Go Net Speed says first Newport customers can connect as fiber build reaches early milestone

Heidi Mahoney, manager of government affairs for Go Net Speed, briefed the council on the company’s fiber deployment in Newport and said the build reached a milestone: the first customers were ready to connect as of the meeting day.

"We have reached an important milestone in the project with our 1st customers being now ready to connect as of today actually," Mahoney said, outlining a construction program that uses both aerial and underground work and that combines state commerce grant funding with private investment. She said the company expects major portions of construction to be finished by the end of the year and ultimately will bring fiber to about 4,621 locations in city build areas.

Mahoney said the company will offer symmetrical speeds from 100 Mbps up to 6 Gbps, that the 100 Mbps plan will be offered at $39.99/month with equipment and installation included, and that the operator will provide free public Wi‑Fi at libraries, donate connected devices, and pursue discounted or promotional rates for schools and municipal accounts. Councilors raised questions about double poles and wiring in some neighborhoods; company representatives replied that pole congestion is due to utility transfers and that Rhode Island Energy and Verizon are addressing pole consolidations.