BUSINESS Internet access to expand in Conroe area
near North Frazier Street. “In 2023, we anticipate making our network available to more than 1,000 homes and more than 650 businesses in Conroe,” he said in an email. “Broadly speaking in 2023, we’re talking north of Wilson Road, south of FM 3038, and then in between I-75 and North Frazier Road.” Fidium Fiber Kyle Thweatt, senior communi- cations specialist for Consolidated Communications, said the company’s services began increasing exponen- tially in the Conroe market around 2021 with the building of additional transformational ber. The build will bring ber to more than 70% of Consolidated’s service area by 2026. “More than 100,000 homes and businesses in Texas—47,000 of those in the Conroe area—now have access to symmetrical, multigig ber, providing the network infrastructure that will serve Texans for decades to come,” Thweatt said in an email. In 2022, Consolidated launched Fidium Fiber, a multigig ber broad- band service. By the end of the year, Thweatt said 12,000 additional homes and businesses in the Conroe area will have access to internet service. “Already in 2023, Fidium has expanded to more than 6,000 homes and businesses in Conroe,” he said. “As more and more Texans and Conroe residents have the ability to order Fidium, additional opportuni- ties for expansion of services will be explored.” Tachus talk Tachus, a locally owned internet provider
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
Several broadband companies are beginning expansion e orts in Montgomery County. Comcast announced in February that it would begin to expand its next-generation network, X nity 10G, in Conroe. Optimum, an American telecommunications brand, has opened two retail stores in Lake Conroe and Willis since October. In addition, Tachus, a local ber internet provider, is expanding into Willis and Montgomery, and Consol- idated Communications is bringing its subsidiary Fidium Fiber to more Conroe residents in 2023. Comcast connection In January, the Texas comptroller’s o ce released the Texas Broadband Development Map to show the availability of high-speed internet access. Locations that are considered “served” are designated with a max speed greater than or equal to 100 megabits per second downloading and 20 mbps uploading. “Under- served” areas are between 25/3 and 100/20 mbps. According to the broadband map, 183,125 addresses in Mont-
Comcast’s X nity 10G network has begun a $10 million expansion in Southeast Texas.
SERVICE BREAKDOWN
TERM TO KNOW: FIBER Fiber is a method of transferring data that utilizes pulses of light sent across plastic or glass cables. Fiber internet is faster than cable, Wi-Fi and dial-up.
Comcast, Tachus and Fidium Fiber are expanding broadband services to residents and businesses in Conroe, Montgomery and Willis in 2023.
CONSOLIDATED COMMUNICATIONS FIDIUM FIBER
COMCAST + + +
Adding more than Adding more than 1,000 homes 650 businesses 17 miles of ber already built in Conroe
Serving 47,000 homes and businesses in Conroe area
TACHUS
+ Service provided to 60,000 homes in Montgomery County 10,000 homes added in rst quarter in Conroe and Willis 15,000 additional homes to be served in 2023 +
+
Adding 12,000 homes by the end of year
SOURCES: CONSOLIDATED COMMUNICATIONS, COMCAST, TACHUS COMMUNITY IMPACT
Plans to serve 70%
of service areas by 2026
SERVICE STRENGTH The Texas Broadband Development Map released in January shows high-speed internet availability with more than 34,000 addresses in the county underserved.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY Served: 183,125 addresses Underserved: 34,443 addresses
gomery County are considered served, while 34,443 are underserved. Stephanie Loving, Comcast’s
MONTGOMERY
“BROADBAND IS A TALE OF THE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.”
45
WILLIS
SERVED:
105
Max speed greater than or equal to 100 megabits per second downloading and 20 mbps uploading
headquartered in Montgomery County, will also continue to
CONROE
336
senior manager of government a airs for the
1488
STEPHANIE LOVING, SENIOR MANAGER OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR COMCAST’S TEXAS REGION
UNDERSERVED:
invest in the Con- roe, Montgomery and Willis markets
Between 25/3 and 100/20 mbps
69
Texas region, said these areas will be the company’s focus. “Broadband is a tale of the haves and have-nots in
N
SOURCES: TEXAS BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT MAP, FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION COMMUNITY IMPACT
in 2023. Tachus President Matt Ockwood said services have
in homes and businesses is so critical to everything we do in life,” he said. “A great example of a very recent and heavily underserved market is our recently commissioned ber network in southeast Willis. This area sits well east of I-45 and runs all the way to Caney Creek.” This summer, Ockwood said Tachus
will begin laying down ber lines in Montgomery with service as early as the second half of this year. “Tachus was founded on the understanding that high-speed, highly reliable broadband connectivity is increasingly critical to individuals, families and businesses across Texas and the nation,” he said.
expanded to include 15,000 additional homes in the rst quarter of 2023 with 10,000 of those homes in Conroe and Willis. He anticipates 25,000 residen- tial homes to see service by the end of the year. “We recognize the need for high- speed and highly reliable bandwidth
Montgomery County,” Loving said. “In your more dense areas you do have greater broadband, but the farther out you go it becomes spotty.” As of April, Comcast Public Rela- tions Manager Steve Campion said work is or will be underway in areas near Loop 336 and I-45 and in areas
17
CONROE MONTGOMERY EDITION • MAY 2023
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