Metronet fiber optic network running in Colorado Springs

Metronet, an Indiana-based fiber optic company, connected several hundred Colorado Springs customers to high-speed internet service this week as the company continues its roughly two-year construction project in the northern part of the city, the company announced Thursday.

Metronet, one of multiple providers installing a web of fiber optic cables in Colorado Springs and surrounding neighborhoods, began construction in August with plans to spend $130 million to install its infrastructure, which can provide up to 10-gigabit speed internet.

Internet service, initially rolled out to neighbors near Briargate east of Rampart High School, will cover patches of the city from areas north of the Air Force Academy and south of the Colorado Springs Airport.

Colorado Springs is the first community in Colorado to gain Metronet service among 250 other communities across 16 states, said Metronet CEO John Cinelli.

That was largely because of Colorado Springs’ dearth of high-speed fiber service coupled with its growing appetite for tech-related businesses and adjacent industries, Cinelli said.

"We just think it's going to be a great, great market for us," Cinelli said. "And we’re going to invest $130 million. So, we have an unbelievable conviction about the community."

With the growing demand for high-speed internet for remote work, video-conferencing and streaming, Cinelli said the market is full of opportunity.

"We get asked the question, oftentimes, ‘Hey, when are you coming to our neighborhood,’" Cinelli said.

"And ... the reason for it ... is because they really just want to start enjoying the benefit of this really high-speed internet."

But Metronet is laboring alongside Underline Infrastructure and Colorado Springs Utilities to build fiber optic networks in addition to the existing choices — Comcast and Lumen Technologies’ CenturyLink. Some Underline customers gained fiber connection in September.

Cinelli said he is confident in Metronet's ability to outshine when it comes customer service.

"The percentage of people that are taking our services are greater than our forecast," Cinelli said. "So ... people are voting with their wallets that they want to use Metronet."

Metronet provides up to 5-gigabit speeds to households and 10-gigabit speeds for commercial use with various tiers of speed and prices.

Plus, as the market's demand for faster internet speed increases, the technology can supply it with the capability for easy upgrades in the future, Cinelli said.

"The cool thing about fiber as a technology, is basically ... you’re shooting light through glass," Cinelli said.

"And because of high frequencies of light, the amount of information you could carry, it's almost unlimited."

Metronet is evaluating other spots on the Front Range to expand its infrastructure and is on pace for its estimated two-year goal to deliver its $130 million investment in Colorado Springs.

But for Cinelli, Metronet can't roll out service fast enough.

To see a map of Metronet's service areas and future expansion visit construction.metronet.com/l/Colorado_SpringsCO

Jessica is a reporter at The Gazette. Tips to [email protected] and @JessySnouwaert

Comments are open to Gazette subscribers only