SAN PEDRO, Texas – A super-fast sign of progress is reaching the Town of San Pedro.
A fast and reliable Internet service will soon be available to the residents of this small community of less than 600 people located northwest of Brownsville off U.S. Highway 281.
VTX1, a cooperative based in Raymondville, is bringing its high speed broadband connectivity for the first time here.
Company representatives held a groundbreaking to mark the start of the new service that could be in place as soon as this summer.
Patrick McDonnell, VTX1 Internet CEO, said Cameron County is the new target of the company’s expansion.
“Our whole goal is to get this digital technology into place to provide a faster service at a reasonable cost,” he said. “We are going to start laying the cables soon and will start providing our services by this June.”
San Pedro is the second of four areas VTX1 is planning to cover in Cameron County.
Just recently, the company announced its service in Bluetown, another small community of about 400 people.
Other targeted areas are Lozano/La Tina and Isla Blanca Park – a recreational facility on the southern tip of South Padre Island.
“Providing broadband services to small community has our bread and butter since 1952,” McDonnell said.
Sebastian Ivanisky, chief technology officer with VTX1, said they now have what is known as the “next generation fixed wireless,” something which is done by utilizing towers to transmit signals.
The concept is similar to utilizing satellites above the sky but the new technology is on the ground.
Ivanisky said VTX1 has more than 36,000 subscribers from as far as the outskirts of Austin all the way to South Texas.
The groundbreaking event was held Thursday, April 11, at the MT-Sport Fields of Faith off FM 1421.
Guests included Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., County Commissioners Joey Lopez and David Garza, state Sen Morgan LaMantia, and representatives from several office holders, including U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, and state Reps. Oscar Longoria and Janie Lopez, among others.
Also, a number of students and staff Brownsville Veterans Memorial High School attended, including a team of cheerleaders that greeted the guests as they showed up.
And as token of appreciation, the company donated a $1,000 check for the school library.
Treviño said VTX1 is at the forefront of taking its technology to some communities without internet access.
“This is the second project they have in Cameron County,” he said. “What VTX1 is doing is pretty amazing.”
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
