Shentel completes system shift ahead of schedule

Published October 5, 2017 by Robert Powell, III

Edinburg-based Shenandoah Telecommunications Co. (Shentel) has completed two major projects in the transformation of the former nTelos wireless service area it acquired last year.

Shentel absorbed the nTelos network in May 2016 after the company bought Waynesboro based Ntelos Holdings Corp. for $640 million.

The two Shentel projects, completed Sept. 30, involved the upgrade of the former nTelos network from 3G to 4G LTE and the transfer of former nTelos customers to Shentel’s Sprint billing system.

Shentel is the exclusive personal communications service (PCS) affiliate of Sprint in portions of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

The two tasks were completed in 17 months, three months ahead of schedule.

Shentel said that, over the past year, it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars improving its Sprint network in Virginia and West Virginia.

The company doubled the amount of 4G LTE coverage in the network by upgrading 854 sites, making all sites 4G LTE capable.

The company also said it added 800 MHz coverage and more than 60 new cell sites to its local network and will continue investing in new cell sites.

Shentel provides a broad range of diversified communications services, including wireless voice and data; cable video, internet and digital voice; fiber network and services; and regulated local and long-distance telephone service.