By Diana Goovaerts
Consolidated Communications laid out plans to deploy fiber to more than 19,000 locations across Vermont next year, using a combination of its own money, federal funds and a state grant from the Vermont Community Broadband Board. The news comes as the operator hustles to expand its Fidium Fiber footprint at a rapid clip, aiming to reach a total of 2 million passings by the end of 2025.
The operator said in a press release it plans to invest $10.8 million to run fiber to 13,000 locations across Vermont in 2023. This rollout will be partially funded by federal money it won in 2020’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction. Consolidated snagged $19 million in the auction to help it cover more than 10,123 locations in Vermont, with the support set to be distributed over a 10-year period.