DCN (Dakota Carrier Network), a provider of broadband and other Internet-related services throughout North Dakota, along with its 15 owner companies, plans to establish a statewide WiFi network.
DCN's member companies have begun installing access points for the network, beginning with Red River Technologies in southeast North Dakota. Statewide connectivity is expected to be complete within 24 months. Anyone who subscribes to service from DCN or its 15 owner companies will have access to the WiFi network.
DCN, created in 1996, is owned by 15 North Dakota-based independent telecommunications companies representing 85% of all telephone exchanges in North Dakota and more than 90% of the state's total land area. Together, DCN and its owner companies currently have more than 40,000 miles of fiber-optic cable in service. DCN's corporate headquarters is in Fargo, and its network operations center (NOC) is in Bismarck.