[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8] [Senate] [Page 11088] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RECOGNIZING OXFORD NETWORKS Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, today I recognize a small telecommunications company from my home State of Maine that has proved itself to be a dedicated leader throughout northern New England. Oxford Networks, based in Lewiston with offices in Bangor and Norway, has been serving customers across Maine for over a century, and it has shown no signs of letting up. Alva Andrews, Oxford's founder, laid the foundation for the company in 1893 by setting up phone service between his family-owned business, located in South Woodstock, and the nearby railroad station in West Paris. Seven years later, in 1900, Mr. Andrews incorporated his firm as Oxford Telephone and Telegraph, a provider of telephone services to the local community in western Maine. The company has expanded and grown significantly over the last 110 years. In 1981, the company acquired Bryant Pond Telephone Company, and two decades later, purchased Revolution Networks to continue growing its reach. By 2004, Oxford was able to provide cable television, Internet, phone, and long distance service, one of Maine's only facility-based competitive providers to do so. Additionally, the company's fiber optic backbone network presently spreads north as far as Bangor and south down to Boston. A member of 12 different Chambers of Commerce throughout the State, Oxford Networks, which now employs 125, has been named a Best Place to Work Company for each of the last four years, indicative of the environment the company fosters for its employees. But beyond this remarkable feat, Oxford has demonstrated its commitment to others by becoming an active partner in the community, supporting a host of local charities and initiatives, from the United Way to the Maine Discovery Museum. Company employees raise money for Big Brothers/Big Sisters each spring during the Bowl for Kids Sake fundraiser, and also participate in walking teams for the American Heart Association's Heart Walk. The company has also been the Presenting Underwriter for the Maine Cancer Foundation's Pink Tulip Project since 2007. The project raises money for the Maine Cancer Foundation's Women's Cancer Fund while paying tribute to those who have courageously fought the disease. From its start in the 1890s with a simple telephone connection, Oxford Networks has transformed the way Maine connects with the world. Because of its forward-thinking and innovative efforts, Oxford is now able to offer a wide range of cutting-edge telecommunications options to its varied client base of small and large businesses, as well as individual residences. Indeed, no problem is too large or too small for this incredible company, which continues to impress its customers with its rapid responsiveness and quality service. I thank everyone at Oxford Networks for the great work they do in the community, and wish them continued success in the future. ____________________