WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone (NYSE: WOW) has says it will target the northern suburbs of Orange County, FL, as the second location for its fiber to the premises (FTTP) based Greenfield market expansion strategy. The cable MSO says it will spend at least $40 million to bring FTTP infrastructure to the county, which includes such communities such as Maitland and Fairview Shores. This section of Orange County joins Florida’s Seminole County as markets WOW! plans to enter as part of its Greenfield initiative (see "WOW! expands to Seminole County, FL as first greenfield market").
The FTTP build out in Orange County will focus on suburbs of Orlando, where WOW! expects to reach more than 40,000 homes passed. As is the case with Seminole County, WOW! plans to offer multi-gigabit internet, home and business WiFi, and its WOW! tv+ IP-based video service.
The Greenfield initiative sees WOW! expand its fiber broadband footprint into non-adjacent markets. "Our Greenfield initiative is very important to the growth and success of WOW!, which makes this second service area announcement so exciting," said Teresa Elder, CEO of WOW!. "Orange County, which sits adjacent to Seminole County, was a clear choice for us to bring our broadband services and we are eager to deliver our exceptional multi-gig fiber-to-the-home network to communities in both counties."
"I am elated to have WOW! coming to Seminole County to afford our residents a high-end product which without a doubt will be yet another quality-of-life benefit for the community," said Jay Zembower, Seminole County commissioner. "On behalf of our business community and the residents that will reap these benefits, thank you!"
WOW! already serves Pinellas County and Panama City in Florida.
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director & Associate Publisher
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, DOCSIS technology, and more.