Broadband Development Group of Little Rock announced this week that it has joined RasorNET, an Arkansas-based independent trade group of five regional carriers that have built and deployed fiber networks to several markets across the state, according to a news release.
Lou McAlister, CEO of BDG, said being a member of RasorNET would help the fixed wireless broadband internet service provider expand not only in Arkansas but also into the national market, which is what the company wants. Its service is called Hyperleap.
BDG now has 10 employees, and it had only three about a month ago.
“We expect to continue really fast growth, and we’re hoping this is going to be helpful in that respect,” McAlister said. “It seemed like it was a good thing for us to do to help them help us, us help them and, collectively, for us to help a lot of smaller markets in Arkansas, a lot of rural communities in Arkansas where they may not have as much access to really competitive broadband services as larger places do.”
He said becoming a RasorNET member involves buying shares; companies invest in the consortium to join it. McAlister declined to disclose much his private company spent to become a RasorNET member, but he said they invested the same amount as the other members and that his understanding was that all are full members on an equal basis.
Mark Lundy, president of RasorNET, also declined to disclose amounts but said, for what the members are getting, the price is a “bargain.”
McAlister said BDG was signing a big deal with a business in Dallas that it would announce soon, too.
To do what BDG does, it has to get on fiber optic networks and buy bandwidth. RasorNET would address that need, he said, adding that there haven’t been many fiber network providers to choose from in Arkansas.
According to news release, RasorNET provides broadband connectivity to national cellular providers, regional cable multiple-system operators and several enterprise customers.
Hyperleap is different from traditional services, according to its website, because it’s not delivered by fiber optic cables or other terrestrial-based cables. Instead, its signal is shared via a network of rooftop setups that allow the company to add links in days rather than weeks or months, the website states.
McAlister found RasorNET online and called a contact of his, Steve Smith, who used to be vice president of sales for Ritter Communications, to find out what Smith knew about RasorNET. McAlister said he learned that Smith founded RasorNET.
He said Smith told him BDG could not only do business with RasorNET but suggested that the company become a member.
According to a news release, RasorNET’s members reach over 150 rural communities in and around Arkansas, as well as 350-plus communities in Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.
Hyperleap is available at the ACCC Building, Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, the Arkansas Building, the Little Rock Technology Park, the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Heritage East (Stone Ward), Heritage West, 1 Allied Drive, Plaza West, the Thea Foundation building, the Venture Center, Union Plaza, MacArthur Commons, Rock Street Lofts, the Lafayette Building, the Lofts at SOMA, 1406 Broadway St., the Kramer School and Trapnall Place.
Lundy said bringing in someone like McAlister, with a different attitude and way of looking at how to get internet to people, would make RasorNet stronger because it could take his ideas and solutions, combine them with traditional methods and offer a better product to Arkansas.
“We’re excited to have BDG as part of RasorNET,” he said in the release. “Their technology and service will allow us to reach beyond our existing fiber network to underserved areas within the state of Arkansas. Also, we look forward to having Lou join our board of directors. His experience and connections will allow us to further develop partnerships and opportunities as we look to serve customers across the state of Arkansas.”
Lundy also told Arkansas Business that RasorNET is part of a national trade group that represents groups like it from several states. That national group can tell the government and national companies that it can give them coverage in all the member states, “so it allows us to market our local presence nationwide,” he said.
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