Lakewood Township, Duluth, MN – June 27, 2024 – Mediacom Communications announced
completion of a fiber construction project that brings ultra-high-speed internet to underserved
areas of St. Louis County. More than 1,100 homes and businesses in Lakewood Township now
have access to world-class fiber optic broadband services.
Construction of the 73-mile fiber network began in May of 2023 and has been completed on
schedule despite challenging terrain and weather conditions. Mediacom began launching service
in October of 2023 as portions of the construction were completed. The entire cost of the project
was covered by Mediacom’s $5.3 million private investment.
Residents and businesses in Lakewood Township can now access a variety of service offerings
including broadband plans with 2-gigabits-per-second download speeds as well as low-cost
phone plans. Mediacom also offers Xtream Connect a low-cost broadband plan designed
specifically for qualifying low-income households. A public open house was held late last year to
introduce Mediacom’s range of services to the Lakewood Township community.
“An estimated 95% of our residents did not have access to adequate broadband speeds to meet
today’s needs. We are thrilled to now have Mediacom broadband services in Lakewood Township
and applaud their substantial investment into our community,” said Gary Campbell, Lakewood
Township Board Chair.
“Partnering with Lakewood Township and St. Louis County leaders strengthened our ability to
deploy our ultra-high-speed broadband to an otherwise underserved and challenging to reach
community,” said Mediacom Area Operations Director Jason Janesich. “Mediacom is working on
multiple fronts to close the digital divide, and we are proud to make this investment to benefit
residents and businesses in the Township”.
Mediacom’s Lakewood Township project was recently profiled in the premiere of NCTA – The
Internet and Television Association’s docufilm, “Every Last Mile: The Untold Story of Connecting
Rural America.” The film showcases first-hand accounts of construction crews building
broadband networks in rural communities like Lakewood Township and the real time challenges
faced to connect every American.
“Every Last Mile tells the story of the immense challenges faced by America’s cable industry every
day to extend broadband into rural, underserved communities like Lakewood Township,
Minnesota,” said Brian Dietz, Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications for NCTA. “The
Lakewood Township fiber build constructed by our member Mediacom’s dedicated team served
as a perfect illustration of the grueling work it takes to reach unserved, rural communities.”
