Midcontinent to launch 1 Gbps service in three South Dakota towns in early 2016

Midcontinent Communications will soon light its first three markets with 1 Gbps in South Dakota, bringing it another step toward its goal to deliver 1 Gbps throughout its entire footprint by the end of 2017.

It will deliver services to homes and businesses in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo, S.D.  

Leveraging its existing HFC plant, Midcontinent plans to begin the rollout of the 1 Gbps service early next year when DOCSIS 3.1 modems become available. It has not determined the exact launch date for the new service.

Earlier this year, Midcontinent announced that it was working with Cisco to prepare its network to handle the 1 Gbps speeds. Today, the cable operator's highest broadband speed is 200 Mbps.

Delivering gigabit speeds is not a monumental step for the service provider. Similar to other cable operators, Midcontinent has been delivering gigabit and higher (up to four terabits per second) through direct fiber connections to larger businesses. The Midco Gig product will make gigabit speeds available to a wider range of customers through the DOCSIS 3.1 modem.

Upon announcing the gigabit project in late last year, Midcontinent said that Fargo, Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Bismarck and Grand Forks, S.D., would be among the first areas to receive gigabit Internet. It said that it would announce timelines for these markets at a later date.

For more:
- see the release

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