Carroll EMC and Crossbeam recently celebrated a major milestone, recognizing Deborah Gardner of Cedartown as the internet provider’s 5,000th customer during a special presentation at her home on Friday, Aug. 7.
Representatives from Carroll EMC and Crossbeam gathered to thank Gardner for making the switch and to celebrate the continued growth of the broadband partnership. For Gardner, the decision came down to both value and reliability.
“The price of my previous provider just kept going up, and it didn’t seem to matter how long you’d been a customer,” said Gardner. “When Crossbeam became available, I decided to take the chance.”
Crossbeam was born through a partnership between Carroll EMC and SyncGlobal Telecom, a local business telecommunications provider, to bring high-speed, fiber internet to rural and underserved areas of western Georgia. Since construction began in December 2021, the fiber network has grown to serve thousands of customers across portions of Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk and Troup counties.
Unlike traditional internet services, Crossbeam’s fiber-to-the-home network delivers equal upload and download speeds, giving customers the bandwidth needed to stream, work remotely, learn online, game and stay connected without compromise. Fiber internet is widely regarded as the gold standard for speed, reliability and long-term performance.
Tim Martin, President and CEO for Carroll EMC, said reaching this milestone is a testament to the progress made since the partnership began.
“It took Carroll EMC 90 years to build the electric system we have today, with more than 5,000 miles of line serving our Members,” said Martin. “Building a fiber network across our service territory is another significant undertaking, but we’ve made tremendous strides in just a few short years.
“By the time Phase III is complete, nearly two-thirds of our Membership will have access to Crossbeam service,” he said.
The partnership has focused not only on expanding access to broadband but also on providing local customer experience. From customer service representatives to field technicians, Crossbeam’s team is based in the community it serves, ensuring customers receive support from people who understand their needs.
Kyle Williamson, president of SyncGlobal Telecom and Crossbeam, said the milestone is especially meaningful given the company’s journey from serving business customers to delivering fiber internet to thousands of homes across west Georgia.
“We’ve been working for a lifetime for this, so we appreciate it,” Williamson said.
As construction continues, Carroll EMC and Crossbeam remain committed to expanding access to affordable, dependable fiber internet. Members interested in service can visit crossbeam.net to check availability or pre-register their address.