Consolidated Communications is taking its Fidium Fiber brand to new fontiers, plotting rollouts in five new states across the country as it works toward a goal of reaching 1.6 million locations by 2025.
The operator launched Fidium Fiber in November, initially making it available to customers in parts of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Now, it’s opening preorders for customers in California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Texas and Illinois.
In Pennsylvania, Consolidated plans to light up 13,000 homes next month, and grow that footprint to a total of 17,500 locations across Gibsonia, Cranberry Township, Mars, Saxonburg, Valencia and Wexford by the end of the year. It is targeting the deployment of Fidium Fiber to 10,000 homes in Greater Mankato, Minnesota, as well as 20,000 Homes in Christian, Coles, Effingham and Shelby Counties in Illinois by the end of this year.
Consolidated’s plans for California and Texas are much more ambitious. The operator said service will be available to nearly 100,000 homes in areas across northern California next month, with an additional 40,000 locations expected to be added by the end of 2022.
And in Texas Fidium service will be available to nearly 91,000 homes in May, with another 21,500 expected to have access by December. It is targeting the areas of Brookshire, Conroe, Katy, Lufkin, Montgomery, Willis and The Woodlands.
The rollouts come as Consolidated works toward a goal of blanketing 1.6 million locations with fiber by 2025. The company added 331,000 new passings in 2021 to take its total to 606,000. Executives have stated they’re aiming to add another 400,000 in 2022, though CEO Bob Udell told Fierce it will likely be able to beat that target.
Fidium Fiber plans include a 1-gig offering that runs $70 per month for the first year and $95 per month thereafter. It also provides a 250 Mbps plan that costs $60 for the first year and $85 per month after that and a 50 Mbps plan priced at $35 per month for the first year and $55 per month from there.