Ozarks Electric Cooperative to add Internet service in Northwest Arkansas
by April 19, 2016 12:47 pm 477 views
Ozarks Electric Cooperative is adding Internet service to its offerings in the coming months with the creation of OzarksGo, a 100% owned telecommunications subsidiary.
The new services on the agenda include: high-speed Internet, television and telephone service for subscribers in Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma.
“The formation of this subsidiary is incredibly exciting for all of us,” said Mitchell Johnson, president/CEO of Ozarks Electric. “I believe we are in a unique position to continue fulfilling our purpose, offering members access to tools, like high-speed Internet, that can truly empower them to improve the quality of their lives.”
OzarksGo will offer subscribers access to all-fiber gigabit Internet, reaching speeds of up to one gigabit per second download and upload, with no data limits or restrictions. Premium television and telephone services also will be available.
Randy Klindt has been named general manager of OzarksGo, and will oversee operations, including construction and ongoing management of the business, according to Johnson.
“I am thrilled that Randy will be leading this project. His unprecedented success in the telecommunications field speaks for itself,” he said.
Over a 20-year career, Klindt has worked in multiple roles in the telecommunications industry, most recently serving as general manager of Co-Mo Connect, a subsidiary of Co-Mo Electric Cooperative, in Tipton, Mo.
Klindt said the project will bring broadband to some area residents and businesses for the first time, as well as increased speed and reliability. He said area residents have been held captive by large carriers for too long, and promises that OzarksGo will provide Internet that compares with the fastest found anywhere in the world.
The company said it will provide more details in the coming months. Ozark’s Electric is a member-owned cooperative with more than 70,000 members across nine counties in Northwest Arkansas and northwest Oklahoma.