For long-time Internet Service Providers (ISPs), it’s not easy shifting gears into modern times. Those involved in the early days of Internet connectivity had different technologies with which to work. Many chose to invest in legacy copper wire systems that were being used for telephone services. As such, the resultant DSL and copper cable systems provided reasonable access for a while, but that has since faded with consumer demand far exceeding the upload and download speeds these networks can provide. As communities move away from copper wire systems to higher-speed infrastructures, ISPs are finding themselves in a tough situation. But Frontier Communications has remerged with plans for a much bolder future, and if it succeeds, it may be one of the best success stories in recent years.
A New Approach to Broadband Network Development
Having survived bankruptcy, Frontier Communications is adopting a new strategy for the future. Knowing its legacy networks are unsustainable, the company has an aggressive mission related to broadband network development. In fact, it plans to invest heavily into broadband with 600,000 new high-speed Internet locations planned by year’s end. Likewise, these plans extend well into the coming years. Frontier has announced that it expected to have 10 million of these locations by 2025. Understanding the company only has 3.4 million customers on broadband currently, this is a noteworthy goal.
In an attempt to realize these objectives, Frontier Communications is utilizing a variety of techniques. For one, it has partnered with Nokia in an effort to quickly provide 100,000 homes and businesses with high-speed Internet. Using Nokia’s next-generation technologies to power fiber optics networks, this appears to be an achievable goal. Frontier has also received a FCC Emerging Connectivity Funds’ grant to provide fast, reliable Internet to schools and libraries. And most notably, the company has recently introduced a private debt offering totaling $1 billion for investors. It would seem that Frontier is leveraging all potential resources in its commitment to its future broadband network development.