ABOUT TECH VALLEY COMMUNICATIONS
Tech Valley Communications (TVC), headquartered in Albany NY, provides advanced voice, data, high-speed Internet and related services to regional business enterprise and government customers over its own FirstLight®
fiber optic network.
TVC was at the forefront of providing fiber-optic-to-the-premise service to both large and small businesses in the Capital Region. TVC invests millions of dollars annually in the ongoing expansion of its fiber optic network infrastructure, utilizing many local contractors and vendors. The FirstLight network currently spans over 450 route miles of fiber optics, connecting 500+ commercial buildings and serving more than one thousand customers in Upstate New York. TVC’s clientele includes many of region’s leading enterprises, spanning high-tech manufacturing and research, healthcare, banking, K-12, colleges and
universities, professional services, local and New York State government, and more.
Founded in 1999, TVC has experienced consistent organic customer and revenue growth, bucking the downturn in the telecommunications industry and economy at large. In October 2010, Riverside Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, and the management team of Tech Valley Communications finalized purchasing the company from its former shareholders.
This transaction will enable TVC to accelerate the growth of its FirstLight network, staff, and capacity for strategic acquisitions in its quest to be a dominant provider of carrier grade telecommunications services to business enterprise customers in the Northeastern US.
TVC prides itself on its personal approach to customers and strives to be a “trusted advisor.” TVC’s quality of service has
earned the company industry-leading churn metrics – monthly revenue churn is less than 1.0% – and the New York State Public Service Commission’s Commendation for Excellent Service each of the past seven years.
TVC believes giving back to the communities that give the company so much is integral to the shared success of all and is actively involved with numerous Capital Region organizations for education, health and well being, public safety, arts and culture, economic development and more. The company’s focus on regional economic development was a major driver for the 2006 deployment of a municipal wireless “WiFi” network and a free Internet service named “Albany FreeNet” in the downtown Albany business corridor. In August 2009, TVC received a Universal Broadband Access Grant from New York State to expand Albany FreeNet into the City of Albany neighborhoods Arbor Hill, West Hill, South End and Delaware Avenue where
Internet adoption is lowest. The Universal Broadband Access Grant program also provides for no-cost digital literacy classes and online job training, and subsidized Wi-Fi enabled desktop computer systems. These services are offered through
ALLbany Online, an ongoing collaboration developed by TVC, the City and a coalition of local agencies to increase broadband access, usability and utility in the City of Albany.
TVC is committed to rebuilding the voice and data infrastructure of the Tech Valley Region to ensure that communications
technology will not be an obstacle for the continued growth of upstate New York.
