SAN PEDRO, Texas — A sign of breakneck progress is arriving in the town of San Pedro.
Residents of this small community of less than 600 people located northwest of Brownsville off U.S. Highway 281 will soon have access to fast, reliable Internet service.
VTX1, a Raymondville-based co-op, is launching high-speed broadband connectivity here for the first time.
Company representatives held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the launch of the new service, which could launch as early as this summer.
VTX1 Internet CEO Patrick McDonnell said Cameron County is a new target for the company’s expansion.
“Our overall goal is to have this digital technology in place to provide faster service at a reasonable cost,” he said. “We will soon start laying the cables and will start services in June this year.”
San Pedro is the second of four areas covered by the VTX1 plan in Cameron County.
Just recently, the company announced service in Bluetown, another small community of about 400 people.
Other areas targeted include Lozano/Latina and Isla Blanca Park, a recreational facility on the southern tip of South Padre Island.
“Providing broadband service to small communities has been our bread and butter since 1952,” McDonald said.
VTX1 chief technology officer Sebastian Ivanisky said they now have what they call “next generation fixed wireless technology,” which is achieved by using cell towers to transmit signals.
The concept is similar to using satellites in the sky, but the new technology takes place on the ground.
Ivanisky said VTX1 has more than 36,000 subscribers from the suburbs of Austin all the way to South Texas.
This groundbreaking event takes place on Thursday, April 11 at MT-Sport Fields of Faith near FM 1421.
Guests included Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., County Commissioners Joey Lopez and David Garza, State Senator Morgan Morgan LaMantia, as well as representatives from several public officials, including U.S. Senator John Cornyn, State Representatives Oscar Longoria and Jenny Lopez (Janie Lopez) et al.
Additionally, many students and staff from Brownsville Veterans Memorial High School were in attendance, including the cheerleading team, who greeted guests as they appeared.
As a token of appreciation, the company donated a check for $1,000 to the school library.
Treviño said VTX1 is at the forefront of bringing its technology to some communities that don’t have access to the internet.
“This is their second project in Cameron County,” he said. “What VTX1 does is pretty amazing.”