Blue Ridge Communications to rebuild cable plant with FTTP

PALMERTOM, Pa. – Today, Blue Ridge Communications, one of the nation's first Broadband Internet providers, announced the beginning of a complete Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) rebuild of its cable systems serving rural Pennsylvanians. After successfully deploying its first Fiber-to-the-Home system in rural Westfield, Pa, Blue Ridge will take its acquired knowledge and begin rebuilding its 8000 miles of the cable plant, passing over 250,000 homes serving Northeastern Pennsylvania.

"Our current 1Gig Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) network serves our customers well with the speed and reliability they need. We always have our eye toward the horizon, and with this decision, we are looking to future-proof our network," said Blue Ridge's Mark Masenheimer, VP of operations.

Blue Ridge, like most operators, saw significant increases in customers and usage during the pandemic and only sees that trajectory continuing.

"We believe the need for speed and bandwidth will continue to increase as more and more people work, learn, and are entertained at home. Fiber allows for ultra-fast symmetrical speeds and increased network reliability as well as the added environmental benefits of lower power consumption. It is the next logical step in the evolution of our network," Masenheimer said.

Blue Ridge will introduce Fiber-to-the-Home area by area over the next few years. Blue Ridge assures its customers that it is preparing for the future and making a significant capital investment to build a state-of-the-art network to meet today's and tomorrow's needs.

Blue Ridge Communications