Speaker Appoints Sanders to State Broadband Council

Steven Sanders, Jr., President and General Manager of NATCO Communications, Inc. in Flippin, was recently appointed to the Arkansas Broadband Council by Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives Jeremy Gillam.

Established in 2007, the 13-member council advises the Governor and the General Assembly on policies related to establishing affordable broadband Internet service for Arkansas homes and businesses.

Establishing broadband service to homes and businesses within the State is the priority of the Council. The Council is instrumental in planning and coordinating the State's initiatives for broadband service to stimulate economic growth, enhance educational opportunities and improve communications and safety for Arkansas residents. In addition, the Council monitors the broadband development efforts of other states and countries.

The term "broadband" describes an Internet signal of high bandwidth or capacity. Many types of high-speed Internet connections may be labeled as broadband including fiber optic (Fiber-To-The-Home/FTTH), DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), satellite and wireless.

"Today's world is Internet driven. In order for Arkansas to compete economically and educationally, residents must have access to high-speed broadband Internet service. Meeting the challenges of delivering broadband service to customers in the rural Ozark Mountains has provided knowledge and experience I will draw upon to help guide the State in connecting other rural areas. I am honored to be appointed by Speaker Gillam to the Broadband Council," stated Steven Sanders, Jr.

As President and General Manager of NATCO Communications, Inc., Sanders has installed broadband Internet service to the majority of customers within the company's 658-square mile rural service area, including Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) 1Gig/Gbps service.

In addition to his appointment as a member of the Arkansas Broadband Council, Steven Sanders currently serves as a Director of the Western Telecommunications Alliance. Since 1999, Sanders has served as a Director of the Arkansas Telecommunications Association (ATA), and currently serves as Chairman of the ATA's Small Company Concerns Committee. Sanders also currently serves as a member of the Arkansas Distance Learning Coordinating Council.

Steven Sanders, Jr., President and General Manager of NATCO Communications, Inc., headquartered in Flippin, Arkansas was recently appointed to the Arkansas Broadband Council by Speaker of the House Jeremy Gillam.