WiMAX Company to Expand Service in Idaho, Mountain West

By Sharon Fisher, 2-28-08

A company that sees its role as providing broadband Internet to underserved rural communities is offering an innovative service in a third Idaho city, Hailey, and is planning to add it to Idaho Falls and Twin Falls early this year.

DigitalBridgeCommunications Inc., based in Ashburn, Va., uses WiMAX technology to provide Internet connections of up to 3 Mbps. WiMAX uses a base technology that is similar to that used by cell phones, meaning it has a much wider range than the wireless Internet technology typically used – up to three miles. Because of this, WiMAX is said to be well-suited for providing broadband access to rural areas, which are woefully underserved in most of the country.

The company currently offers the service in Rexburg, which it claimed was the first commercial WiMAX offering in the country, and began offering it in Pocatello in January. The Hailey service will also expand into Ketchum and Sun Valley. In addition, the company also offers the service in Missoula, Mont.

It did not say how much the service costs but the Montana service starts at $24.99 per month.

Currently, users connect to a WiMAX network using a modem but major vendors, including Intel, have announced their intention to build cards that would enable computers and laptops to have WiMAX built-in. In addition, Sprint is investing $3 billion in developing a WiMAX network, starting in Baltimore and Chicago.

Other cities planned for expansion include Butte, Mont. and Jackson, Wy.