Northland expands fiber network

SANDPOINT — Northland continues to expand its fiber network in Bonner County.

Since completing its main Internet connection with the Sprint national fiber network in the fourth quarter of 2011 and a major upgrade in April of this year, Northland Communications has further expanded its fiber network to Dover, Kootenai, and Ponderay. Fiber direct Internet and phone service are now available in these cities as well as Sandpoint and the Hidden Lakes area.

The expansion follows a quadrupling of the company’s Internet capacity for residential customers in December 2011. That allowed the company to create an abundant capacity to meet the needs of both business and residential customers, said Northland business manager Bala Bishop.

“We are continuing to build our network for the needs of Bonner County well into the future,” Bishop said. “Projects are currently under way to expand our fiber optic network to Sagle and again doubling our residential Internet capacity throughout Bonner County. When the fiber to Sagle is completed we can provide fiber direct services in Sagle as well as the Sandpoint, Dover, Kootenai, Ponderay, and Hidden Lakes areas.”

Bishop said Northland has reinvested hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless employee hours into these projects to improve the Bonner County communications infrastructure — all without the help of government funding. The result is an affordable way to serve company — large or small — with the services they need to conduct and grow their daily operations, he added.

“Northland has always been committed to maintaining a high level of community involvement,” Bishop said. “Every opportunity to interact with residents and business owners helps us get a better feel for the wants and needs of our customers.”

With membership and participation in notable organizations, including the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, and the Bonner County Underground Utilities Commission, Bishop said Northland is dedicated to its mission to provide the region with the highest level of quality products and services available. Northland has proudly served the Bonner County area from its local office for nearly 30 years.

“We want everyone in the area to understand how our system improvements will benefit them and are hoping residents will tell their family, friends and co-workers,” he said. “We’re honored to be the leader in bringing new and advanced communication technologies to our area.”

A leading provider of telecommunications services, Northland Communications owns and manages communications systems in Idaho, Washington, California, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.