ATLANTA, September 13, 2018 – Southern Telecom, Inc. (STI), a subsidiary of Southern Company, announces Metro Optical has chosen STI to support its efforts to expand enterprise services to customers in Birmingham, Ala. Metro Optical will leverage colo space from STI to build a customized network solution for its clients in the region.

Metro Optical is a leading provider of managed network, data and internet solutions to enterprise and carrier customers globally. The company is a single-source provider of fully-customizable end-to-end optical networking solutions tailored to each customer situation and backed by superior reliability and support.

“Southern Telecom fills a unique void in a challenging geographic market,” says Ande Hornig, CEO of Metro Optical. “Our next steps will be to expand our presence into full a point-of-presence within STI’s carrier-neutral colocation facility in Birmingham to further expand our services to include global connectivity solutions for our enterprise clients in the region.”

In addition to the data center and the surrounding metro dark fiber network in Birmingham, Southern Telecom markets or owns more than 2,600 route miles in the Southeast, which is anchored by a dark fiber metro network in Atlanta.

“We look forward to supporting Metro Optical’s expansion in Birmingham and being a key part of the company’s growth within the area,” comments Michael Lamar, Carrier Account Executive for STI. “Birmingham is one of the top business and banking centers in the Southeast with over 40,000 businesses in the metro area. The city is experiencing steady growth driven by investment in technology, workforce, manufacturing and more, and we are very proud to be a part of it.”

For more information on Southern Telecom and the dark fiber and colocation services it offers, visit http://www.southern-telecom.com.

About Metro Optical

Founded in 2001, Metro Optical Solutions (“Metro Optical”) is a leading provider of managed network, data and internet solutions to enterprise and carrier customers globally. The company is single-source provider of fully-customizable end-to-end optical networking solutions tailored to each customer situation and backed by superior reliability and support. Metro Optical offers complete data solutions including Layer 2 Ethernet and high-capacity dark fiber and passive waves. Flexible WAN deployments include point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and multipoint-to-multipoint, and diverse internet connectivity capabilities including DIA and dedicated fiber. For more information, visit www.metrooptical.com.

About Southern Telecom

Southern Telecom, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southern Company that provides long-haul and metropolitan dark fiber connecting Atlanta with other cities throughout the Southeast. The company also provides network elements such as access to rights of way, conduit, neutral co-location, and other related maintenance services. Southern Telecom is certificated as a telecommunications provider in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and at the Federal level. For more information about Southern Telecom, visit www.southern-telecom.com.   

About Southern Company

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is nationally recognized as a leading energy company, with 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million customers through its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2017. We operate nearly 200,000 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines and more than 80,000 miles of natural gas pipeline as of December 31, 2017. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric operating companies in four states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers in 11 states across America and a nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. We are building the future of energy by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, advanced carbon capture technologies, natural gas, renewables, energy efficiency and storage technology. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity and the No. 1 Company for Progress by DiversityInc and designated as one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes magazine. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.