Integra Telecom Approved to Offer Digital Television Services in Prior Lake, Minn.
Integra Telecom Inc., a facilities-based, integrated communications provider, recently received approval from the Prior Lake City Council for the issuance of a cable communications franchise agreement. This agreement will allow the company to offer digital television services to its customers in the Prior Lake, Minn., area. Integra’s digital television offerings will be delivered on its own, best-in-class, established network and will augment its current portfolio of voice and Internet services, according to the company.
“We’re excited to expand our services to include digital television,” says Dave Kunde, senior vice president and general manager of Integra Telecom’s ILEC operations. “We’ve been evaluating opportunities to provide video services to our residential and business customers for several years and believe that the market is ripe for this release.”
“The city council agrees that the citizens of Prior Lake deserve to enjoy the benefits that increased competition for video service provides,” states Frank Boyles, Prior Lake City Manager. “Integra Telecom has been an excellent community member for many years. We are confident that the decision to grant them a cable TV franchise will bode well for our citizens.”
Integra’s digital television services are initially expected to be available in select areas of Prior Lake in late 2009. Future digital television offerings will be limited to its incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) business, which serves primarily residential customers in select areas of Scott and Rice counties located in suburban Minneapolis. Integra’s ILEC operations are separate from Integra’s competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) business, which offers reliable voice and Internet telecommunications to businesses in Integra’s 11-state service area.
