What is Connecting MHA?
- Connecting MHA is a program supported by the TVA Connected Communities grant program, which will allow residents of Oakland Court I, Oakland Court II and Parkside to receive 3 full years of free internet service beginning this winter. This program is supported by United Communications and Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE).
Connecting MHA will allow interested residents to receive free high-speed internet service in their home, as well as energy saving tips and information.
Who is TVA?
- The TVA provides electricity for 153 local power companies serving 10 million people in Tennessee and parts of six surrounding states, as well as directly to 57 large industrial customers and federal installations.
Who is Middle Tennessee Electric?
- Founded in 1936, MTE is the largest electric cooperative in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region and the second largest in the United States, serving more than 750,000 Tennesseans via 320,000+ accounts covering nearly 2,200 square miles in 11 Middle Tennessee counties, primarily Rutherford, Cannon, Williamson and Wilson. Municipalities served include Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood, Smyrna, La Vergne, Lebanon and Mt. Juliet. MTE employs 520 people in seven local offices and its Murfreesboro corporate headquarters.
Who is United Communications?
- MTE’s subsidiary, United Communications, is a nationally recognized broadband company with a fiber network spanning more than 1,200 route miles providing high-speed internet and other services to portions of Williamson, Rutherford, Marshall, Bedford, Franklin and Davidson counties.
How can I participate?
- Participants must be residents of Oakland Court I, Oakland Court II, and Parkside Communities. Participants must agree to participate in a quarterly energy education event. This can be as simple as watching a short video or reading a brief article on the website. Once completed, participants will fill out a brief survey and submit it to the Connecting MHA Team. The whole process will take between 15 and 30 minutes and only needs to be done once every three months.
Participants will be notified in advance what they need to do.
When will service be available?
- Service is expected to be offered this winter. When you sign up, you will be added to a list and notified when the service becomes available. Instructions for connection will come at that time.
What if I need internet access before service becomes available?
- Residents who need internet service before the Connecting MHA service becomes available can have the option of signing up with the provider of their choice. When Connecting MHA becomes available, residents will be notified and can switch to the new service at no additional cost.