ROCHESTER, NY (WROC) – In Monroe County, another option for internet is expanding it’s reach.
Along with Greenlight and Spectrum, you can expect to see more Frontier ads, as well.
Viewers in Webster, Chili and Penfield tell News 8 they’ve been seeing and hearing more about Frontier Fiber.
We caught up with some representatives at a local event to learn more.
David Oliviera, Vice President of National Expansion for Frontier says they’ve been focusing on the areas where customers need them the most. Most recently, that’s been Rochester and East Rochester.
Over the next three years, he says they’re hoping to reach more suburbs in Monroe County.
“As Frontier came out of bankruptcy, over the last year, there’s a new leadership team, a new spirit, a new fight in us. It really is about surrounded by our investment in building fiber into communities, it’s bringing new technology that’s future-proof, ”he said.
He says the goal is to reach ten million homes, nationally by 2025.
You’ve probably heard of fiber technology. But what exactly, is it?
“So fiber is a technology that is passed through light versus electricity, and so when you have fiber to your home, we have a central office that we run the cable through a hub and straight into your house,” he said.
He says fiber brings durability.
For example, here in Rochester – through rain and snow, the fiber is weather proof – because it’s either aerial or buried into the home.
“All the different things you use fiber for you may not even realize,” said Collette Alvescombre, Director of Engagement and Marketing. “For example, your Ring doorbell, security system at your home, your Roomba vacuum cleaner,” said Alvescombre.
To some residents in the area, having another option in the mix for internet is appealing.
“I prefer Frontier, cause that’s what I grew up on, and I never had problem with it, playing video games cellular connection or anything,” said Nathan Kimbrough Jr.
For others, they’re happy where they are.
“I didn’t have the best of luck with them,” said Elizabeth Spring, of her previous experiences, years ago. “They were slow, and I wasn’t the only one, one of my friends had the same problem with it.”
Internet providers must submit a permit application to municipalities.
Penfield and Webster are a few examples of local towns working to install Frontier.
Webster resident Bob Blind tells News 8, he’s had Fiber in his home since May 24. “Frontier is being very aggressive here in Webster with plans to wire 238 streets with fiber,” he said.
He says so far so good, but the company may have to work around people’s old experiences.
“People’s perception of the“ old Frontier ”is a little bit of a roadblock for them,” said Blind. “Their slow DSL Internet was not very reliable all the time and their response to service calls sometimes took days. This is one area that I hope that they improve and I told them that, ”he said.
One of their main competitors, Greenlight, provided the following statement on their growth over the years:
“Greenlight Networks recently announced that 100,000 homes now have access to our high-speed fiber Internet service. Nearly 90 percent of those households are in 12 municipalities across Monroe County. We have construction underway to another 10,000 homes with plans to start construction to an additional 10,000 homes in Monroe County between now and year-end.
Greenlight’s mission is to give residents a differentiated service – access to the fastest Internet speeds in New Your State and frankly, in the country. These days, we know how important that is as families are working, learning, connecting with loved ones and getting their entertainment all at home. Often all at the same time. And on multiple devices. The high-speed fiber optic network we are building in this area provides the bandwidth to do all this, seamlessly and simultaneously. We also see demand for choice in this market. Where we have deployed, we have been successful at promoting competition which has driven bandwidth speeds up and prices down.“
