This is why we do what we do. This is why it is important.

Developments surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has caused everyone to pause and examine what we do and how we do it.

Clearly, the global pandemic has changed the way American’s do business — at least temporarily. It also underscores the need for access to high-speed broadband and the importance of the work our members do serving rural Tennessee.

People are turning to the internet for solutions to the disruptions this coronavirus outbreak is bringing to our daily routines. Businesses are allowing employees to telework, schools are trying out new distance learning tools, and doctors are relying on telehealth to care for some patients remotely. All of those services are made possible by high-speed broadband connections. It is our duty to make sure those in our service areas have the tools they need to thrive during this pandemic and beyond.

That is why I am proud of Tennessee’s rural broadband providers who have adopted the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge” to ensure their customers can stay connected during the COVID-19 crisis.

This crisis will pass. When it does, we will be there in our communities, working hard on further expansion of broadband in rural Tennessee.

Thank you to each and every one of our members. This is why we do what we do. This is our mission. Our services are vital to those we serve.