Sprout Fiber Internet helps 4C Farms Tractor and Equipment Repair in Vinemont run its daily operation.
Sprout recently sat down with Glenda Cobb to talk about how fiber internet supports a company that supports our farmers.
Sprout: How is Sprout a part of what you do?
Glenda: We use it on our three computers that we have here in the office. We use it for looking up parts, and we get a lot of our invoices through email, that kind of thing. Glenn spends a lot of time looking up parts for different tractors and such.
Sprout: How have you noticed the difference in the Sprout service compared to what you had available before?
Glenda: It’s quicker — a lot faster. When I’m pulling things up, different websites load much faster than what we had before.
Sprout: Tell us about the process of getting signed up for Sprout and contacting the co-op and the team. How did that go?
Glenda: The process with Sprout was fast and easy. As soon as I heard about it, I put my name in and kept watching the maps to see where it was going to be available. We were waiting and waiting — I was really anticipating getting it.
Then when it finally came, I got an email from Bonnie saying it was available in our area and that I could go ahead and sign up. I went online and signed up, and it was fast. It didn’t take but about a week. They came out, checked where we’d have the hard wires and everything, and a week later we had it. It was great — easy!
Sprout: Over the years, how have you seen the importance of reliable internet change for rural communities and farm businesses?
Glenda: We couldn’t operate the business without the internet now — you just can’t do it anymore. You have to have access to websites and everything. Before we had internet out here, when our children were in school, it wasn’t as big of a deal yet. But kids nowadays in rural areas have to have it for schoolwork. Just like we’re out here in the boonies for our business, there wasn’t a whole lot available for a long time.
Since we’ve had Sprout, we’ve had less trouble with our internet and phone service. It’s been great.
Sprout: Thinking long-term about rural America, how important do you think internet — and a service like Sprout — will be for families and businesses?
Glenda: It’s going to be more important every year. During COVID especially — how would kids have done schoolwork without it? They had to have internet. Even schools were offering some form of internet because they couldn’t function without it. I remember when you had to go to the library to use a computer. You can’t do that all the time, especially if you live in a rural area — that’s a long trip. You’ve got to have it. It’s very important for kids, for school, and for businesses. You just can’t operate a business without internet anymore.