Gonzales, Texas, Benefits From Fiber Deployment

SMITHSON VALLEY, TEXAS - GVTC, a large telephone cooperative in Texas, expanded its FTTP network into the town of Gonzales this summer and announced its first customer - the city government. The Smithson Valley-based communications company signed an agreement with the city of Gonzales to provide communication services from its fiber network to all municipal offices.

Gonzales will first leverage GVTC’s fiber network to establish high-speed computer Ethernet connections among its locations. Gonzales City hall and the police department were first to be transferred to GVTC service. Greg Julius, IT consultant for Gonzales, reported that the fiber connection had an immediate impact, with Internet download speeds at the two locations now almost twice as fast as before and upload speeds about nine times faster.

“GVTC’s fiber network allows us to use communication services we weren’t able to do before, which allows us to operate more efficiently and effectively,” said Gonzales City Manager Allan Barnes. “Their service was also wonderful, and they responded to our needs beyond anything we could have imagined.”

GVTC will begin offering service throughout the city beginning in August. When the expansion is complete, more than 3,850 homes and 560 businesses will have access to fiber connections. GVTC will connect Gonzales’ fire department, library, public works and water station as the company rolls out the network to their locations.