BRISTOL, VA (Aug. 4, 2020) – As the COVID-19 situation brings increased demands in teleworking, virtual learning and even telehealth, Point Broadband has been busy expanding its fiber network throughout SW Virginia and NE Tennessee to provide fast reliable fiber Internet. However, they have hit a roadblock in areas of Lee County, VA, and Claiborne and Hancock Counties in Tennessee because of Powell Valley Electric Co-op (PVEC).
“We have been operating for the last two years with no issues, expanding our fiber-to-the-home network, offering residents and businesses a better choice for Internet service,” said Joseph Puckett, General Manager for Point Broadband. “Recently, PVEC has forced us to stop our expansion by harassing our technicians in the field as we try to install new customers. They are even preventing us from servicing existing customers in those areas.”
Point Broadband currently serves thousands of customers across the region and has a mission to provide service to the underserved areas of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. Point Broadband acquired Sunset Fiber in 2018 and has been constructing fiber and installing customers in the PVEC area since. Point also pays PVEC for use of utility poles and attachments to serve customers.
“It is very disheartening to tell customers who have requested service that we cannot provide them the crucial Internet connection they need in these uncertain times because a local utility company is protecting its territory from competition,” added Puckett. “All we can do is to encourage folks to call PVEC and request they let Point Broadband continue the expansion that has been underway for the last two years.”
Following are the contact numbers for PVEC:
New Tazewell Office: 423-626-5204 Jonesville Office: 276-346-6003
Sneedville Office 423-733-2207
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CONTACT
Todd Holt, Point Broadband CEO, Ph: 334-669-1600
Email: todd.holt@point-broadband.com
Joseph Puckett, Point Broadband General Manager, Ph: 276-791-1724
Email: joseph.puckett@point-broadband.com
Access to the Internet has changed every aspect of our lives. It is literally always at our fingertips. It has changed how we communicate, conduct business and entertain ourselves. And while the Internet provides more convenience and options to connect more than ever before, it also poses challenges for parents. Children have never known a time where they couldn’t be instantly online. This can create safety concerns about what they may see, hear or read, as well as who they may encounter. Parents also face the responsibility of limited screen time, which can be a major challenge. Fortunately, there are measures in place with Point Broadband’s SmartHome platform to help you overcome some of these parenting challenges.
What Can Point SmartHome Parental Controls Do?
Beyond providing you with consistent Internet everywhere in your home, Point SmartHome powered by Plume has a variety of parental control options that address everything from safety to access. You can control every device connected to your home’s WiFi. With AI Security, online content can be filtered and restricted based on the settings you customize. Each member of your family can have a profile with unique settings. By default, each profile will be set to “no limits.” However, parameters can be adjusted based on the amount of time and access you’d like each profile to have. For younger children, only G-rated content can be accessed. For older children, like teenagers, a PG-13 filter can be applied. And adult content can be restricted from any profile or device. You can also create a custom approved/block list that can be configured for any location, device or person.
Limiting time and data is another useful feature that is available. You can isolate and limit or restrict each individual device. This can be done in terms of a daily time allotment or freezing access during or after certain hours. This takes the much of the guesswork out of when and what your children are doing online.
What is AI Security?
As cyber threats continue to evolve, AI security provided by Point SmartHome keeps you protected. By filtering out potentially suspicious content and sources, your network remains secure. Real-time threats like phishing, malware, viruses, ransomware and more are mitigated before they can become an issue. AI security also makes it possible to filter content and sites for each device and person in your home, limiting the amount of exposure you have on and for each one. With advanced IoT protection, all your connected devices are also secure. This includes baby monitors, thermostats and any other connected device. Lastly, Anomaly Detection allows SmartHome to learn about the usage habits and trends for each device, allowing it to recognize when something is out of the ordinary and possibly posing a threat.
With Point SmartHome powered by Plume, you can take back control of your home’s WiFi with enhanced, consistent performance, and state-of-the-art security and oversight.
Homes today are more connected than ever. With rapid developments in security and comfort technology, along with the growing number of communication and entertainment devices we have, strong, reliable and secure WiFi has never been more important. The market for smart home products is expected to exceed $40 billion next year. With more connectable devices than ever, it can be easy to overload your current bandwidth with these new demands. While you can opt for a bigger plan or add a WiFi extender in an attempt to improve speed and reliability, the real solution can be found in a whole home WIFI system.
What is a whole home WIFI system?
A whole home WiFi system is an enhanced Internet delivery platform. It replaces the WiFi that comes through your router and modem with a fast, reliable, consistent signal that is relayed through strategically placed pods. These pods allow the Internet to be moved throughout your home, where it is needed most. With advanced AI security and real-time optimization, you never have to worry about a lagging signal or drop in performance.
Plume Pods
Point SmartHome powered by Plume uses Plume Pods. While the advanced security features and performance optimization stem from the cloud, the pods provide reliable, fast, consistent WiFi in every corner of your home.
How does Point SmartHome work?
Point SmartHome, works through the cloud to adapt to real-life activity, in real-time. This ability to adjust and modify your WiFi ensures that every room and every device in your home receives a reliable, fast connection, not only today but into the future as well. Your new, faster, reliable WiFi will be delivered from the cloud to a SuperPod that connects to your Point Broadband Fiber Internet. From there, the signal is sent through a network of smaller PowerPods. Your Point Broadband Technician will test signal strength throughout your home and place these Powerpods in rooms where you frequently use WiFi. Two PowerPods, in addition to your SuperPod, is typically sufficient for a 3-4 bedroom home; however, additional pods can be added at any time.
As your home continues to evolve with WiFi enabled doorbells, locks, thermostats and streaming devices, your WiFi solution will need to evolve as well. Point Broadband Fiber Internet along with Point SmartHome powered by Plume will give your home the power it needs to operate efficiently now and into the future.
To learn more, go to point-broadband.com/smarthome.
WEST POINT, GA. (Oct. 15, 2019) – Point Broadband, a leader in delivering world-class fiber optic broadband services to rural and small-town communities in the United States, will soon expand its Opelika, Ala. operations into Auburn.
The company purchased the fiber telecommunication network and assets from the City of Opelika in November 2018, and immediately applied for a cable franchise that would allow for expansion into Auburn. The franchise agreement was approved tonight during the Auburn City Council meeting.
“Since acquiring the OPS fiber assets from the City of Opelika, our goal was to expand into Auburn,” said Point Broadband General Manager Bruce Schoonover. “We are excited to finally reach this milestone of franchise approval so we can begin to develop a plan for the underserved residents and businesses in Auburn. Our service has been well received in Opelika, and we have enjoyed steady growth in that market. We are looking forward to becoming a more active member of the Auburn community as we expand our business there.”
More details will follow on Point Broadband’s expansion plan and the homes and businesses that will be the company’s service footprint.
About Point Broadband
Point Broadband, headquartered in West Point, Ga., is a subsidiary of ITC Capital Partners, LLC. ITC has a century long history of providing innovative communication solutions to its customers, with a focus on meeting the needs of the communities we serve. We’re committed to providing fast, reliable Internet, voice and video service to help our customers connect with friends and family, stream music and TV service, allow businesses to connect with more customers and just simply make life better.
For additional information: point-broadband.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
WEST POINT, GA. (August 22, 2019) – Point Broadband announces a new carriage agreement with Disney Media Distribution to carry ESPN’s new ACC Network (ACCN) beginning on Monday, Aug. 26th. Owned and operated by ESPN in partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference, ACC Network is a 24/7 national network dedicated to ACC sports. Fans and followers […]
BRISTOL, VA (May 10, 2019) – Point Broadband, a leader in delivering world-class fiber optic broadband services to rural and small town communities in the United States, hosted a media event May 7th to discuss the rebranding of its Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee operations, and to share the vision for future growth in the region.
Todd Holt, Point Broadband CEO, and Weldon Feightner, Point Broadband COO, participated in an open question- and-answer forum. The event was held at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, VA — both a famous local landmark and a customer of Point Broadband’s best-in-class high-speed fiber optic broadband service. The forum was moderated by WCYB (Bristol) news anchor Rebecca Pepin.
Customers, government officials and news media who attended the event had the opportunity to speak with members of the Point Broadband team, and to learn more about the company’s vision for the region. The attendees also heard how reliable high-speed fiber optic broadband will play a key role in the continued development and growth of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee communities
“Point Broadband, and all our team members, are driven by our company mission: ‘To deliver superior fiber-based broadband solutions to small town USA and rural America, with a focus on community, and best-in-class customer service,’” Holt said. “The rebranding of Sunset Digital to Point Broadband will help us maximize efficiencies for our operations as we move forward, which ultimately results in us being able to provide better service to our customers. We enjoy being a local partner, and we encourage our team members to be engaged in the communities where we live, work and play.”
Holt added that he considers Point Broadband’s service to be unique in this area because its network is fiber all the way to the premise. “There continues to be more data consumption, more devices being connected and more Internet applications,” he said, “so it’s very important to have fiber all the way to premise for maximum performance in your home or business. It’s a real differentiator in the areas where we operate.”
Feightner noted that Point Broadband is excited to be serving the Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee region and is committed to partnering with communities in this area to promote growth for residents and local businesses.
“We are continuing to expand our network in underserved areas in an around this region, and will work with community leaders and the state representative to find funding to expand fiber into additional areas,” Feightner said. “We will be utilizing the local Bristol, Virginia facility as our company-wide customer service hub, so we’re excited about consolidating our services into one brand.”
Holt explained that the company will soon be offering a Whole Home Wi-Fi service that allows residents and businesses to maximize their fiber optic broadband throughout their home or office without loss of bandwidth.
“We view ourselves as pioneers in the area of innovative communications services, and we give credit to BVU and Sunset for bringing fiber to this region,” Holt said. “As a well-capitalized commercial firm with many years of successfully providing competitive fiber services, ITC Point Broadband is now in a position to expand the foundation of fiber to surrounding areas so residential consumers, businesses and communities can enjoy all the benefits of state-of-the art fast, reliable broadband.”
The event opened with a brief video covering the history of Point Broadband and its parent company ITC Capital Partners, LLC. In the video, ITC Chairman Cam Lanier, shared the beginnings of the company as one of the first telephone providers in the South over 100 years ago. The video presentation also included testimonials from customers in our region, like UVA Wise, that have depended on the Point Broadband’s directive to provide exceptional high-speed internet to small towns and rural areas.
To learn more about Point Broadband, visit www.point-broadband.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.