Bixby-Based BTC Broadband Expands Offerings
By EMILY RAMSEY
Managing Editor
FIBER NETWORK FOR TULSA: BTC Broadband President Scott Floyd stands in the lobby of BTC Broadband’s Bixby office building and retail center, located at 11134 S. Memorial Dr. In January, BTC Broadband announced the expansion of its fiber optic backbone network into Tulsa.
EMILY RAMSEY for GTR Newspapers
In January, Broadband announced the expansion of its fiber optic backbone network into Tulsa, which will allow it to offer fiber-based business services in the Tulsa metro beginning this year.
“BTC has been focused on expansion for the past 11 to 12 years, investing in infrastructure with the purpose to offer increased services and build on our capabilities,” says President Scott Floyd.
The company has also been specifically focused on expanding its services outside of Bixby and reinforcing its underground fiber infrastructure.
’s fiber backbone now spans some 90 miles, from Bartlesville to Henryetta, including communities such as Collinsville, Owasso, Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Glenpool, Jenks, Okmulgee and Sapulpa.
In addition to being able to provide fiber optic telecommunications services to the Tulsa business market, ’s expanded backbone network allows for launching points in each business district all along its 90-mile route.
“This expansion has the potential to provide many communities throughout Green Country the leverage to attract top industries and jobs and allows them to be competitive with other cities anywhere,” says Bob Rozell.
Additionally, the company has made efforts to bury as much of its network as possible. Although it is more expensive, buried lines versus aerial lines are more secure from danger, Floyd says.
That includes security from the elements, from humans and from other external sources.
“It also looks better, and it is safer,” he continues.
Broadband has operated in the Bixby community for 103 years, starting out in 1914 as Bixby Telephone after the telephone company was bought by Lee Newlin and Henry Sample. In the early 1940s, Newlin’s son Dr. William Newlin and Newlin’s son-in law Dr. Raymond Daily took ownership of the company.
In 1966, the company extended its free, local toll service area to businesses and residents north of the Arkansas River. Because this made phone calls between Bixby and Tulsa local, as opposed to long distance, it created new opportunities for area companies to conduct and grow their businesses.
By 1993, Bixby Telephone had become an internet service provider and was offering customers high-speed internet service, in addition to local and long distance telephone service.
Company owners later changed the name to Broadband to reflect its status as a full-service telecommunications provider.
In 2014, began offering download speeds of up to one gigabit with unlimited bandwidth.
Gigabit service is offered to fiber-to-the-home neighborhoods only, which include more than 50 residential developments within the service area. Most neighborhoods built in the past seven years within the Bixby area have Broadband fiber-to-the-home.
For at least the next several years, the city of Bixby is expecting up to 500 new homes per year to be built. All of those new homes will have fiber to the premise. Any new commercial buildings or developments will also have fiber to the premise. It requires fiber, built all the way to the premise, to get a gig.
Broadband currently offers high speed internet and local and long distance telephone service. The company also provides business telecommunication services, including carrier class high speed internet, local and long distance phone service, phone systems, and data networking.
Updated 01-30-2017
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