Waupaca Online is pleased to announce speed upgrades for customers throughout its service area, with no increase in monthly rates.
As part of its ongoing commitment to providing reliable, affordable broadband service, Waupaca Online invests a portion of its annual revenue back into network improvements and equipment upgrades. These investments ensure customers benefit from the latest advancements in wireless internet technology.
Over the past several years, Waupaca Online has been transitioning much of its network to Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) technology. Compared to previous generations, Wi-Fi 6 provides increased network capacity, improved performance in congested environments, better signal penetration through minor obstructions, and a better overall customer experience.
While portions of the network continue to utilize Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) equipment, those areas continue to provide strong and reliable service. Waupaca Online evaluates future upgrades based on customer demand, network capacity requirements, and the timing of new technologies. As Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) equipment becomes available, Waupaca Online will access the ideal timing to deploy this technology to our network and customers.
The speed upgrades come at a significant moment for the broadband industry. Earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) concluded that broadband service delivering 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds meets the agency’s benchmark for advanced telecommunications capability and found that broadband deployment across the country is occurring in a “reasonable and timely fashion.” The FCC also recognized the growing role of fixed wireless technology in expanding broadband access, noting that fixed wireless offerings “can match consumers’ needs at lower price points.”
“The FCC’s updated broadband benchmark reflects what many rural providers have known for years: a well-designed 100 Mbps connection can support 4K streaming, remote work, distance learning, video conferencing, online gaming, and the everyday needs of most households,” said Joshua Werner, city of Waupaca IT Director. “We’re proud that Waupaca Online has reached a major milestone in our network modernization efforts and is able to deliver these upgrades to customers at no additional cost.”
As part of the upgrade:
- Gold Tier customers will increase from 50 Mbps download / 10 Mbps upload to speeds up-to 100 Mbps download / 20 Mbps upload.
- Silver Tier customers will increase from 25 Mbps download / 7 Mbps upload to speeds up-to 50 Mbps download / 10 Mbps upload.
- Bronze Tier customers will increase from 15 Mbps download / 5 Mbps upload to speeds up-to 20 Mbps download / 5 Mbps upload.
Customers in legacy service areas whose connections cannot consistently achieve these upgraded speeds will automatically receive the highest stable speed available based on their location and connection quality. Customers should notice their speeds increasing throughout the month of September.
About Waupaca Online
Waupaca Online provides fixed wireless internet service throughout portions of the City of Waupaca, Waupaca County, and western Outagamie County. Operated by the City of Waupaca, the service has helped connect residents, businesses, farms, and rural communities with affordable internet. Now entering its 25th year of service, Waupaca Online delivers dependable broadband internet to residential and business customers throughout the region.
For more information, call 715-942-9919 or visit http://www.waupacaonline.net.