ATLANTA, December 18, 2018 – Southern Telecom, Inc. (STI), a subsidiary of Southern Company, announces its partnership with GigSouth, a full service, carrier-neutral fiber provider and engineering consultant for rural broadband development headquartered in Atlanta. GigSouth has entered a leasing agreement with STI for dark fiber that will expand its current network within target rural areas in the Southeast US, utilizing STI’s metro dark fiber service and backbone fiber network.

“GigSouth is changing the game, flipping the market on its head, jumping a couple generations of service offerings, lowering pricing so that big data is affordable and providing our customers with white glove support while doing it,” explains Kevin Paulk, Chief Technology Officer of GigSouth. “STI’s metro dark fiber service supports our mission and then some. With STI, we basically have an unlimited amount of bandwidth potential, which allows us to lower pricing on our existing Gigabit internet offering and offer connectivity that is beyond gigabit to residential and commercial customers. We reached 10 Gbps two years ago and are proud to announce our new 100 Gbps offering, to be launched by the end of the year. STI’s fiber is allowing us to make this huge jump, which guarantees we will be ready for the next surge in data demands.”

Southern Telecom presently markets or owns more than 2,600 route miles in the southeast anchored by a robust conduit and dark fiber metro network throughout Atlanta.

“The majority of consumers in rural areas typically only have one choice when it comes to internet access, and this lack of competition often results in higher pricing, subpar support and slow service,” states Michael Lamar, Carrier Account Manager for STI. “STI is honored to provide our dark fiber services and fiber optic network to GigSouth as the company works hard to change this dynamic, grow its network and stay ahead of the curve and demand for high-speed, reliable bandwidth in underserved rural communities.”

“As we embark on this partnership with STI, we are focusing on the Atlanta region initially, and have plans to expand our network to many other local markets via STI fiber,” concludes Paulk. “GigSouth is very thankful and appreciative that a large utility-owned company like STI is devoting its time and resources to help another private telco grow to reach more people. Without STI, we would not have an affordable, solid, dark fiber solution. We look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship with STI and reaching more satisfied customers as a result.”

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

STI Media Contact:                                                                           
Jaymie Scotto & Associates (JSA)                                                       
1-866-695-3629 ext. 6                                                                         
pr@jsa.net

About GigSouth
GigSouth is a full-service telecommunications provider specializing in fiber and enterprise wireless solutions to the home. Through its use of Hybrid Fiber-Wireless (HFW) architecture, the company is able to engineer, implement and service rural and urban areas more efficiently and effectively. GigSouth’s philosophy is to build carrier neutral infrastructures, whether within a large live-work-play facility or rural broadband developments, which will provide lower cost alternatives, increase bandwidth and competition to markets and areas with limited choices. Visit https://www.gigsouth.com for more information.