This Letter to the Editor was written in response to our story: ‘Everyone has to have it’: Broadband gap leaves rural Wisconsin behind during coronavirus crisis
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit and nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our our newsletter to get our investigative stories and Friday news roundup.
I am disappointed by your investigative journalism in this story. I wish someone would have called us to see what internet speeds are available. Here is our response.
Norvado provides telecom services in the Phillips, Wis., area. Like other telecom companies, Norvado has been building a fiber network in rural Wisconsin. Our Cable, Wis., territory delivers 98% of services on fiber infrastructure, which offers our customers up to 1GB or 1,000Mpbs Internet speed.
We recently acquired Price County Telephone, which for the most part, is providing service on copper infrastructure. Upon acquiring Price County Telephone, Norvado increased our customers’ Internet speed to a minimum of 10Mbpsx1Mbps. And, Norvado implemented an escalated plan to replace the copper infrastructure with fiber by 2023.
Today, we are able to provide up to 100Mbps service in the Phillips, WI area referenced in this story. When converted to fiber, we will offer up to 1GB or 1,000Mbps Internet service. We do, however, offer lesser Internet speed packages starting at 10Mbpsx1Mbps.
We are also offering free speed upgrades for three months to our customers assisting with increased demands during the COVID-19 outbreak. Our offers can be found at www.norvado.com/offers. As always, we are happy to assist with products designed for your specific application.
Steve Dinsmore
Norvado Operation Support Manager
Cable, Wis.
The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
