Consolidated Communications (NASDAQ:CNSL) announced the initial availability of symmetrical fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) Internet service for local residents and businesses in Chesterfield, NH, a town of about 3,600 in the southwest corner of the state.
In March, Chesterfield residents voted to enter into a public-private partnership with Consolidated Communications to build a high-speed, fiber-to-the-premises Internet network directly to all homes and businesses. The network is being built with no associated property tax increase.
"Consolidated Communications is excited to turn up a high-speed, fiber-to-the-home broadband network capable of speeds up to 1 Gig to all residents and businesses in Chesterfield," said Rob Koester, vice president of consumer product management at Consolidated Communications. "Access to broadband services is a necessity for a thriving and prosperous community, and our partnership demonstrates one of the innovative, tax-neutral ways we can work together to make this happen."
New Hampshire towns were given the authority to issue bonds for broadband infrastructure when the state passed Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Sen. Jay Kahn and Rep. John Bordenet, last year.
"From the beginning, residents and businesses in our town have expressed their enthusiastic support for broadband expansion," said Jon McKeon, chairman of the Chesterfield Board of Selectmen. "Our new high-speed Internet network will give everyone in Chesterfield the chance to connect to services and opportunities in a way that was not previously possible, providing a much-needed boost to our overall economic growth and standard of living."
Consolidated Communications is working to bring better broadband Internet services to other unserved and underserved rural communities across New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. Last year, the company completed a broadband upgrade project delivering faster speeds to 500,000 residents and small businesses throughout Northern New England, including delivering 1 Gbps broadband services to more than 86,000 New Hampshire locations.
Additionally, consumers now have access to streaming video content, and existing customers can place new orders and upgrade services online.