadband effort between an electric and a telephone co-op turned out to be a rather unique success story. Consequently, officials at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Associations invited Mr. Lovinggood and Mr. Wilson to have a part on the program at the association's February 2022 annual meeting. Their presentation, which included a question-and-answer segment, apparently attracted quite a bit of attention. They since have discussed their success at three other business meetings and are scheduled to address another such session.

Both the business community's reaction and the on-the-ground progress would seem to provide impressive evidence that the UpCountry Fiber partnership has proven to be a winning combination.