Next Level signs on Horry Tel

Next Level Communications announced a contact today to provide Horry Telephone Cooperative with its Full Service Access Platform, which will be used to offer digital video service to 35,000 customers in Horry County, S.C.

The deal, which is an extension of an existing VDSL contract, means HTC will join Next Level’s list of ADSL-plus customers. HTC first deployed Next Level’s VDSL-based equipment in early 2001 at the Barefoot Resort development in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.

HTC, the largest telephone cooperative in the U.S., is using the ADSL-plus equipment to provide the digital tier for its existing cable subscribers, who are served over a traditional cable plant.

In some cases, telcos also are using the ADSL-plus as an extension of their VDSL systems.

“Our customers are basically providing VDSL services out to a certain range and then using ADSL-plus to reach the mile beyond the mile beyond,” said Jeff Burke, director of marketing service for Next Level.