Have You Considered Getting Gig Certified?

As a marketer, any excuse to throw a party that touts the cutting-edge services your company provides is a good one. NTCA’s Gig-Capable Certification program may be just what you need to get the party started.

NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association says the program is intended to recognize telcos capable of providing gigabit speeds and to “create a national campaign to celebrate rural networks.” In Tennessee, NCTC and WK&T were the first companies to gain this distinction, while Ben Lomand Connect and Highland Telephone Cooperative became certified this fall.

To become a Gig-Cable Certified provider, a telco must be able to provide gigabit service to 95 percent of one or more exchanges or census blocks. This capability must be confirmed by a letter from an engineering firm or other independent source involved in the company’s network planning, deployment or operation.

The telco must also complete an application and send in a $250 fee. There is no deadline to apply for the program.

Once the certification is granted, the telco will have access to the Gig-Capable logo for use on print, online and other marketing materials. Certified companies also will be recognized in NTCA media, on the NTCA website and during association conferences and events.

Only about 90 telcos have achieved the designation, which accounts for only 10 percent of NTCA’s membership.

NCTC and Ben Lomand Connect both hosted community events to announce their certification (see video coverage for NCTC here and Ben Lomand here), which drew media attention as well as a crowd of local officials and business owners. Other certified providers have advertised their certification on vehicle wraps, new member welcome packets, road signs, customer newsletters and corporate websites.

To find out more about the program, visit the Gig Certification page on NTCA.org.