Connect With Your Community!
Connect With Your Community!
Workers put in a new fiber-optic cable route in downtown Three Forks earlier this year. File photo
The new fiber-optic cable route across the Treasure State will increase the availability of high-speed internet to local internet and telecommunications service providers, who can then provide the service to homes and businesses. Crews anticipate wrapping up work before the end of the year, pending weather and other unforeseen factors. File photo
Intermountain Infrastructure Group (IIG) is continuing work in the Three Forks area on a project installing a new fiber-optic cable route across the Treasure State.
According to Brandon Coates of RBCI, who is working with IIG on the project, crews anticipate wrapping up work before the end of the year, pending weather and other unforeseen factors.
Coates said IIG is installing an "Internet Superhighway" that will benefit all Montanans by enabling local and/or regional service providers connectivity to the World Wide Web outside of the state, adding this works similar to how Interstate 90 and Interstate 15 connect Montana to adjoining states and allows travelers access to the rest of the country.
"IIG has established several interconnection points around Montana, including several in Three Forks, that give the regional and local internet companies easy access to this network. IIG does not compete with these companies to provide residential service. Their expertise is providing local service. IIG's expertise is bringing access to a bigger network to these local providers, which benefits the whole state," said Coates.
Regarding access to the "superhighway," Coates said local service providers can email [email protected] or visit IIG's website at https://intermountainig.com/.
He added community members can search for local internet providers at https://www.highspeedinternet.com/mt.
BACKGROUND
In 2023, IIG began work on the project loosely following the I-90 corridor and Montana Highway 200 in the northwest portion of the state, with most of the construction taking place along the sides of primary and secondary highways.
According to IIG, "the installation of this new fiber-optic cable route will expand the availability and reliability of broadband services in Montana."
"The project will increase the availability of high-speed internet to local internet and telecommunications service providers, who can then provide the service to homes and businesses," states a project page for the route.
IIG is partnering with construction companies on the privately funded project to install the fiber line that will be laid in the right of way in city, county, and state jurisdictions.
"When complete, this new backbone of fiber connectivity will provide state-of-the-art infrastructure over more than 600 miles of Montana," states the project page.
