Winona, MN — June 3, 2024 — Hiawatha Broadband Communications, Inc. (HBC) announced today it will invest more than $1.4 million over the next few months to continue the expansion of its “Flight Fiber” multi-gig fiber-optic network to the homes and businesses in Winona, Minnesota.
Engineering and construction to extend HBC’s “Flight Fiber” Fiber-To-The-Premise (FTTP) network to an additional 3,100 homes and businesses is expected to begin in mid-June. HBC has now committed more than $4 million to bring fiber service to more than 5,000 locations in Winona, Minnesota.
“We are excited to be able to extend “Flight Fiber”, our fiber-optic network to our legacy customers in Winona,” said HBC president and general manager Dan Pecarina. “This investment we are making in the community continues to build on HBC’s commitment to always provide the best network to deliver service to homes and businesses in Winona.”
Lucy McMartin, the City of Winona Director of Community Development, said these infrastructure improvements will benefit both residents and businesses.
“We appreciate investments being made by HBC in Winona. Not only is it good for business, but it also improves services for healthcare and education for residents of Winona. It is also critical for professionals who work remotely.”
Also included as part of this year’s project is engineering for expansion of HBC’s “Flight Fiber” network in Winona’s downtown.
“While our current network has significant fiber-optic features and provides excellent reliability and speed,” Pecarina said, “we feel this investment is the right thing to do for the near and long-term success of our families, schools, businesses and overall economic growth of our area.”
McMartin added, “Broadband development and improvements are proven to help new business formation and growth and is a driver for economic development. Improvements in high-speed internet are necessary for businesses to sustain and grow here in Winona. The return on investment for the community, is a win!”
