Ritter Communications

The COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, and many holes in systems throughout society were exposed. One in Arkansas and in surrounding states was the lack of high-speed internet in many places — especially rural parts of the state.

Ritter Communications, based in Jonesboro, decided to tackle the problem.

In 2021, Ritter Communications launched its residential fiber-to-the-home product, RightFiber. RightFiber provides customers with high-speed fiber optic internet with speeds up to 5 gig.

“We offer speeds up to 5 gig, which is perfect for families with gamers or those who have embraced a smart home or have many smart devices. We include smart WiFi with all of  our internet packages, giving customers more control and visibility over their in-home networks,” Ritter CEO Heath Simpson said.

Earnest Herman Ritter Jr. started E. Ritter and Company in Marked Tree in 1889, as a mercantile shop. Soon he began to dabble in road and bridge building, timber and other agricultural pursuits. In 1906, the company incorporated and became the parent company of Ritter Communications and Ritter Agriculture.

Nearly 116 years later Ritter Communications continues to spread in Northeast Arkansas and the rest of the Mid-South. It operates in six states — Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky and Missouri. It is in 158 communities and has a customer base of about 60,000.

“We are constantly evaluating where RightFiber can make the strongest impact to communities. We recently announced our expansion into El Dorado, Ark., and have several expansion projects in the works and look forward to announcing them very soon,” Simpson said. “This year we will celebrate our footprint growing to our sixth state, Louisiana.”

The company has 460 employees and has five offices. About 90% of the company’s workforce is based in Arkansas.

Simpson said he isn’t sure what impacts changes in federal budgets or policies will have on the industry.

“That’s something that we’re monitoring each day. In the meantime, we are focusing on connecting people to the things that are most important to them with the best possible technology and customer experience in the industry,” he added.

What changes in the industry does he expect in the coming year?

“Our industry remains focused on deploying fiber, reaching underserved areas and increasing internet speeds to meet the ever-growing demands of our digital world. Ritter Communications has been connecting communities since 1906, while technology is always changing, we are committed to continuing to deploy best in-class technology and connecting communities,” Simpson said. 

Editor’s note: This company is a finalist for the Northeast Arkansas Outstanding Business Awards — Large Business category. Winners will be announced at a luncheon on April 15. Contact Rob Gutterridge at rgutterridge@nwabj.com for tickets.