Although fixed wireless is getting a lot of attention these days, the technology is not in Frontier’s plans “in a material way,” said Frontier Chief Network Officer Veronica Bloodworth at an investor conference today, adding “we’re a fiber-first company.”
Bloodworth is part of a new Frontier management team put in place as the company emerged from bankruptcy. After working previously on fiber deployments at AT&T, she said her position at Frontier is her “dream job,” noting that the company is “big enough to have a scale advantage but small enough to be nimble.”
Frontier is on track to meet goals established under the new management team, including having fiber available to 10 million locations by 2025. This year the company expects to build to 1 million locations, which will increase to a 1.6 to 1.7 million-location run rate next year, Bloodworth said.
Bloodworth reiterated that Frontier’s cost per home to deploy fiber in the current investment phase is $900 to $1,000 and she still “feels good” about those numbers, even though the industry is experiencing some shortages that could drive cost increases.
Frontier Fiber-First
The Frontier fiber-first strategy included making 2 Gbps service available throughout the company’s fiber footprint earlier this year. Bloodworth noted that the company was able to achieve that milestone, in part, because it began deploying XGS-PON even before it launched its 1 Gbps service.
EVP, Chief Network Officer
Frontier could offer 5 Gbps service now but hasn’t opted to do so because the customer premises equipment to support that speed is still quite costly. The company has a “clear path” to 5 Gbps, however, in the event that service at that speed takes off, Bloodworth said. (Bloodworth’s comments about 5 Gbps costs are underscored by AT&T’s $180-a-month price for its 5 Gbps service.)
She also noted that Frontier could easily upgrade to 25 Gbps or 50 Gbps in the future.
Bloodworth made her comments about the Frontier fiber-first strategy at the New Street Research and BCG Global Infrastructure Conference.
This post has been updated to correct Veronica Bloodworth’s past position.
I am customer in Dripping Springs Tx with Frontier landline and my service has been down since Feb 1,2023. We have called weekly technical support. Promises to come out to my home after opening ticket only to never see technician and tickets marked completed closed. It is May 10,23 and I still have no phone service at my home. This week another two appts made and no show and no courtesy call as to why. You oversee technical support does their job. Texas service technician I can’t say the same. We have been somewhat compensated with credit but not 100%>
Please if anyone can rattle a chain it would be appreciated. I care for both of my parents in my home 84 and 86 and that is why we reached out to Frontier to have phone service with landline since cell service remains hit and miss. We can put a man in the moon but Hill Country if Texas cannot get me reliable service with cell. Again this is why we reached out to frontier. We had many months zero issues but now it’s just fallen to poor customer support. My landline # is 512-858-0578. Currently my phone now is saying no line. I can be reached in cell 512-512-940-3496 or 512-940-3661. If call won’t go through please text.
Here are the latest sux open closed tickets and service has never been restored.
Tucket # 5677417, 5741215, 5754049, 5751752, 5822902
Thank you Patricia Frasher. 1220 whitetail drive
Dripping Springs, Tx 78620
Please help me get this fixed. Next my I ly choice us to file complaint with Public Utility Commission of Texas