ATLANTA – Southern Telecom, Inc., a subsidiary of Southern Company, today announced an agreement with Georgia Transmission Corporation for a new fiber route between Winder, Ga. and Hartwell, Ga. The 75-mile underground fiber route will expand the dark fiber network infrastructure for Southern Telecom’s customers.

“This dark fiber route and new partnership with Georgia Transmission Corporation will deliver expanded network reach for our internal and external customers,” said Southern Telecom business development manager Leif Ericson.

Southern Telecom now has almost 1,400 dark fiber route miles in the Southeast United States. This new route in northeast Georgia will complement Southern Telecom’s existing carrier-neutral colocation sites and open access to dark fiber infrastructure in Alabama, Georgia and Florida that has been provisioned over the last 18 years. Metro networks in the central business districts of Atlanta, Ga., Birmingham, Ala., Jacksonville, Fla. and Macon, Ga. offer open access to many carrier hotels, wireless towers, and enterprise customers.

“Southern Telecom is a trusted dark fiber partner that will provide significant economic development value to the region,” said Georgia Transmission Corporation vice president of transmission David Van Winkle.

About Southern Telecom

Southern Telecom 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 rights-of-way, dark fiber, conduit, colocation and other related maintenance services. Southern Telecom is certificated as a telecommunications provider in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia and at the federal level. For more information about Southern Telecom, please call (678) 443-1820 or visit www.southern-telecom.com.  

About Southern Company

With more than 4.5 million customers and approximately 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast through its subsidiaries. A leading U.S. producer of clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, 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 inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including nuclear, 21^st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a 2014 Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company earned the 2014 National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development, and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.