Overland Park, KS – September 1, 2010 – TMNG Global (NASDAQ: TMNG) a leading provider of professional services to the global communications, digital media, technology, and financial services industries, congratulates Cellular One of East Central Illinois for its $13 million Federal Broadband Stimulus award in support of the development of broadband services in Eastern Illinois. CSMG, the strategy advisory subsidiary of TMNG Global, assisted the company in the creation and submission of their successful grant application.
“Not only will this grant address the critical need to build out broadband services in Eastern Illinois, but more importantly, it will make a significant contribution to the long term economic growth of communities in the region,” said Richard Nespola, Chairman and CEO of TMNG Global. “Only a handful of cellular companies thus far have received broadband stimulus funding and we are honored to have assisted Cellular One through their successful submission process.”
CSMG’s proprietary three-stage methodology was critical to Cellular One’s successful application. CSMG provided the detailed analysis and expert support needed to assess the opportunities, developed a business case to demonstrate the need and sustainability, and evaluated the public good.
“We would like to extend our deep appreciation to TMNG Global for playing such a pivotal role in advising us throughout our grant application process. This funding award will allow Cellular One to provide advanced wireless broadband services to many in our area who live in more remote areas and have had limited or no Internet service,” said Cassy Carter, CEO/GM of Cellular Properties. “Without CSMG’s assistance – and without these grants – we could not justify the expense of building out to those areas.”
Cellular Properties, Inc., doing business as Cellular One of East Central Illinois, is the only wireless carrier based in and dedicated exclusively to serving East Central Illinois. It is one of few independent rural cellular companies still operating under its initial ownership. More than 66,000 people, over seven thousand businesses, and approximately seven hundred community groups will benefit from the stimulus grant awarded to Cellular One. In addition to an estimated 267 jobs created, this project will provide a foundation for economic growth and job creation for decades to come. Cellular One’s grant will help fund the deployment of mobile and fixed wireless broadband service over a 3G Universal Mobile Telecommunications Network (UMTS) in 11 rural counties in eastern Illinois – including Clay, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland and Vermilion counties. Fiber-To-The-Tower (FTTT) will also be deployed to provide an upgrade path to a 4G LTE network in the future.
About TMNG Global
TMNG Global (NASDAQ: TMNG) is a leading provider of professional services to the communications, digital media, technology and financial services industries. Since 1990, TMNG Global and its subsidiaries, CSMG and Cartesian, have provided strategy, business, operations and technical consulting to more than 1,200 firms worldwide. The company is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, with offices in Boston, London, New Jersey, Shanghai and Washington, D.C. For more information about TMNG Global, visit www.tmng.com
About Cellular Properties, Inc.
Cellular One is a family-owned, locally-operated wireless provider that has served East Central Illinois since 1991. Headquartered in Danville, IL, the company has 12 retail operations located throughout its 11-county service area. For more information, visit www.cellular1.net
