Comcast Business Adds Fiber to Diet in Chico

Comcast Business said it has moved ahead on a “major expansion” of its fiber network to the Meyers Business Park in Chico, Calif., that will be marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony later today.

Comcast said it installed more than 3.5 miles of fiber, both underground and aerial, from its existing lines to the business park and its 166 businesses.  The high-performance fiber network will provide the businesses with Internet services up to 10 Gbps.The expansion comes as a result of a more than $350,000 investment from Comcast, the MSO said.

Businesses with access to the expansion will be able to connect to Comcast’s Ethernet services portfolio,  including Ethernet Dedicated Internet, Ethernet Private Line, Ethernet Virtual Private Line and Ethernet Network Services that provide Internet access, point-to-point, and point-to-multipoint connectivity at bandwidth that scales up to 10 Gbps. They’ll also have access to VoiceEdge, a cloud-based voice and unified communications solution from Comcast Business.

“Scalable, secure, high-performance network services continue to increase in importance for companies of all sizes. Comcast’s investment in the Chico area will help drive innovation in agriculture, construction and other industries in our region,” said Mark Sorenson, mayor, City of Chico, in a statement. 

Business services continue to be a growth engine at Comcast. In the second quarter, business servcies revenues rose 20.4%, to $1.2 billion. Comcast said it has achieved a penetrate rate of 25% for small businesses, and is approaching 10% for mid-sized businesses.