Downvalley communities will see Comcast construction in 2020
Digital cable TV, home phone service and high-speed internet will be offered in Gypsum and Eagle
GYPSUM — Downvalley officials are hoping it’s a short-term pain, long-term benefit situation when Comcast construction teams roll in next year.
After successfully negotiating franchise agreements with the towns of Eagle and Gypsum this year, Comcast plans to begin construction on its underground fiber optic cable network in the communities in 2020.
“They have designed it all and master-planned it for the town,” said Gypsum Assistant Town Manager/Town Engineer Jim Hancock. “They are calling it their top tier, premium fiber technology.”
Hancock said residents can expect everything from significant construction to the presence of a single truck, depending on neighborhood conditions.
Leslie Oliver, Comcast’s Mountain West Regional Media and External Communications manager, said the Eagle and Gypsum projects represent part of $2.9 billion in technology upgrades Comcast has done in Colorado since 2011.
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“In general, technology is a big part of what we do. We continuously upgrade our technology to make sure we provide more reliability. We have invested millions of dollars to ensure our technology is fast, reliable and secure.”
Oliver said the downvalley Comcast project will bring an array of products to Eagle and Gypsum, including digital cable TV, home phone service and high-speed internet. That last item is what’s generating the most buzz for the towns, where internet outages are a source of frustration for residents.
“This is a significant private investment in the community that ensures we are able to have internet connection that is modern and can compete in a modern environment,” said Gypsum Town Manager Jeremy Rietmann. “This will just ensure that we can be economically competitive as a community.”
“The town of Gypsum is excited to see this private investment coming in for a system like this, so our internet gaps can be filled and the market is working to fill the gaps,” Rietmann added.
All about the nodes
Neighborhood nodes — central connection points that provide more bandwidth capacity — are Comcast’s downvalley construction focus for 2020. Dozens of nodes will be built in both towns.
“That’s so we can get the nodes closer to homes which means faster, more reliable connections,” said Oliver.
In the months ahead, Oliver said Comcast will be reaching out to let people know about neighborhood construction plans.
“We will be doing mailers and door hangers. We will make sure we are communicating to make sure people know what is happening and when it is happening,” she said.
Additionally, Oliver noted Comcast hopes to develop a specific website to communicate its construction plans.