A broadband project in La Porte, IN slated to start next month will mark Surf Internet’s move to multi-gigabit fiber broadband. The company expects to begin offering service over the network in the spring.
As a press release noted, the technology that Surf Internet is deploying is capable of speeds up to 10 Gbps, although the company did not detail what speeds it will initially offer.
It did make a reference to the symmetrical speeds that customers will see, however.
Surf Internet provides connectivity in the Great Lakes region of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. It is headquartered in Elkhart, IN and has offices in La Porte, IN as well as Byron Center, MI and Coal City and Rock Falls, IL.
Surf Internet’s announcement is the latest example of the roll out of multi-gigabit services. Fiber broadband providers increasingly are deploying equipment (typically XGS-PON) capable of supporting up to 10 Gbps symmetrically. The fiber providers see symmetrical service as a means of one-upping the cable companies that can offer fast download speeds but who cannot match those speeds on the upstream path.
“Surf has enjoyed a 20-year history of positive partnerships with city and county officials, the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership, and the La Porte County Rural Broadband Task Force,” Surf Internet Chief Operating Officer Deborah Crawford said in a press release. “We are thrilled to be making this market-wide upgrade investment so that all La Porte residents have the opportunity to take advantage of higher speeds and continue to transform their community.”
La Porte hopes to attract people to the community with the service and has set a goal of reaching 30,000 people by 2030.
Surf underwent a makeover and rebranding in July. The company, which had been Surf Broadband Solutions, became Surf Internet. In addition to the name change, the company adopted a new logo and brand colors, expand its mission statement and updated its core values.
In April, Surf held a groundbreaking for a project in the Westville community of La Porte County. The project was broken into 15 phases, with the aim of being completed by the end of this year. In all, more than 1,000 properties will gain access.
In June, the company held a groundbreaking event in Mendota, IL. The project had been organized into 12 phases. At the time, the company said that it hoped to have the majority of the work done by the end of September.
