Want KUB's new internet service? You might be one of 25,000 households to get it this year

Silas Sloan, Knoxville News Sentinel
·6 min read

About 25,000 homes can get fiber internet from the Knoxville Utilities Board by the end of the year and another 35,000 will get access in 2023.

KUB's newest service is part of an effort to modernize the utility's grid and provide an affordable option across East Tennessee, vice president of fiber and chief technology officer Jamie Davis told Knox News.

You may have already heard about some residents getting early access to the service. The 210,000 households that get their electricity from KUB will have internet access, probably sometime in the next six years.

Eventually, thousands of households in East Tennessee will have access to the internet for the first time.

Advocates say utility-run fiber is a business recruitment tool, an educational leg up for students and digital equalizer for underserved and unserved communities.

Related:How KUB's broadband could impact the region's economy and everyday users

Related:Can KUB build and provide broadband equitably and affordably?

The internet rollout will impact all KUB customers, as the utility board estimated last year that rates for customers that get electricity from KUB will raise 3% annually from 2022-2025.

"(What) we like to say is that we are going to provide the fastest internet the area with the friendliest customer service, and it's for everybody,” Davis said. “This is not about serving areas that are profitable.”

Want KUB internet? Here's what you need to know about when you can get it and what you'll pay.

When can I sign up for KUB internet?

If you are a KUB electric customer, then you will eventually be able to sign up for KUB's fiber internet.

KUB is rolling internet service out in phases, so the exact date of when you can get it will vary.

KUB started a pilot program in July with about 250 customers in small areas in northern and eastern parts of Knoxville.

"I kind of call (the pilot) a restaurant soft launch," Davis said. "It's a new product to us. So even though we've got experience in technology, we won't be sure it's good before we kind of have that grand opening, but we're very close to that."

Neighborhoods that already have access because of the pilot program:

  • Inskip

  • Lincoln Park

  • Arlington

  • Five Points

  • Morningside

  • Edgewood

  • Parkridge

  • Park City

Neighborhoods expected to gain access to KUB internet by the end of the year:

  • Cumberland Estates

  • Greenwood Heights

  • Wooded Acres

  • Fair Oaks

  • Ridgedale

  • Pleasant Ridge

  • Norwood

Some of the dozens of neighborhoods expected to gain access to KUB internet in early 2023:

  • Greenwood Forest

  • Highland Park

  • Shannondale

  • Villa Gardens

  • Harrill Hills

  • Smithwood

  • Parts of Union and Grainger counties

Not sure if your home qualifies? Visit kub.org/fiber, and click the "check availability" button. Type in your address to see if your home is yet eligible.

If your address is not yet eligible, you can sign up for updates.

Customers will only be able to sign up for internet once their neighborhood becomes serviceable. Davis said it will take about two to three weeks before the internet is up and running as each neighborhood comes online.

Davis said that wait time will go down as KUB grows its workforce.

The rollout of where internet is available is based on two things: where some of KUB's existing electric infrastructure is located and which neighborhoods have the most need for affordable internet.

"We know where we need those enhancements," Davis said. "One of the big reasons that the Rocky Hill area has been prioritized is we know that that's an area that doesn't have the best electrical reliability."

KUB got a $15 million grant from the state of Tennessee to provide access in parts of Jefferson, Grainger, Sevier and Union counties.

How much is KUB internet and how fast is it?

KUB will offer three different speeds at three prices. All plans are unlimited, meaning you won't experience slowdowns after using a certain amount of data. There are no contracts, promotional offers or installations fees, so the price on your bill is consistent.

  • The Gig: 1 gigabit per second upload and download speed, $65 a month. Best for homes with an average amount of devices. Davis said a two-hour, high-definition movie will download in about three minutes, and you won't see the "spinning wheel of death" while streaming.

  • The Gig 2.5: 2.5 gigabits per second upload and download speed, $150 a month. A plan for "the ultimate gamer" or someone who runs computer programs that require more bandwidth, Davis said.

  • The Gig 10: 10 gigabits per second upload and download speed, $300 a month. Davis said most people won't need that much, but if they do, "holy moly, if you need that I want to come up to your house."

Additional equipment and services, such as TV services (for an additional monthly fee, starting at $43), and HBO subscription and an Amazon Firestick can be bundled with your internet service, according to the KUB website.

Will internet be on my KUB electric bill?

Your KUB internet bill will be separate.

KUB said research showed customers don't want to receive a long, confusing bill.

This separate bill will show the flat rate you pay for internet each month without any additional fees, Davis said, and will be separate from the water and electric bill to avoid confusion.

Davis said if customers don't pay their electric bill, they don't have to worry about their internet being cut out.

Who do I call when I need help with KUB internet?

If you run into any internet trouble and need help, call 865-524-2911, the same KUB number you would if you had questions or concerns about your electricity, water or gas.

Davis said the phone menu has been updated, and people can now select help for internet.

Adding a new utility also adds more phone calls and service people to address problems for customers as they arise. But KUB is prepared for that. Davis said KUB plans to hire about 200 new employees between call center and maintenance positions.

Customer service is a high priority, Davis said,

“I challenge our team every day to provide the internet product that they want in their own homes,” Davis said. “It's always on, it's always fast, no spinning wheel death. That's our goal.”

Many areas in the county and across East Tennessee don't have many options to choose from. About 46% of Knox County residents have access to 1-gigabit fiber internet, according to Federal Communications Commission data.

Of the 53% of county residents who have access to any fiber internet services, only 2% have the option to choose between multiple providers.

KUB serves customers in Knox, Union and Grainger counties.

Silas Sloan: Covering growth and development in East Tennessee
Twitter: @silasloan| Email: silas.sloan@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: KUB is rolling out fiber internet. When will you get it?