Articles from Comporium, Inc.

Comporium is pleased to announce that David Barnes has been elected to the role of President and CEO as of July 1st. David is succeeding his father, Bryant Barnes, and is the fifth generation of the Barnes family to helm the company.

More than 850 homes and businesses in York and Chester Counties have gained access to Comporium's fiber-based multi-Gigabit internet service. Over the past few months Comporium placed over 64 miles of fiber-optic network to reach addresses in and around McConnells, Catawba, Clover, York, and Edgemoor. These projects required almost $5.2 million of investment to extend the company’s fiber-optic network. They provide customers with access to internet speeds of up to 5 Gigabits per second (Gbps) and will improve the quality of life significantly in rural areas.

More than 1,000 homes and businesses across York and Lancaster Counties have gained access to Comporium's fiber-based multi-Gigabit internet service. Over the past few months, Comporium constructed nearly 139 miles of fiber-optic cable to reach rural addresses within southern York County as well as western and northeastern Lancaster County. These projects, requiring over $5.4 million of investment to extend the company’s fiber-optic network, provide customers with access to internet speeds of up to five Gigabits per second and will greatly improve the quality of life in rural areas.

Comporium recently provided York Electric Cooperative (YEC) with a check for $1,099,012 from the South Carolina Accelerated Deployment Grant Program (ADGP). The ADGP was administered by the SC Broadband Office. This funding reimbursed YEC for a part of its material and labor costs to extend gigabit Internet service to underserved areas of YEC's York and Cherokee County footprint.

The South Carolina Broadband Office (SCBBO) announced this week that it was funding 17 fiber network projects through its American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) Capital Projects Fund (CPF 1.0) grant program. The SCBBO awarded more than $112 million statewide. Four of those grants were awarded to Comporium totaling more than $51.9 million. Comporium will use these grants, along with its own funds, to extend advanced broadband services to customers in nine SC counties. Comporium estimates the total cost these four projects to be just shy of $78 million and that they will connect 6,610 addresses to its advanced fiber-optic network capable of delivering broadband speeds faster than 1Gbps.

Residents in a large portion of northeastern Lancaster County can now take advantage of Comporium's fiber-based services. In 2022, the company began upgrading its network in a broad swath along the state line. This upgrade gives customers in that area access to internet speeds up to one gigabit per second. During 2023, Comporium continued those upgrades further south.

Comporium announced yesterday that Patrick White has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Facilities and Supply Chain. In his new role, White will be taking on the responsibility of overall management of the company’s cable and construction work groups. White will oversee the construction process and support of Comporium’s network which provides its customers with high-quality telecommunication services.

Residents within a large portion of northeastern Lancaster County can now take advantage of Comporium's fiber-based services. The company upgraded its network in a broad swath along the state boundary line, giving customers in that area access to internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. Comporium also established free public wi-fi access at the Buford Recreation Center as an additional service to these rural communities.

Hundreds of residents in and around the town of Woodford now have access to fast, reliable broadband. Comporium’s construction crews have been working near this northern Orangeburg County town to extend the company’s fiber-optic network. This project, combined with a similar expansion in 2020, makes high-speed internet available at speeds up to 1 gigabit per second to approximately 300 addresses in this rural community. Comporium also established free public wi-fi access at the Woodford Community Center and the North Town Pavilion.

Comporium is pleased to announce that Brian Hovis has been promoted to Vice President of Business Sales. Hovis now will be responsible for executing the company’s business sales strategy and supplying oversight of daily business sales operations for all of Comporium’s service areas. Brian also will be taking on the new responsibility of managing the Media Sales teams to further develop and grow their media offerings to business customers.

Comporium and YEC have completed the first of three phases of their joint effort to supply high speed internet service to 5,000 unserved cooperative members. In July of 2021, the first YEC member was able to connect to the partnership’s network. With the completion of this first phase of the project, more than 2,100 YEC members in northwestern York County have access to broadband speeds up to 1Gbps.

The town of North, SC has taken a technological leap forward. For months, construction crews have been working in this northern Orangeburg County town to extend Comporium’s fiber-optic network. This expansion makes make high-speed internet available for at speeds up to 1 gigabit per second to 693 addresses in this rural community.

Comporium announced today that Chesnee Communications will begin operating under the Comporium brand as of November 1, 2022. This change is a major milestone in the process of fully integrating the employees and customers of Chesnee Communications into the Comporium family.

Comporium is excited to announce it has promoted Roger Parker to the position of Executive Vice President - Technology and Facilities. Parker assumes the role formerly held by Jack Holladay, who recently retired after 38 years of service to the company. Parker’s new responsibilities include oversight of Comporium’s Facility and Construction, Engineering, Network Services, Supply Chain and Information Technology workgroups.

Comporium recently launched a new Connected Internet Program made possible through the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Collaborating with the White House’s National Economic Council and 19 other major service providers, Comporium designed the program so that qualifying households can receive broadband service at no charge.

The 3,000+ customers served by Chesnee Communications are becoming members of the Comporium family. Comporium, a Rock Hill-based communications company, began working with Skyline Telephone Membership Corporation to purchase Chesnee Communications earlier this year. After passing the necessary regulatory requirements, the purchase of the company has been successfully completed.