Triangle Communications looks to offer services in Havre

A local cooperative that has spread since it incorporated in 1954 to 16 counties in central Montana is now looking to expand in Havre.

Triangle Communications, headquartered just west of Havre, is asking businesses in northwestern Havre if they are interested in taking the cooperative up on its offer to provide fiber optic broadband internet and telephone services.

"This has been a long time coming, and we've had hundreds of requests to serve Havre over the years," Robert Pleninger, Triangle's engineering and operations manager, said Monday in a press release, "so we're extremely excited to get the ball rolling and provide local businesses with high-quality service and responsive local support."

The services Triangle is offering, through its subsidiary TCS that also oversees its mobile products, include voice and broadband internet at speeds starting at 75 megabits per second, the release said. The cooperative will offer a discount for businesses signing a five-year term.

Bret Picciolo, regional communications director with Charter Communications, which provides telephone, cable television and internet service in Havre, said Triangle's expansion will not impact Charter's service.

In the release, Triangle said it is now meeting with businesses in the proposed area, from Triple Dog Brewing Co. to Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods on First Street and parts of Second and Third streets, to see if they are interested.

Triangle CEO Craig Gates said this morning that unless enough customers sign up to make the project financially viable, the cooperative will not move forward with installing the fiber optic service.

It should have the required work done to provide services to interested businesses by the summer of 2017 if enough interest is shown, the release said.

While Triangle offers wireless internet service in Havre, the new service will be provided by fiber optic cable.

If the expansion, described as Phase 1 in the press release, is successful, Triangle will look to expand into other business and residential areas, it said.

The company is taking it one step at a time, however, Gates said this morning. If Triangle cannot find enough people interested in its service now, it will not build into Havre for the project.

"Havre is where many of our employees call home," he said in the release. "We want to be the communications provider for our friends and neighbors. We are taking the first step to do just that."  

For more information, people can contact Bethany Chinadle at 406-394-7807.