Bluepeak Continues Internet Construction in Casper
Bluepeak, an internet service provider that has set up shop in Casper and Cheyenne, announced in a press release that it will begin participating in the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) in Wyoming.
The ACP is a $14 billion program that goes through the Federal Communications Commission and provides a $ 30-a-month discount on internet services for eligible households.
The program was passed as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last November, which both Wyoming senators and representative Liz Cheney voted against.
Since breaking ground in April, Bluepeak has provided internet to around 2,200 businesses and residences in Casper, after having connected hundreds of homes in Cheyenne.
Jesse Granger, Bluepeak's Communications Director, said that most of the areas they've connected in Casper are east of Wyoming Boulevard and north of Westcott Drive.
Granger said they plan on finishing all the construction in Casper by 2025 and hope to finish some projects around the west-side Walmart, in the presale area, within the next 30 days.
Bluepeak is also currently doing construction in the area between southwest Wyoming Boulevard and Valcaro Road and 53rd Street and Granada Avenue.
Granger said that they have yet to connect an ACP in Wyoming.
According to BroadBandNow, Wyoming ranks 43rd in the country for internet coverage, speed, and availability in general, but 50th for access to gigabyte internet, with 10.8% of the state having access.
Bluepeak is currently doing construction in Laramie and Sheridan as part of an approximate $80 million investment to bring fiber internet to communities in Wyoming.
In 2020, Vast Broadband, now called Bluepeak, was acquired by a private equity firm called GI Partners for an undisclosed amount.
Rich Fish, CEO of Bluepeak, said in the release:
"We chose to expand Bluepeak fiber internet service to communities in Wyoming because we believe the size of the city shouldn’t determine the quality of the technology," Fish said. "It is Bluepeak’s mission to push the boundaries of possibility in our communities. We do this by connecting households in need of more, better options, so the Affordable Connectivity Program is a natural fit with our expansion plans in Wyoming."