Render Customer Success

Connect2First, a wholly owned subsidiary of First Electric Cooperative Corporation (FECC), is on a mission to improve quality of life in rural Arkansas. With a bold goal to bridge the digital divide across 18 counties, the team launched a transformative fiber deployment, bringing fast, reliable internet to some of the state’s most underserved communities.

With Render, it's been a methodical build. The software has allowed us to be organized, move through construction quickly and efficiently, then turn it over to sales and immediately start turning our customers up

ROBBY THEODORE Fiber Operations Manager

The Solution

To meet these demands, Connect2First and Irby Utilities deployed Render’s intelligent, cloud-based construction management platform. Render replaced manual processes and siloed operations with a fully integrated, data-driven approach that automates work sequencing, captures real-time field data, and enables full visibility from design through installation.

As customers sign up, drop tasks are automatically generated in Render and issued to contractors. Once complete, as-built data and photos are uploaded into the cooperative’s fiber management platform, streamlining field operations and accelerating customer connections.

We are going at a really, really fast pace. I think the project originally called for eight years. We're now at 50% completion after just two years of construction.

ROBBY THEODORE Fiber Operations Manager

The partnership with Render has allowed us to consistently deploy high-speed internet to our membership at a pace that exceeds industry standards.

RANDY EVERETTE, GISP Chief Broadband Officer

Explore more customer stories

How Irby and Render are removing network delivery risk for cooperatives

Read the story

Jeremiah Sloan Chief Operating Officer at CECC

“With Render, productivity is off the charts, data integrity is high, and construction costs are down, all without ever touching a piece of paper. Now I can’t imagine trying to implement a large-scale utilities construction project without it.”

Read the story

How Irby and Render are removing network delivery risk for cooperatives

Read the story

Recognized for Innovation

On June 2, 2025, Render Networks was awarded the Fiber Broadband Association’s “Light It Up” Award in recognition of the Connect2First project. The award celebrates outstanding achievement in accelerating fiber broadband deployment through innovation in construction, planning, and integration.

“We’re proud to share this recognition with Connect2First and Irby Utilities. Together, we’re accelerating broadband deployment and delivering transformative connectivity to the communities that need it most.”
— Stephen Rose, CEO, Render Networks

Read the press release here ›

Explore more customer stories

Connect2First increases monthly drop count by 300%, connecting rural Arkansas faster

Learn more

BEA moves from construction to unserved customer connections in record time

Read the story

Strata Networks is on track to connect Lehi City

Read the story

Connect2First cuts deployment time in half and increases monthly drops by 400%

The Challenge

With Render, it's been a methodical build. The software has allowed us to be organized, move through construction quickly and efficiently, then turn it over to sales and immediately start turning our customers up

The Solution

We are going at a really, really fast pace. I think the project originally called for eight years. We're now at 50% completion after just two years of construction.

The Results

- Deployment timeline cut in half from eight years to four years

- Monthly drop volume increased by 400%

- Install turnaround averages 5–7 days from customer sign-up

The Results

Deployment timeline cut in hald from eight years to four years

monthly drop volume increased

Install turnaround averages 5-7 days from customer sign up

The partnership with Render has allowed us to consistently deploy high-speed internet to our membership at a pace that exceeds industry standards.

Explore more customer stories

How Irby and Render are removing network delivery risk for cooperatives

“With Render, productivity is off the charts, data integrity is high, and construction costs are down, all without ever touching a piece of paper. Now I can’t imagine trying to implement a large-scale utilities construction project without it.”

How Irby and Render are removing network delivery risk for cooperatives

Recognized for Innovation

Explore more customer stories

GET IN TOUCH

Partner with Render
Networks

Connect2First cuts deployment time in half and increases monthly drops by 400%

The Challenge

With Render, it's been a methodical build. The software has allowed us to be organized, move through construction quickly and efficiently, then turn it over to sales and immediately start turning our customers up

The Solution

We are going at a really, really fast pace. I think the project originally called for eight years. We're now at 50% completion after just two years of construction.

The Results

- Deployment timeline cut in half from eight years to four years

- Monthly drop volume increased by 400%

- Install turnaround averages 5–7 days from customer sign-up

The Results

Deployment timeline cut in hald from eight years to four years

monthly drop volume increased

Install turnaround averages 5-7 days from customer sign up

The partnership with Render has allowed us to consistently deploy high-speed internet to our membership at a pace that exceeds industry standards.

Explore more customer stories

How Irby and Render are removing network delivery risk for cooperatives

“With Render, productivity is off the charts, data integrity is high, and construction costs are down, all without ever touching a piece of paper. Now I can’t imagine trying to implement a large-scale utilities construction project without it.”

How Irby and Render are removing network delivery risk for cooperatives

Recognized for Innovation

Explore more customer stories

GET IN TOUCH

Partner with RenderNetworks

Partner with Render
Networks