The Divide: How Bluepeak is bringing broadband competition to overlooked cities

This episode features Jeff Seidenfaden, chief commercial and customer experience officer at fiber broadband provider Bluepeak; and Mike Podoll, a resident of Altus, Oklahoma, and a subscriber to Bluepeak since the Internet service provider (ISP) started connecting customers there in late August. Bluepeak's $9 million expansion to Altus, announced earlier this year, will eventually connect roughly 9,000 of the city's homes and businesses.

We get into some background on Bluepeak and its service territories, how Bluepeak's broadband service compares with competitors' in Altus and elsewhere, and how the company chooses where to deploy its network. We also discuss customers' experience of struggling with existing service options and why provider choice matters for everyday families.

Here are just a few topics discussed in this episode:

• Seidenfaden on Bluepeak background, its service territories and speeds (1:14)
• Podoll on his experience with ISPs in Altus, before Bluepeak (4:35)
• Seidenfaden on why Bluepeak chose to expand to Altus (9:10)
• How Bluepeak funds its network builds (10:50)
• Bluepeak's fiber deployments in 2022 and future plans (13:25)
• Podoll on his experience with Bluepeak and why consistency matters (15:35)

Related stories and links:

• Episode transcript (unedited PDF)
• Bluepeak Internet Service Now Available in Altus (press release)
• Bluepeak gets green light to bring 5-Gig to Lawton, Oklahoma (press release)
• The Divide: LiveOak's Steve Smith on getting fiber-ready in Florida and Georgia

— Nicole Ferraro, editor, Light Reading, and host of "​​The Divide" podcast.