Fiber expansion project is Company’s first with an island town; committed to upgrading 450,000 addresses in Maine by 2025.
Portland, Maine – July 6, 2021 – The Town of Long Island, Maine, recently approved an innovative partnership with Consolidated Communications, (NASDAQ: CNSL), a top 10 fiber provider in the U.S., to build a high-speed, fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) Internet network to local residences and businesses on the island. The new network will connect over 400 locations to reliable, symmetrical 1 Gig broadband services.
The new fiber internet services will deliver better connectivity for remote workers and learners, allow streaming and gaming without interruption, and support multiple connected devices simultaneously.
“For the past five years, we’ve grappled with bringing broadband to our small island town, without major tax increases, as a way to help weather future economic uncertainties with our fishing-based economy,” said Mark Greene, Long Island Broadband Committee member. “Our discussions with Consolidated showed us the town could secure world-class broadband affordably. Now, thanks to this innovative partnership, the future viability of our town and well-being of our citizens will be greatly enhanced.”
The project, funded in part by an investment from Consolidated and utilizing grant funding from the ConnectMaine Authority, will be built with no associated property tax increases as the town plans to issue a bond for their broadband infrastructure. The build is scheduled to be completed in mid-2022.
“We continue to execute on our commitment to work with cities and towns of all shapes and sizes to develop fiber network partnerships that ensure residents and businesses have the broadband access they need to work, learn and live without increasing taxes,” said Rob Koester, senior vice president, consumer product management at Consolidated Communications. “We look forward to connecting more people and helping to create lasting economic development, e-commerce and quality-of-life benefits and opportunities.”
The company is actively working to expand rural broadband and has a strong track record of partnering with public entities across the region to deliver enhanced and increased broadband service.
- Earlier this year, Consolidated was selected by a number of New Hampshire towns to construct or enhance their fiber broadband networks.
- In April, Eastbrook, Maine, announced it selected Consolidated to build a new fiber-to-the-premises internet network that will deliver faster, highly reliable, broadband connectivity, including symmetrical speeds up to 1 Gig to nearly 500 locations.
- In February, the Company completed the construction of high-speed fiber-to-the-premises internet networks in Dublin, Rindge, Westmoreland, Walpole and Harrisville, N.H.
- Last year, Consolidated partnered with the state of New Hampshire and the towns of Danbury, Springfield, Mason and Errol to expand and enhance broadband to more than 2,000 residents and businesses, and upgraded broadband services to over 900 locations in Brooklin, Maine.
In addition to public private partnerships, Consolidated is upgrading over 450,000 locations in Maine by 2025 as part of an aggressive fiber expansion plan. The availability of gigabit speeds will be transformational for hundreds of thousands of people and communities across the state.
About Consolidated Communications
Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSL) is dedicated to moving people, businesses and communities forward by delivering the latest reliable communications solutions. Consumers, businesses and wireless and wireline carriers depend on Consolidated for a wide range of high-speed internet, data, phone, security, cloud and wholesale carrier solutions. With a network spanning nearly 50,000 fiber route miles, Consolidated is a top 10 U.S. fiber provider, turning technology into solutions that are backed by exceptional customer support. Learn more at consolidated.com. Connect with us on social media.