MetroNet is expanding its fiber footprint to its 12th state, Wisconsin, and is planning to spend $12 to $15 million on the project, which is expected to start next spring.
LaCrosse will be the initial city in the Badger State to have the MetroNet fiber network, which boasts 100 percent FTTP with symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gbps without any long-term contracts. The first LaCrosse customers are expected to go online next summer further expanding the company’s customer base, which is expected to total more than 1 million residential households and business locations in the near term.
The company had expanded to Des Moines, IA, in May after receiving an additional capital investment from Oak Hill Capital and KKR in April.
In addition to receiving the fiber service, there will also be employment opportunities for LaCrosse residents as MetroNet plans to hire local market management positions, sales and customer service professionals and service technicians.
“The City of La Crosse is excited to welcome MetroNet to the community as they will provide residents and businesses with more choice for high-speed connectivity,” said Mitch Reynolds, mayor of La Crosse, in a prepared statement. “MetroNet’s future-proofed network will greatly enhance our community’s economic development potential and our ability to connect our residents and businesses to success for generations to come.”
“Our 100 percent fiber, future-proofed network has proven valuable to our partner cities in such states as Minnesota, Iowa, and Kentucky, and we are proud to bring that opportunity now to Wisconsin through our first market in La Crosse,” said John Cinelli, MetroNet CEO, in a prepared statement.
“Mayors and other city leaders are faced with a wide range of choices for their cities when trying to bridge the digital divide. As the nation’s largest and fastest growing, independently owned fiber optic company, our strategy of building without the use of public funds has proven to be a very effective approach to keeping our services accessible and affordable.”
