The small town of Monticello in the state of Minnesota, U.S has been added to the list of those few towns, that are provided with high speed 50 Mbps service that works on the fiber optics platform. Monticello, is now also in the short list of those areas that receive full fiber-to-the-home internet connectivity, even without the presence of any fiber optics services (FIOS) provider. All the current subscriber to the regional internet service provider (ISP), TDS will be eligible for a free of cost upgrade from the 25 Mbps to the 50 Mbps internet connection. This new service will be available for just $49.95 a month.

The sudden surge of the fiber optics high speed internet in Monticello, isn’t some corporate gift from TDS, but in fact, it has been made possible due to numerous lawsuits brought upon the ISP by the residents of the town, who had submitted constant complaints regarding slow internet connectivity. After seeing the neglecting attitude of TDS, the municipal council of the town decided to get a fiber optics network connection installed in each and every house of the town, that would be owned by municipal council of the town. This compelled TDS to work at lightning speed to provide the town with fiber optics connections.

During the course of the push and pull between Monticello Municipal Council and TDS, the ISP issued a statement that said,

“In view of TDS’ development of a robust broadband platform in Monticello during the past year, it is questionable whether or not the City’s feasibility study supporting its own fiber project, which was premised on no broadband competitors and on which the revenue bond purchasers relied when they secured the bonds more than a year ago, is still accurate, and whether the city fiber project is feasible today.”

However, now that the whole town is configured with fiber optics, TDS has begun its work to keep the competition off its back, namely, the municipal owned fiber optics networks by providing double the speed than was originally planned.

Via Ars Technica.