Providing customers with internet for the device age
Over the last year, the number of EPB Fiber Optics customers benefitting from fiber optic connectivity and particularly Gig internet speeds continued to grow. The total number of subscribers to EPB Fiber Optics services now tops 110,000 households and businesses with about 27% of all EPB Fiber Optics Fi-Speed Internet customers subscribing to Chattanooga’s world-famous Gig speed. “Our customers see particular value in our fiber optic internet because this is the only local service that offers uploads and downloads at the same fast speeds,” said Sandra Tilley, Senior Vice President of Brand Strategies. “As more people rely on their internet connection for working and learning, they are also utilizing more and more internet connected devices. EPB’s Fi-Speed Internet and particularly the Gig offer world-class speed that can reliably support all of the internet needs of a family or business.”
More customers are also subscribing to EPB Smart Network’s professionally installed WiFi service. “Our customers want to use multiple devices at the same time for watching TV, video chatting, and gaming, and they want to use these high-bandwidth applications throughout their home without having to think about wire-line connections,” Tilley said. “EPB’s expert installers ensure that EPB Smart Network customers have the coverage and continuing technical support they need without having to worry about installing and troubleshooting their own network.”
EPB Fi TV takes off
In July 2019, EPB Fiber Optics launched the new EPB Fi TV platform based on rigorous customer research, and customers responded enthusiastically with the total number of subscribers growing to more than 11,400 in just 12 months. “The way people want to view video content has changed,” said Sandra Tilley, Senior Vice President of Brand Strategies. “It is no longer about linear television or appointment TV. Consumers want to watch what they want, when they want and where they want. They want to watch it on all their devices and not be tethered by wires.”
The new EPB Fi TV pairs the world’s fastest internet with the ability to watch TV using many popular streaming devices, mobile phones, tablets and computers that customers may already own without having to lease set top boxes on a monthly basis. “EPB customers who were leasing two or more set top boxes could actually save money by switching to the new EPB Fi TV and premium features like Replay and Restart are included with the service at no extra charge,” Tilley said. Subscribers could also add Unlimited DVR for just $5 per month and store as many recordings as they want for a set period of time. “The new EPB Fi TV is a customer-driven product,“ Tilley said. ”Customers wanted to watch anytime, anywhere without having to lease set top boxes or switch inputs. The new EPB Fi TV delivers on all of these features customers want.”