Panhandle Joins NetAmerica Alliance for 4G
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, August 15, 2011 · 
NetAmerica Alliance LLC announced last week that another telco has joined its 4G LTE network: Panhandle Telephone Cooperative.
Based in Guymon Oklahoma, Panhandle, which does business as PTCI, offers voice, data and video service. PTCI also operates an existing CDMA based wireless network throughout rural areas of Oklahoma and Texas. By joining the alliance, the telco plans an aggressive move to 4G LTE.
“NetAmerica was formed and put into operation at precisely the right time for rural America,” said Ron Strecker, CEO of Panhandle Telephone Cooperative. “The promise 4G LTE holds for our rural customers and the positive economic and lifestyle changes that broadband mobility will bring to our communities is exciting. Panhandle Telephone recognized immediately that joining the alliance was the key for us to control our destiny, maintain our independence, and leverage our investment in 700MHz spectrum while continuing to serve our customers.”
NetAmerica hopes to assist rural telcos with developing a nationwide, 4G LTE network. The alliance has joined forces with rural independent license holders that are deploying converged 4G wireless/wireline networks to provide business and network services including combined buying power, nationwide branding, 24/7 network monitoring, 4G core network elements, applications development and other key services needed to build a converged network.
Panhandle joins two other NetAmerica Alliance participants located in Texas. The alliance reports that it is in discussions with more than 100 rural, independent license holders.
For more, see this release.
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