BEATTYVILLE, KY DECEMBER 1, 2025 - Today, Keith Gabbard, CEO of PRTC, formally announced a major fiber expansion for Lee County at a ceremony at Happy Top Community Center!
Among the speakers were State Senator Brandon Smith, State Representative Timmy Truett, Carlos Cameron from Hal Rogers’ office, Donna McClure from Mitch McConnell’s office, Lee County Judge-Executive Steve Mays and Beattyville Mayor Scott Jackson.
PRTC applied for and received a ReConnect 4 loan/grant combination award through the USDA that is nearly 19 million dollars.
PRTC investing that into building over 200 miles of fiber internet that, when completed, will cover 94% of the homes in Lee County.
This project will be done in 2 phases. Phase 1, which got underway in mid-October, will cover 78 miles, and will include several areas, including Congleton, Dunigin Branch, the Athol area, Big Andy Ridge, Farmer’s Ridge, Fox Hollow, and a portion of 52 West (Belle Point Road). This phase will pass 435 locations, and the cost is around 5 million dollars.
PRTC anticipates it will be complete in the spring of 2026.
Phase 2 is a much larger project of 125 miles, and we hope to start on it by summer of 2026.
When both phases are completed, PRTC’s reliable, high-speed fiberoptic internet, with speeds up to 1gig, will be available to over 3,500 of the nearly 4,000 possible locations.
PRTC currently has over 900 customers and growing in Lee, and are available to around 1,700 homes.
PRTC is a telecommunications company based in Jackson County, and are celebrating their 75th anniversary this year.
They serve approximately 10,000 internet customers in Jackson, Owsley, Lee, Clay, Laurel, Rockcastle, Breathitt, and Perry Counties.
In addition to the best broadband internet in the state, PRTC also offers cable television packages and landline service.
PRTC wants to give a BIG thank you to Lee County Tourism Director Dedra Brandenburg, and Beattyville Main Street Director Teresa Mays for doing an incredible job organizing the event!
For more information on PRTC, visit theirwebsite at www.prtcnet.org or find us on their Facebook page.
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