Great Works Internet is expanding their 1Gbps fiber optic service to South Portland, Maine. This is the second city in the state to receive high-speed Internet from GWI, working with the state to fund the broadband investment.
South Portland business and residential customers will be able to buy into the 1Gbps Internet. We are not sure how the deployment will be structure, Great Works Internet will be providing $150,000 for the municipal installation, the other half coming from the state.
Residents in South Portland will be able to pay $70 per month for the 1Gbps Internet. This is the same price as Google Fiber in Kansas City and looks to be the benchmark for fiber optic companies, who are set on bringing high-speed Internet to cities.
For business owners, Great Works Internet have a separate $200 per month package available. This should be great for any businesses in media, entertainment, software or services, who need fast connection.
Someone in the forums brought up a valid point – why is Great Works Internet focusing on cities with low-speed Internet, and not a lot of competition.
Normally, ISPs only focus on areas where competition is high or there is no competition, but in South Portland the competition is just weak, with DSL providers still holding most customers down.
This is the main reason why Great Works Internet see Maine as a great opportunity. The state has rather high-income compared to other places, meaning 1Gbps customers should be of a higher frequency.
South Portland is a rather wealthy area of Maine. Businesses are not a huge part of the city, but there is a large industrial side on the shore, for imports and exports.
