Support Bozeman Fiber’s Shared Network to Give Bozeman More Provider Choice and Redundancy
Bozeman Fiber makes a persuasive case that broadband giving should be about the infrastructure beneath the internet plan. Its open-access network aims to give Gallatin County more provider choice, stronger public-sector connectivity, and a shared fiber backbone built to last.
Carley R.’s home-office connection carries both her workday and streaming, and she says the setup was easy to establish. “The speed is amazing and the service is second to none,” she says.
Bozeman Fiber. Its mission is to build shared fiber infrastructure for residents, businesses, and public-sector users in Bozeman and Gallatin County, with service gaps and network redundancy squarely in view.
Because it is open access, Bozeman Fiber’s shared infrastructure allows multiple providers to serve residents and businesses, increasing potential choice and redundancy.
How to support Bozeman Fiber’s shared network
Bozeman Fiber formed in 2015 to address Bozeman’s broadband gap and became commercially operational as an open-access network in 2017. In 2021, Yellowstone Fiber secured $65 million in private funding for the network’s first phase; by March 2022, crews were laying conduit and installing underground fiber, turning the open-access model into a physical network multiple providers could use.
Bozeman Fiber builds and maintains the fiber infrastructure; multiple private internet service providers can use it to deliver service. The arrangement lets multiple providers use this shared fiber infrastructure to deliver commercial service.
Public-sector telecommunications needs, redundancy, and private-sector connectivity all sit inside the organization’s stated mission.
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Residential offerings start at 250 Mbps, while businesses can receive speeds of up to 100 Gbps. Granite Technology Solutions describes its service as high-bandwidth, low-latency, affordable, and reliable; because multiple providers can use the same infrastructure, that capacity also supports Bozeman Fiber’s goal of stronger redundancy. As project visionary Greg Metzger put it, “In addition to speed, what we’re bringing residents and businesses is choice.”
Project visionary Greg Metzger described the customer payoff of the open-access model: “This means that customers see faster speeds, better prices, and even better customer service.” Brian M., director of services at Granite Technology Solutions, said, “My service with them is high bandwidth, low latency, affordable, and most importantly, reliable.”
The donor case is shared infrastructure
Current coverage and cost-per-mile figures are not provided. To help give Bozeman and Gallatin County more provider choice and a more resilient network, start with the Bozeman Fiber profile and contact the organization about contributing to its shared network.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Bozeman Fiber do?
- Bozeman Fiber builds and maintains shared, open-access fiber infrastructure for residents, businesses, and public-sector users in Bozeman and Gallatin County. Multiple private ISPs can use that infrastructure to provide broadband service.
- How does open-access fiber work in Bozeman?
- Yellowstone Fiber reports that its network became commercially operational as an open-access network in 2017. The model allows multiple internet service providers to use shared fiber infrastructure rather than relying on a single provider’s network.
- What internet speeds does Bozeman Fiber offer?
- Its listed residential offerings begin at symmetrical 250 Mbps and include 1 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, and 10 Gbps tiers. Listed business service can reach up to 100 Gbps.
- How can I see whether Bozeman Fiber is available at my address?
- Prospective customers can use the organization’s Check Availability page and then follow its sign-up flow. Support is also available by phone, email, live chat, or customer service.
- What funding has Yellowstone Fiber secured?
- Yellowstone Fiber reports securing $65 million in private funds for the first phase of its network in 2021. The supplied material also reports that construction began in 2022.
- yellowstonefiber.com ↗
- Bozeman Fiber’s mission is to provide next-generation broadband infrastructure for public-sector telecommunications, bridge service gaps, enhance redundancy, and provide shared infrastructure for the private sector in Bozeman and the Gallatin Valley.
- Bozeman Fiber was formed in 2015 to address the lack of true high-speed broadband in Bozeman and the surrounding area.
- The network became commercially operational as an open-access network in 2017, allowing multiple internet service providers to use shared infrastructure.
- Yellowstone Fiber secured $65 million in private funds for the first phase of the network in 2021, and construction began in March 2022.
- The organization’s listed residential offerings include symmetrical speeds starting at 250 Mbps, 1 Gbps, and 2.5 Gbps, while business service can reach speeds of up to 100 Gbps.
- yellowstonefiber.com ↗
- “My service with them is high bandwidth, low latency, affordable, and most importantly, reliable.” — Brian M.