Mediacom Business, a division of Mediacom Communications Corporation, today announced an initiative to extend its scalable, high-capacity broadband network to hundreds of commercial properties in Valdosta and surrounding communities. Dubbed Project Open Road, this effort to put gigabit Internet speeds within immediate reach of more local businesses is part of Mediacom’s broader plan to invest $1 billion over the next 3 years to, among other projects, upgrade and expand its national broadband network.

Dan Templin, Senior Vice President for Mediacom Business, said Project Open Road is an example of Mediacom’s overall mission to drive economic growth in the markets it serves by providing the high-capacity broadband tools that businesses need to be successful.

Targeting unserved and underserved business locations in the greater Valdosta region, Mediacom Business will build its advanced broadband facilities to the doorstep of commercial properties, according to Mr. Templin. “In certain areas of the city, construction costs and installation timeframes have been barriers to connecting customers. The goal of Project Open Road is to eliminate those issues and give more businesses the option of immediate serviceability.”

Mr. Templin said Project Open Road will enhance the value of commercial buildings by connecting those properties with the highest quality communications services available in the market. “In today’s highly competitive commercial real estate marketplace, high-capacity broadband accessibility is absolutely necessary to attract and maintain quality tenants. Mediacom Business offers a superior option for data and voice solutions over providers who use aging technology like DSL or T1 lines to deliver service.”

Mediacom Business has conducted extensive desktop surveys and physical walk-out studies to identify commercial properties for network expansion. Over the next six months, the division will be approaching property owners to request rights of entry. Once permission is granted, Mediacom Business will be able to wire these locations and offer business tenants on each of these premises high-speed connectivity.

Construction is expected to begin later this year and continue into additional designated market areas through the first half of 2017. Interested property owners can find more information at www.mediacombusiness.com/roe.