Geneseo Communications, the area’s leading fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) provider, is excited to announce the expansion of its network to additional areas of Coal Valley, Illinois. Geneseo Communications will invest more than $2 million on this multi-year fiber expansion project, marking what CEO Mike McClain noted is “a major milestone in bringing high-speed fiber to areas of Coal Valley, IL.”
The first phase, which can be viewed at www.fibermefast.com, is expected to be completed by the end of 2021. “We are excited to be expanding our network into the neighboring community of Coal Valley,” said McClain. “We are grateful for the cooperation of the Village of Coal Valley and look forward to continuing our work with village leaders to provide services that vastly surpass those of existing providers. Our expansion supports the vision to further the development and maintenance of public infrastructure to meet current and future needs of the Village.”
“Geneseo Communications’ investment in our village is an investment in a brighter future for our citizens,” said Annette Ernst, Coal Valley Village Administrator. “Access to a fiber-optic network is a multi-faceted economic driver. Availability of fiber-optic broadband is a requirement for all levels of education and commerce. Geneseo Communications expansion of high-capacity, reliable broadband positions Coal Valley for further economic growth strategies, as well as helps meet a growing demand for improved communication within our community.”
“This announcement comes at a great time for the Village of Coal Valley,” Village President Mike Bartels said. “As our community continues to grow, it is vital that we are able to provide fast, reliable, and affordable fiber optic options. At no time has that been more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic as virtual learning and remote work made the need for increased broadband access even more apparent,” he said.
Designs are underway and construction is prepared to begin within phase one this Spring. With the launch, Geneseo Communications will offer fully symmetrical speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second with unlimited data usage. When Geneseo Communications’ construction is complete, locations within phase I will have the option to add streaming TV service as well as have the bandwidth to power multiple devices including home automation technologies. To learn more about this project visit www.fibermefast.com.