The US regional service provider Big River Broadband plans to launch a 4G LTE service in seven Missouri countries where the telecommunications company Alcatel-Lucent is providing its end-to-end 4G LTE offering to help customers of the St. Louis-based operator experience fast broadband speeds and take advantage of new applications, games and other services over their mobile devices.
Big River Broadband is part of the Missouri Broadband Commission entrusted to deliver 95% broadband penetration within the State of Missouri. This program was awarded in September of 2010 by the Rural Utility Services (RUS) which is part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The Big River’s 4G LTE network has been selected by 18 customers for commercial deployments, including three of the world’s largest service providers, and being involved in more than 70 customer trials.
Big River Broadband CTO Kevin Keaveny said the residents of rural and underserved areas of southeastern Missouri deserve the same access to mobile broadband applications as those of the bigger, more metropolitan areas.
"Today, the seven counties in Big River’s service territory suffer from a lack of access to affordable networks. The availability of an expansive and affordable broadband network will dramatically change many aspects of our customers’ lives, including the areas of agriculture, public safety, government, administration, real estate, land values and tourism," said Keaveny.
Alcatel-Lucent’s Americas Region president Robert Vrij said capacity, choice and speed are some of the obvious benefits of expanded wireless broadband.
"But Big River also recognizes the less obvious benefit of technology like mobile broadband opening the door to opportunity. The ability to connect people and ideas at the speed of light changes everything from access to education, healthcare, retail and other services," said Vrij.
