Press Release

Alpine, Texas, April 22, 2016 – NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association recognized Big Bend Telephone with a Smart Rural Community Showcase award as part of the association’s initiative to highlight efforts that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business.

A smart rural community offers a dynamic suite of broadband-enabled solutions that builds community strength and enables global competition. These communities not only rely on high-capacity broadband connections, but also on teams of highly motivated and collaborative leaders—the people behind the technology. From manufacturers and application developers to telecommunications providers and, ultimately, the users who adopt and employ broadband-enabled services, it takes a lot of people to create a smart rural community, and encourage its continued development and evolution.

“It is an honor to be recognized for our hard working team and commitment to building and maintaining advanced broadband networks in West Texas,” said Rusty Moore, General Manager and COO of Big Bend Telephone. “We continue to work with our anchor institutions and our customers to deliver the best technology solutions in one of the most rural regions of the country.”

Smart Rural Community award recipients were recognized at a gathering of more than 1,500 rural telecom leaders in Boston, MA. In addition to receiving national recognition for its efforts, Big Bend Telephone will join prior award recipients to formulate best practices and assist other rural communities in the implementation of innovative broadband-enabled solutions to drive economic and community strength in rural areas throughout the nation.

“Earning this recognition was not the goal but just part of the journey,” continued Moore. “We will continue to create next-generation applications and platforms for our communities.”

About Big Bend Telephone Company

Big Bend Telephone provides high-quality communications services, including Internet and voice services, to the Big Bend region. BBT’s service area includes Alamito, Alpine, Big Bend National Park, Big Canyon, Calamity Creek, Comstock, Fort Davis, Fort Stockton, Heath Canyon, Lajitas, Langtry, Marathon, Marfa, McCamey, Presidio, Redford, Sanderson, Sheffield, Six Shooter and Terlingua. Based in Alpine, Texas, the three-generation family-owned company has been providing high-quality communications services since 1960 and is nationally recognized as a Smart Rural Community Showcase Award winner. bigbend.net

About NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association

NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 900 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. NTCA advocates on behalf of its members in the legislative and regulatory arenas, and it provides training and development; publications and industry events; and an array of employee benefit programs. In an era of exploding technology, deregulation and marketplace competition, NTCA’s members are leading the IP evolution for rural consumers, delivering technologies that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development and commerce, education, health care, government services, security and smart energy use. ntca.org

To learn more about Smart Rural Community, visit https://www.ntca.org/member-services/programs/smart-rural-community