NATCO Delivers Region's First 1Gig Broadband Service

NATCO, headquartered in Flippin, Arkansas, is the region's first communications provider to deliver 1Gig (gigabits per second / Gbps) broadband service to homes and businesses via fiber optic cable network.

NATCO's Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) network carries voice, data, and video signals by using laser-generated pulses of light to transmit data. Fiber technology provides almost unlimited bandwidth, which allows transmission of data at a much faster rate than traditional Internet service and provides the flexibility to expand as new services and technology are introduced in the future.

NATCO's 1Gig service is on the forefront of advanced technology, both locally and worldwide. The most recent Arkansas State Broadband Manager's Report released December 31, 2015, indicates only 2.3% of Arkansans and 7.9% of United States residents have access to 1Gig download speeds via a wireline network such as FTTH.

NATCO's 1Gig service is 40 times faster than the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadband benchmark speed of 25Mbps. Standard Internet speed across the United States is 10Mbps. NATCO's 1Gig speed is equal to 1,000,000,000 bits per second or 1,000 megabits (Mbps). This increased bandwidth allows FTTH to accommodate a wide variety of applications.

A 45-minute television program requires three minutes to download using a 10Mbps Internet connection. The same program can be downloaded in 1.7 seconds using 1Gig/Gbps FTTH. NATCO's 1Gig FTTH service provides the bandwidth to deliver High Definition (HD) television, voice communications and High-Speed Internet simultaneously without buffering or loss of quality.

Currently, homes and businesses in Bull Shoals, Diamond City and Flippin have access to NATCO's 1Gig FTTH service. Construction and installation of FTTH is planned for other portions of the NATCO service area in the future.

"Since 1951, NATCO has continually invested in advanced technology in the communities we serve. Our commitment to deliver fiber optic broadband services to schools, businesses and homes throughout our rural service area began in 2009. FTTH infrastructure is vital in attracting new industry and technology-driven businesses to our area and providing greater opportunities for the residents we serve. Now, with 1Gig service, we can offer advanced technology to our customers that is not currently available to most people in the U.S.," states Steven Sanders, Jr., President and General Manager of NATCO.