MetroNet this month announced that the company will build its fiber-optic network in La Crosse, Wisconsin, bringing gigabit speed internet to residents and businesses there for the first time.
The City of La Crosse marks MetroNet’s first city build in the state of Wisconsin. MetroNet said it will fully fund the construction through a $12 -$15 million investment. Evansville, Indiana- based, MetroNet is among the nation’s largest independently owned, 100% fiber-optic broadband providers.
“The City of La Crosse is excited to welcome MetroNet to the community as they will provide residents and businesses with more choice for high-speed connectivity,” said Mitch Reynolds, Mayor of La Crosse. “MetroNet’s future-proofed network will greatly enhance our community’s economic development potential and our ability to connect our residents and businesses to success for generations to come.”
MetroNet notes it delivers affordable, symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gigabits with no long-term contracts to homes and businesses in underserved communities across 12 states now. The company expects its network to be available to more than 1 million residential households and business locations in the near term, bringing competition for these services to hundreds of communities.
“Our 100 percent fiber, future-proofed network has proven valuable to our partner cities in such states as Minnesota, Iowa, and Kentucky, and we are proud to bring that opportunity now to Wisconsin through our first market in La Crosse,” said John Cinelli, MetroNet CEO, who added, “Mayors and other city leaders are faced with a wide range of choices for their cities when trying to bridge the digital divide. As the nation’s largest and fastest growing, independently owned fiber-optic company, our strategy of building without the use of public funds has proven to be a very effective approach to keeping our services accessible and affordable.”
MetroNet expects network construction in La Crosse to begin in the spring, with the first customers coming online in the summer of 2022. La Crosse residents will begin seeing MetroNet trucks throughout the area as pre-construction processes begin across the market. In new MetroNet markets, the company notes residents will receive communication by mail about construction activity in their neighborhood 30 days prior to starting and the company provides additional messaging, such as yard signs, to let residents know when the temporary construction process is beginning in their neighborhood. MetroNet crews are marked by ID tags and branded vehicles.
MetroNet said it will also establish a retail storefront located in La Crosse, Wisconsin for customers to have direct access to customer service and sales. Additionally, MetroNet plans to hire local market management positions, sales and customer service professionals, and service technicians to support the La Crosse area.
Learn more at www.metronetinc.com.