Atlantic Broadband is embarking on a fiber expansion plan that will focus on cities and towns in New England and West Virginia and put it in direction competition with other major broadband providers such as Comcast Communications, Frontier Communications and Consolidated Communications.
The cable company said it will spend $82 million in its current fiscal year to extend fiber to 70,000 locations and provide Gig internet, home Wi-Fi, IPTV and voice services. The targeted towns are those where the company either currently has a franchise agreement or is in the midst of getting a franchise agreement. Those communities include Concord, Dover, Somersworth, Durham and Madbury, New Hampshire, and Westover, Morgantown, Granville and Star City, West Virginia.
The first customers in these new expansion towns are expected to be connected in early 2022 and construction will continue throughout the rest of the year.
Atlantic Broadband is the eighth largest cable operator in the U.S. and its footprint covers 12 states primarily along the East Coast. The company recently acquired two Ohio markets from WideOpenWest (WOW!) for $1.13 billion.
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In the New Hampshire territory Atlantic will be taking on Comcast and Consolidated Communications. Consolidated has said that it will expand its fiber footprint in New England over the next four years and add 1 million new locations. It also has said that it is able to move quickly in the New England territory because it is deploying aerial fiber, which is easier because it doesn’t require digging trenches.
In the West Virginia territory Atlantic will be competing against Comcast and Frontier Communications. Frontier is also aggressively expanding its fiber footprint. The company so far has added 450,000 fiber locations this year and plans to add 600,000 by year-end bringing its total to 4 million fiber-enabled locations in 2021. It plans to add another million locations in 2022 bringing its total at year-end 2022 to 5 million locations.
Earlier this month Atlantic’s parent company, Cogeco alluded to plans to expand Atlantic’s footprint in the U.S. but this is the first time the company has named the specific markets where it will deliver the new services.