Consolidated Communications has started construction on five new fiber networks in partnership with towns in Cheshire County, New Hampshire.
The company is partnering with the towns of Dublin, Harrisville, Rindge, Walpole and Westmoreland, N.H. to expand and enhance broadband access to every home and business in each town. The new fiber-to-the-premises network provides faster, highly reliable broadband connectivity, a significant upgrade for the 8,000 residents of these towns.
These new projects, totaling nearly $13 million and including a $4 million company investment, will bring high-speed, fiber-to-the-premises internet networks directly to all homes and businesses in the aforementioned towns, without an increase in taxes. Agreements with each town were signed in March and bond funding was completed in August. Consolidated expects to start filling orders early in 2021.
The company has a history of carving out broadband solutions for the underserved. On August 7, Consolidated announced plans to partner with the state of New Hampshire and local towns to invest an additional $18 million to expand and enhance broadband to more than 2,500 residents and businesses in Danbury, Springfield, Mason and Errol, N.H. In June, The Town of Long Island, Maine voted to partner with Consolidated Communications on a fiber expansion, enhancing high-speed internet access for the town’s 407 residents and businesses. Since 2018, the company upgraded speeds to 500,000 residents and small businesses throughout Northern New England. And in October 2019 Consolidated completed a new, high-speed, fiber-to-the-premises internet network directly to all homes and businesses in Chesterfield, N.H. with no associated property tax increase. This project was the first of its kind in the state and served as a model for other communities.
