Photograph: Elected city, state and company officials gather for AT&T ribbon cutting in South City Park. (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Contributing Writer
AT&T is announcing expanded Internet fiber capability, lower costs and higher access speeds for residences and businesses located in the Opelousas area.
Company officials and elected municipal and state leaders gathered last week for a South City Park ribbon cutting ceremony that marked the enhanced AT&T plan which will also feature low cost broadband plans and accelerated speed with no data caps.
AT&T assistant vice-president David Aubrey said much of the fiber cable is currently intended for parts of south Opelousas. Signs indicating the installation of the new high-speed cable were visible in yards located just two blocks south of South City Park.
Aubrey said prior to the ribbon cutting that AT&T is prepared to continue investing in areas of St. Landry Parish in order to upgrade connectivity and lower the costs for Internet access.
“Placing the high-speed cable is our latest investment in Opelousas. Right now the company is working in the South Park area and bring service up considerably,” Aubrey added.
Aubry said after the work is finished on the fiber project, AT&T will be able to provide Internet speeds up to 5-Gigs. “Going from where we are now to 5-Gigs makes a whole world of difference,” Aubrey said.
AT&T Aubrey said, is interested in upgrading and investing in smaller and mid-sized communities like Opelousas. “What we want to say is this is not the Gumbo plan (for the Internet), but this is AT&T which is expanding and investing,” Aubrey said.
Levar Greenhouse, AT&T regional director, said the company also plans to provide expanded coverage in areas of downtown Opelousas. Nearly two years ago, Greenhouse told the Opelousas Board of Aldermen that the company had bought property off Union Street in order to build at AT&T communications tower.
“The new tower that is under construction is critical in providing more coverage to the downtown area of Opelousas,” Greenhouse said.
Greenhouse added that the tower which faces Laurent Street, should be completed in the next few months.
Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor said that expanding the Internet service in Opelousas is critical to progress in the city,
“They (AT&T) have continued to provide a strong support system for the city and our progress is dependent upon that partnership,” Alsandor said.
District 40 State Representative Dustin Miller said expanded and high-speed Internet are critical to closing the digital divide in the Opelousas area.
