Telecommunications veteran Richard Hogue has been named president of BTX Fiber, a newly launched internet service provider that aims to build an optic-fiber-based network making high-speed broadband internet service available to customers in Brownsville and the surrounding area.
Following three years of planning, BTX Fiber got underway in October with plans to install 100 miles of middle-mile cable, basically a fiber highway, plus 500 miles of last-mile cable to connect all homes, businesses and other customers in Brownsville.
Long-term plans call for other communities in the area to be brought into the network.
Hogue, who will relocate to Brownsville from Hagerstown, Md., where he served as general manager of Point Broadband, has over 20 years experience in telecommunications construction, installation and management, including six years as head of technical operations for Comcast in three states, plus two years directing network operations for digital communications provider Viya in the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to Lit Communities LLC, the Birmingham, Ala.-based firm helping Brownsville through the process of creating its network.
Lit Communities, co-founded by Brownsville native Rene Gonzalez in 2019 (now the company’s chief strategy officer), announced on Nov. 29 Hogue’s selection as president. BTX Fiber is a subsidiary of Lit Communities.
“Brownsville is quite literally pushing out the leading edge in broadband internet availability to the community,” Hogue said in a statement. “BTX Fiber is thrilled to be crucial to this effort in partnership with the city of Brownsville and so many other critical stakeholders.”
Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez, during an October groundbreaking ceremony for the network, said the broadband project became a priority for him after the city was ranked among the least connected communities in the country twice consecutively, a situation he said was “completely unacceptable” due because of the negative impact in terms of business, education and tele-health.
“I think the pandemic really opened up a lot of people’s eyes as to how important it is to be connected,” he said.
The city has invested nearly $20 million in building the middle-mile portion of the network, the funds courtesy of the Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act.
Lit Communities said it has has committed $70 million to build out the part of the network that connects directly to customers’ premises.
Other project partners include the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, Brownsville Independent School District, Brownsville Public Utilities Board, Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, Port of Brownsville, Texas Southmost College and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Hogue said he’s excited about the potential impact on “so many facets of life here in the Brownsville community” from the network rollout and is “looking forward to leading BTX Fiber as we build deep, new business and community relationships as well as a new internet network.”
