RIDGELAND, USA: The city of Ridgeland has qualified its first area for its ultra-fast 1 Gbps (Gigabit per second) fiber to the home Internet and related digital television and home phone services, announced C Spire.
"We're pleased that Ridgeland has reached an important milestone and has qualified its first area for Internet at the speed of light," said Hu Meena, president and CEO of C Spire. "Fiber to the home is a next-generation technology infrastructure that will help Mississippi cities become hubs for future investment and growth."
"It's exciting to make this opportunity available to our residents," said Ridgeland mayor Gene McGee. "This is technology infrastructure that will enhance education and small business creation, attract high-tech business investment, jobs and new families while boosting home values and the quality of life in our city."
Homeowner pre-registration began last December in Batesville, Clinton, Corinth, Hattiesburg, Horn Lake, McComb, Quitman, Ridgeland and Starkville, who were selected by C Spire as finalists for the nation's first and only statewide roll out of next-generation Internet access, premium HD digital television and home phone services.
Since that time, local government, community and business leaders in the nine Mississippi cities have rallied residents to pre-register at percentage levels that would qualify their areas to be among the first for C Spire's build out of the service. All of the cities have campaigns underway and many are making steady progress, but efforts in Ridgeland and the three other cities paid early dividends in the last several days.
With volunteers canvassing the Bridgewater neighborhood in recent days and a series of high-profile community events, Ridgeland was able to qualify its first fiberhood on Wednesday, according to Jared Baumann, brand product manager for C Spire's consumer fiber services. More fiberhoods are expected to turn "green" in the coming weeks as efforts continue to gain momentum in other C Spire Fiber cities.
"We've been very focused on making this a reality in our city. We use every chance we get to let everyone know about the tremendous benefits and the special opportunity this represents," said McGee.
Pre-registration remains open in all nine C Spire fiber cities. Residents are required to make a $10 refundable deposit and indicate their interest for specific services.
For C Spire customers, the 1 Gbps Internet access will be available for $70 a month, $90 a month for combined Internet and home phone, $130 a month for Internet and digital TV and $150 a month for the entire package of all three services. Non customers will be required to pay an additional $10 a month on all packages.
Baumann said C Spire hopes to start turning up 1 Gig service in the first C Spire Fiber neighborhoods by this summer. The service is expected to pave the way for improvements in the areas of healthcare, education, civic life, municipal services and economic growth.