United Communications to acquire Loretto Telecom, expanding fiber footprint in Middle Tennessee
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (Oct. 2, 2025)—Local fiber broadband provider United Communications will add another county to its growing Middle Tennessee service area. Today, the company announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Loretto Telecom, a long-standing rural internet provider with 20 employees serving more than 8,000 locations in Lawrence County.
This will mark the fourth acquisition for United, which has more than doubled the number of connected homes and businesses served by its fiber network over the last three years and established itself as the leading internet provider in Middle Tennessee.
Today, United connects 120,000 locations across 11 counties in Middle Tennessee with cutting-edge offerings, including 8-Gig fiber internet speeds, Wi-Fi 7 technology for seamless connections, and United’s UControl and BizControl network management apps.
Loretto customers will not experience any operational changes or service interruptions while the acquisition awaits final regulatory approval, which is expected by the end of 2025. United intends to retain the Loretto Telecom name and expand the local team to accelerate product upgrades and network expansion throughout Lawrence County.
“This is a proud moment for United, and we’re looking forward to welcoming Loretto Telecom into the United family,” said William Bradford, president and CEO of United Communications. “Their local presence and experience were major contributing factors to this acquisition, and we’re excited to combine our talents and resources to deliver world-class internet to Lawrence County.”
Josh Lynch, chief operating officer at United Communications, was a co-founder of Athena Broadband prior to its acquisition by United in 2017.
“When we became a part of United, we saw how our companies’ shared values resulted in a higher standard of customer service and innovation,” said Lynch. “Loretto’s team brings that same spirit—enthusiasm, integrity, and dedication to providing high-quality, personalized service to each and every customer.”
“One of the achievements we’re most proud of is maintaining a 4.7-star average Google rating with over 2,100 reviews,” Lynch added. “That level of customer satisfaction is unheard of for most internet providers, but it’s the type of service that every Lawrence County resident and business owner deserves to experience.”
“We’re building on a history of rural service leadership,” added Bradford, referencing both companies’ origins as rural telephone providers in Middle Tennessee. “United and Loretto share more than geography—we share a responsibility to serve, invest, and uplift the region together.”
United is committed to transparent updates and maintaining service continuity for all customers throughout the acquisition process. For more information, visit united.net.
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About United Communications
United Communications is a leading provider of internet and phone services for residential customers, small and mid-sized businesses, and enterprise-level organizations across Middle Tennessee. United has been nationally and regionally recognized, including a 2024 and 2025 Gold Stevie® Award from the American Business Awards®, 2024 and 2023 Best Places To Work from the Nashville Business Journal, 2023 Top 100 Fiber-To-The-Home Leader, 2023 Torch Award from the BBB, and designation as a Smart Rural Community Provider℠.
United operates more than 4,800 route miles of fiber covering portions of Bedford, Davidson, Franklin, Giles, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Rutherford, Williamson, and Wilson counties. United Communications is a service of Middle Tennessee Electric. To learn more, please visit united.net.
