10/17/2025
The importance of high-speed internet cannot be overstated. Eight years ago, high-speed internet in rural Alabama was just a thought. Today marks the culmination of eight years of work by the Tombigbee Electric Cooperative as the rural electric group and the legislature celebrate the completion of the infrastructure construction for high-speed internet across counties, including Winston, Marion, and six other counties. The ceremony was held seven years after work began on the project. Various crews have installed more than 4,200 miles of high-speed fiber optics at a cost of $145 million. The infrastructure build-out is complete by Tombigbee Electric, but the company will continue to add new customers moving forward. The legislature worked on legislation to allow the internet lines to run along the easements of power lines. Many elected officials from across the counties involved in the project attended, including Senator Garlan Gudger, former Representative Randall Shedd, State Representative Tim Wadsworth, Congressman Robert Aderholt, and Lt. Governor Candidate Nicole Jones Wadsworth. Half of Winston County is covered by Tombigbee Electric and the other half is covered by Cullman Electric.
