BUTTE, Mont. -- As Montana families and businesses continue to combat the restrictions of limited broadband, officials across the state and specifically in Silver Bow County are hopeful that their latest partnership will bring an end to the dial-up days.
The little shack outside the warehouse off Wynne Avenue in Butte may not look like much, but it could actually be huge for bringing Butte fully into the internet age.
It'll be the Mining City's hub for TDS, a new state partner working on constructing fiber-optic networks in Butte, Missoula, Great Falls, and other areas.
As the Wisconsin-based Telecom company said in regards to choosing the Treasure State for its next venture, a state like Montana is in dire need of better high-speed internet access.
"It's a wonderful state with a great worth ethic, and it's under-served from a broadband perspective," TDS Telecom president/CEO Jim Butman said. "We look for places that are under-served because families and businesses need broadband.
"It's got the right profile for us," Butman continued in regards to Montana. "We know we're going to hit a home run here."
In total, $160 million have been invested into this project, with the goal of reaching over 150,000 different Montana addresses.
Achieving better broadband access has long been a major goal for the state government, an officials shared their excitement for the potential boost in multiple sectors of the state economy.
"High-speed fiber going directly to the home means we can get higher quality health care, pursue educational opportunities, and open up new job opportunities," governor Greg Gianforte said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Butte on Monday. "It brings the future to every single home."
Local TDS officials say that the build will over the next three years as over a thousand miles of fiber-optic cable are installed, with customer opt-in likely to start this fall or in early 2025.
