Company offers expanded internet service

By Donnie A. Lucas

Resound Networks, the company that was awarded a substantial bid to provide expanded and improved internet services in Shackelford County, has begun offering plans to both residential and commercial customers.

The company, headquartered in Pampa, Texas has completed at least initial steps to provide internet services in an eight-mile radius of Albany.

No information was available from the company on when services might be expanded to more rural areas of the county.

“We are providing a fixed internet service using small radio disks placed on the exterior of each structure that must have line of sight access to the tower on the southwest part of town,” Oliver Cabralles, market manager for Resound Networks, said. “Barring any large obstructions such as big buildings, we should be able to provide service to anyone who needs it.”

He said that the Albany tower “went live” on Jan. 20.

The company was awarded the contract to provide the service for a total bid of $668,932 to provide connectivity to 539 locations in the county.

The funds were provided after a survey conducted last year by Connect Nation Texas identified the county as undeserved.

A total of 94 percent of the households surveyed indicated the need for improved or additional home internet services, including faster speeds.

The funding was provided by Rural Digital Opportunity Fund at no cost to the county.

Resound Networks has recently started providing services to several communities to the west of Albany including, Anson, Hamlin, Rotan, and Roby.

The company is offering residential services ranging from 10 mbps to 100 mbps with monthly fees ranging from $39.99 to $99.99. The company also provides the modem required to connect personal devices to the service at a monthly rental rate of $10.

Commercial rates range from $69.99 to $139.99 per month for the same connection speeds.

A one-year contract is required for residential service and two years for businesses.

The company says it helps customers determine what speed to purchase based on the number of devices being used and for what services.

“When someone selects a plan, they are not locked into the speed they select,” Cabralles said. “They can upgrade to a higher speed at any time, and it is done from our office in just a matter of minutes. A service call is not required.”

The company is planning to hire a service technician from the area to handle installation and repairs.

Persons interested in reviewing the available plans and the costs can go to the website: resoundnetworks.com or call to speak to a representative at 1-800-806-1719.