Pulaski White Rural Telephone Cooperative (PWRTC) announced it will acquire TV Cable of Winamac, doing business as Zing, as part of a five-year expansion initiative to provide northern Indiana with an entertainment triple play service of high-speed internet, video and voice.
“We are thrilled to build upon Zing’s legacy of strong service to the residents of Winamac and to grow their broadband options with our high-speed network,” said Mark Dickerson, President and CEO of PWRTC. “Over the coming months, we’ll be rolling out robust triple-play entertainment packages, with residential Internet speeds of up to 50 Mbps both up and down, 100+ channels of great video programming, and reliable, quality phone service – all at great prices – to customers in Winamac.”
“This is truly a win-win proposition for our Zing customers,” said Eric Galbreath, Vice President of Zing. “In the short term, our customers won’t lose any of the services or quality they have come to enjoy from Zing. And in the very near future, they’ll be able to experience the next level of broadband with additional speed options from PWRTC, all at comparable pricing, from a local provider committed to its community.”
The acquisition is the latest step in PWRTC’s five-year plan to bring the communications network in northern Indiana up to the same level as in metropolitan areas. “Not only do these investments increase the quality of life for our community,” said Dickerson, “but they enhance opportunities for economic growth. Corporate site selectors expect high- speed, fiber-optic Internet, and their employees expect top-quality video entertainment choices, at prices they can afford, and we’re going to fulfill those demands.”
New LightStream Brand Name Conveys Focus on Fiber Future
While its roots began in telephone more than 60 years ago, PWRTC’s mission to provide its community with modern communications services has evolved over time to bringing all the benefits of high-speed Internet to northern Indiana via an extensive fiber optic network.
To better reflect this focus on fiber and the multiple communications services it offers, PWRTC is introducing the brand name LightStream. The company will officially launch its new name and logo in June.
“I’m pleased to welcome our new Winamac customers with a sneak peek at our new LightStream brand,” said Dickerson. “We’re proud to provide our customers with cutting-edge communications services, and the LightStream name will help us convey our mission of delivering amazing home entertainment via fiber to our community.”
After completion of the acquisition, LightStream will offer service options that blend the more than 100 channels of television programming, including premium and high- definition channels and TiVo, currently offered by Zing, with the high-speed internet and telephone services currently being offered by PWRTC.
