Somewhere just below the streets of Savannah — the historic, cobblestoned thoroughfares as well as the modern, newly paved highways — a genuine revolution has been taking place during the past five years. Although that revolution in the form of fiber-optic technology built by Hargray Communications is largely hidden from view, what is plain to see throughout the Hostess City is the growth and economic development that this investment has helped fuel.

Since launching a major network expansion project in 2012, Hargray Communications has invested approximately $15 million in Savannah alone, enlarging its robust regional fiber network. The hundreds of miles of fiber-optic technology installed in the past five years have provided the region with Internet speeds that are among the fastest in the nation, advanced TV, and phone systems.

“Infrastructure has always been a key factor when it comes to promoting an area’s potential for economic development, but that traditionally has referred to streets and roads,” President and CEO of Savannah Economic Development Authority Trip Tollison said. “Today, internet infrastructure is just as important in making a city desirable for businesses and residents to locate there.”

That growth is not just a promise down the road, as Hargray’s investment has already paid off for Savannah businesses and government.

“Hargray provides fiber-based connection services to the City of Savannah and is a critical component in the communications backbone for eight of the largest ten employers in Savannah, including leaders in healthcare, manufacturing, education, and hospitality,” said Chris McCorkendale, Senior Vice President of Sales and Business Development for Hargray. “Our advanced network has enabled organizations that have been in this community for decades to grow and expand, has helped spur the entrepreneurial spirit of start-ups, and has aided in attracting new companies to the Coastal Empire.”

“One common denominator among all these companies is that they need the best telecommunications network possible, and Hargray has been pleased to help provide that” McCorkendale added. “Of course, there’s so much that goes into growing an economy, from an educated workforce to smart governance to innovation.  Our role is to give local organizations the best network tools and technology that are available, and we are glad to have contributed in our own way to the overall success of the region.”

In addition, Hargray’s wide range of services — including managed IT services, hosted servers and phone systems, colocation, fiber to the tower, carrier Ethernet, dedicated internet access (DIA), video, voice, high speed data services, 100-gig wave capabilities and an 8-terabit regional network — have helped to support the economic growth of the area, and the company’s back-up and recovery services provide peace of mind to protect businesses, residences and communities from the unexpected.

“The first thing most people think of when assessing their telecommunications needs is speed and day-to-day reliability.  But beyond those table stakes, businesses in Savannah and across the region also need Hargray’s capability to provide continuity and disaster recovery services given the natural disasters that can hit the region,” said Dave Dobbin, Senior Vice President, Technology and Operations at Hargray.  “For example, Hargray’s core fiber network remained fully functional throughout all of Hurricane Matthew last fall.  The knowledge that Hargray’s technology delivers in the most challenging situations is a crucial trust-point for businesses and institutions.”

Despite the extensive progress made in the past five years, Hargray’s efforts are far from finished.  The company continues to expand its advanced, fiber-based products and services — enhancements that will further aid the burgeoning economy here in Savannah and across the region.