High-speed internet access is vital for Central Pennsylvania’s economic growth, educational advancement, and overall quality of life. In many rural communities across the region, reliable broadband connects residents to remote work opportunities, online education, telehealth services, and global markets. Expanding high-speed internet infrastructure throughout our underserved communities helps bridge the digital divide, ensuring that Central Pennsylvania remains competitive in an increasingly connected world.
Recently, the Chamber held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the new Altoona location of Crowsnest Broadband, which has revolutionized internet access to our rural communities. ABCD Corporation is proud to have partnered with Crowsnest on this project. To read more, see the article below:
Read the full story as it appeared in the Morrisons Cove Herald: Crowsnest Brings New Life to Unused Building – Morrisons Cove Herald
Crowsnest Brings New Life to Unused Building
By Cati Keith
Editor
After years of operating out of multiple rented spaces, Crowsnest has officially moved into its new headquarters at 831 S. Lloyd St. in Altoona. This is giving both the company and a long-vacant building a fresh start.
The building, which had sat empty for approximately 25 years, is now home to a growing telecommunications business that plays a significant role in expanding internet access throughout Blair County and beyond.
“We love to see buildings that were underused come back to having a really positive future,” said Steve McKnight, president and CEO of the Altoona Blair County Development Corp. “Congrats to Dwayne and the entire team for having a great business model. We have great technology, and a great business model that is being rolled out that has led to expansion here in Blair County.”
Crowsnest CEO Dwayne Zimmerman and his team are focused on reaching underserved areas with reliable, high-speed internet. The company currently serves about 3,500 customers, stretching from Port Matilda to Cumberland, Md., and operates in parts of seven counties.
However their primary coverage is in Blair and Bedford counties. Their service includes high-speed packages offering up to 400 megabits per second across much of their coverage area.
Zimmerman emphasized that the company is actively working to extend fiber internet service to areas where fixed wireless connections are not viable.
“They are taking fiber and running it along poles and into homes in areas where we can’t do fixed wireless,” he said.
Current projects include fiber installations in Woodbury and Huston townships, as well as Clover Creek, Piney Creek, and Williamsburg. These efforts are expected to provide fiber internet to about 1,000 homes.
In Bedford County, Crowsnest is building 10 new towers to expand access in the southern and eastern parts of the county.
“There will be many homes and businesses that are going to be connected to true high-speed internet for the first time,” Zimmerman said.
Crowsnest has also been a critical partner in the Alleghenies Broadband initiative, a regional effort to address the digital divide that exists in rural Pennsylvania. McKnight noted the company’s importance to that mission.
“They are helping to light up areas that are underserved,” he said. “That was a key primary goal even before the pandemic, but it definitely accelerated the idea and concept of how many areas that we have that are underserved.”
Zimmerman credited his faith, family, and team for the company’s success and growth.
“It is a little overwhelming to see everybody here,” Zimmerman said. “As I reflect over my journey, it’s pretty apparent that God opened some big doors and key places or we wouldn’t be here.”
He also acknowledged the support of his family, noting the long hours required in the industry.
“I work a lot of hours in this industry, and they support me,” Zimmerman said.
He praised his employees for their dedication.
“We wouldn’t be here without them,” he said. “They put in every day, evenings and weekends.”
Before acquiring the new building, Crowsnest operated from three separate locations. Zimmerman described those conditions as far from ideal, saying the old spaces lacked basic amenities like a kitchen, conference room, or private restrooms.
“It wasn’t very nice for our employees,” he said. “We didn’t have a kitchen, we didn’t have a conference room, and restrooms were in a multiple-tenant shared facility. To come here has been a real morale booster for our team.”
The new facility allows Crowsnest to centralize its data center and servers, improving efficiency and operations. Zimmerman said the move represents a turning point not just for the business, but for the region’s connectivity as well.
With fiber infrastructure being expanded and new towers in development, Zimmerman and his team are focused on building a stronger digital future for rural communities across central Pennsylvania.
