100 Mbps Broadband Internet Coming to North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota

Recently, people in the upper-Midwest region of the United States have seen commercials for the website xisnext.com that was potentially hinting at 100 Mbps broadband internet coming to the upper-Midwest (North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota).  I received a reply from Midcontinent Communications confirming that this is indeed true.

Midcontinent Communications has launched MidcoNet Xstream® Wideband to over 250,000 users in the upper-Midwest.  MidcoNet Xstream® Wideband will provide users with 100 Mbps downloads and 15 Mbps uploads, speeds far exceeding other ISPs in the region where 3 Mbps is the average.  Recent upgrades to digital cable and DOCSIS 3.0 technology have made these speeds possible.

“MidcoNet Xstream® Wideband is ultimately a shift in technology,” says Jon Pederson, vice president of technology at Midcontinent Communications. “Data expansion provides the capacity and speed necessary to view rich Internet content, from streaming video to online gaming, concurrently on multiple devices throughout the home.”

Midcontient recognizes that the industry is changing and that stable, high-speed internet has become an important part of our lives.

“The demand for streaming online content is skyrocketing,” says Pat McAdaragh, president and CEO of Midcontinent Communications. “The rate of Internet usage increased 116 percent last year and has increased more than 300 percent since 2009. Speed is important, but with multiple devices connected to the Internet, capacity is essential. MidcoNet Xstream® Wideband delivers both the speed and capacity to meet customers’ needs.”

Speeds available to residents are as follows:

• MidcoNet Xstream® Wideband 3.0 will offer up to 100 Mbps downloads and 15 Mbps uploads – $104.95 / month
• MidcoNet Xstream® Wideband 2.0 will offer up to 50 Mbps downloads and 10 Mbps uploads – $64.95 / month
• MidcoNet Xstream® Wideband 1.0 will offer up to 30 Mbps downloads and 5 Mbps uploads – $44.95 / month

“At Midcontinent our goal is to stay ahead of customer demand and to deploy the most appropriate technology to insure an outstanding customer experience now and well into the future. That, at its core, is MidcoNet Xstream®,” says Pederson.

You have made me one happy internet user, Mr Pederson.

Midcontinent Communications is the Upper Midwest’s leading provider of cable television, telephone, broadband Internet and cable advertising services for approximately 250,000 residential and business customers throughout the North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota and is a 50%-50% partnership between Midcontinent Media, Inc. and Comcast Corporation.

What are your thoughts on the launch of this high-speed internet?  Will you be signing up?  Let us know by commenting below!