By LAURA QUEZADA News Review Staff Writer– There is a new fiber optic internet service in Ridgecrest. For over 20 years Race Communications has been following their vision of bridging the digital divide by partnering with towns, cities, private and public entities to help strengthen California’s digital infrastructure as the need for reliable broadband and connectivity has continued to increase. Through these partnerships, Race Communications has built out a robust fiber-to-the-home network that provides reliable and affordable communications services.
Race Communications was founded in 1994 as an IT consulting company in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2002, it emerged as a California-based, licensed telecommunications company that designs, builds, and operates fiber to the premises networks. Their mission is embraced and supported, as evidenced by their being awarded over 15 grants from the California Advanced Services Fund to advance broadband deployment and adoption in rural communities.
They have grown to be the preferred provider for several national developers with projects in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. They are currently serving rural communities throughout Kern County including Tehachapi, Randsburg, Boron, Mojave Spaceport and Johannesburg. They also serve the rural communities in Mono County, Nevada County and San Bernardino County.
They tell us, “Fiber internet is the gold standard for internet connections. Fiber offers the fastest internet connection capable of handling the bandwidth demands of today’s ultra-connected households and businesses while delivering consistent, reliable speeds.” And good news for the desert, “Fiber is extremely durable and can withstand extreme weather conditions.”
While they have made great strides, they point out that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how essential broadband is to our daily lives and that there are still improvements to be made. They explain the cause of the digital divide by citing the lack of physical broadband infrastructure, which provides reliable access to the internet. Or, if the infrastructure is in place, many households cannot afford to access it.
Their mission states: “At Race, we believe that high-speed internet is essential for the success of all our customers. Our company offers various services and tools to help residences and businesses advance. Working in partnership with several private investors, developers, and non-profit community advocacy groups, Race focuses its efforts on building world-class fiber networks and offering gigabit internet service to communities throughout California.”
Their premium internet product provides households with symmetrical 1,000Mbps speed for just $70/mo. In addition, their offerings include phone and television service packages at competitive rates. To learn about their service plans and see if your address is eligible, visit their website at www.race.com or call them at 877-722-3833.
