This week, the fifth largest cable operator in United States, Mediacom Communications, announced that it is working with mobile telecom equipment and services giant Ericsson on a venture to expand high-speed broadband service in rural America.
Mediacom says it is the first major U.S. cable provider to launch a 3GPP-standards-based Citizens Broadband Radio Services (CBRS) Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) high-speed internet service that will use Ericsson’s 4G and 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) solutions. Both companies say their joint efforts “demonstrate Mediacom’s and Ericsson’s commitment to support federal, state and local initiatives to close the digital divide.”
“This technology will be a game changer for the new communities that Mediacom is trying to reach,” said Per Wahlen, Vice President and Head of Business Development for Ericsson North America. “Connecting rural America has been a significant national challenge over the past decade, and our Ericsson solutions will quickly extend the reach of Mediacom’s broadband services and close the digital divide in numerous underserved rural areas.”
Mediacom currently provides high-speed data, video and phone services to 1.5 million households and businesses in 22 U.S. states, mostly in smaller markets in the Midwest and Southeast, where it is the leading gigabit broadband provider.
The companies say Ericsson’s RAN solutions will allow Mediacom to offer FWA high-speed internet services up to nine miles from each tower location: a core challenge in previous efforts to deploy broadband services in rural areas. This, in turn, should enable more efficient delivery of broadband to rural, underserved homes and businesses across Mediacom’s multi-state footprint.
“The ongoing COVID pandemic has demonstrated that a quality high-speed internet connection is more important than ever,” said JR Walden, Mediacom’s Chief Technology Officer. “We are thrilled to work with a trusted partner like Ericsson to launch robust fixed wireless broadband services in areas of the country that need it the most.”
Last month, Mediacom reported second-quarter revenues of $557 million, up 5.9 percent year-over-year, and a 15.2 percent increase in adjusted operating income before depreciation and adjustments (OIBDA), which the company attributed to its decision to transition to a “broadband-centric business strategy.”
