Using Broadband to Drive
Economic Development and
Create Jobs
Fiber for the New Economy
September 16, 2015
Smithville
Nearly a Century of Innovation
• Family owned business since 1922
• Today largest Indiana privately owned telecom
• Limited ownership allows for agility in innovation,
embracing of new technology
• Originally rural telephone company
• Early adopter of DSL
• First introduction of fiber in 1990s, $100+ million
residential fiber expansion in 2008, 2,800 miles of
fiber today in Indiana
• Top 100 Broadband Company (seven times)
• First Indiana “GigaCity” company 2015
Jasper, Indiana
Case Study in Economic Development
• Public-private
partnership between
Smithville and city
government
• Gigabit connectivity
throughout entire city
by 2018
• Smithville already had
several enterpriselevel fiber customers
in city
City Profile
• Jasper - major
manufacturing center
• Home of Kimball
International, Kimball
Electronics, and
Masterbrand Cabinets
• Ranked in 100 Best
Small Towns in
America, top “Best
Places to Live”
NOT located on interstate
Benefits of High-Speed Fiber
• Increase
attractiveness of city
to site selectors
• Critical for
telecommuting (rural
area serves large
manufacturing
operations; fiber
allows “work at
home” capacity)
Expected Benefits
of Smithville Engagement
• Increased capacity for
economic diversification
• Job creation
• Increased competitive
stance
• Improved productivity
• Helps to compensate
for lack of Interstate
access
• Higher quality of life
Next Steps
• Jasper/Smithville – created model for
successful public/private partnership and
collaboration
• Cost-effective “fiberhood” strategy
• City provides local asset base (pole strands)
• Other areas of Indiana, particularly REMCs,
expressing interest in new partnerships
• Risk management
Contact: Cullen McCarty
Executive Vice President
812-876-2211
Cullen.McCarty@smithville.com