FROMBERG — The small, quiet town of Fromberg is getting an update.
High-speed broadband internet is in the process of being installed throughout the town, giving a digital boost to the rural community.
Learn more about the long-term impacts of broadband below:
Since June, orange cables and traffic cones have been laid at every corner in the small town. It's because TCT, or Tri County Telecommunications, is installing broadband fiber optic internet at several residences.
Dan Auch is one of the residents whose life is about to become more convenient with the high-speed internet.
"Right now, we're using Starlink. It's adequate, to more than adequate," Auch said.
While Auch says Starlink gets the job done and is fairly reliable, the internet coverage has drawbacks.
"You can have weather interruptions when it gets real bad. And of course in Montana, it can real bad in a hurry," he said.
Auch works from home at his ammunition manufacturing and distribution company. He said he's looking forward to broadband making his career easier. He also said he's excited about the decrease in price for internet coverage. Currently he pays $120 a month for Starlink.
The essentials fiber internet package with TCT is only $50 a month.
"We're looking at a decrease, but we're looking at an increase by anywhere from five to seven times of the actual speed (of Starlink)," said Auch.
Residents of Fromberg aren't required to participate in the broadband installation. However, because of a federal grant covering the installation price, many are signing up.
Montana was awarded $629 million under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program by the federal government following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The BEAD program focuses on providing high-speed, reliable internet coverage to underserved populations, or broadband deserts.
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Fiber optic installation won't only benefit residential areas in Fromberg, though. City officials look forward to infrastructural changes, too.
According to Michele Auch, the city clerk treasurer and Dan Auch's wife, the current communication system for the city's sewer plant is not reliable. Meaning, if an issue were to arise, city officials aren't notified at all times.
Michele Auch says she hopes the broadband installation will fix the problem.
"The service at the sewer plant is not communication. So, this is going to be a huge step for, I think, to get notices if there's a problem at the sewer plant. It will get texted, or they'll get sent a message if something is wrong," she said Tuesday,
Michele Auch said TCT has installed fiber optic cables on the east side of the town, and they're working toward the west side. Roughly half the town has the new fiber optics. Overall, she's very excited about the changes both to residential communities and to the city.
"I think overall to have... the technology to move forward and, you know, come up to date in a rural community is fantastic," said Michele Auch.
