Inc.: Wire To Wire

Phone and electricity companies have a (perhaps well-earned) reputation for being difficult, obtuse and frustrating—but a new company in the Kingston area hopes to turn expectation on its head. 

Archtop Fiber is bringing fiber-optic internet to rural and suburban cities across the Hudson Valley and beyond, hoping to replace the current copper-based options. While their coverage is small at the moment, they say they have ambitious intentions of expanding their reach to cover more than 2,500 miles. And with $78 million in funding awarded to the company this September, with a $28 million match to serve 2,511 locations in five counties (Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Orange and Sullivan) with fiber optic technology, they’re poised to do just that.

The benefits of fiber-optic internet over the older cable systems are many. First, data can travel much faster down the cable, which means the internet gets faster with no effort from the consumer. Second, it allows the internet to be more reliable, as it’s not dependent on good weather or light usage from everyone in the neighborhood. Third, the cable enables download and upload times to be similar in pace, which means workflows can be much more streamlined than initially expected. While fiber-optic internet does require a higher upfront cost, it promises long term cost savings because the cables last longer than copper and require less maintenance and remove the need for signal boosters or other bandwidth add-ons. The main limiter of fiber-optic internet is simply that it’s newer technology, and implementing it can be expensive and disruptive, especially for areas that already use the old cable internet system. 

Archtop Fiber says they also have a strong commitment to their community. Their code of ethics is proudly displayed in their ESG reports, and their website boasts their commitment to hiring local and having excellent customer service. They also pledge on their website to use green energy, a promise that’s compounded by the fact that fiber-optic cable is much more energy efficient than previous systems. They’re also dedicated to showing up in their community, often hosting booths at local events to promote their business and hand out free coffee to passersby. This year, WVT Fiber, an Archtop Fiber company, delivered reliable connectivity to Applefest, in Warwick, NY, to help bridge a connectivity gap as 30,000 visitors gathered for the beloved community event.

And their 4.5-star rating on Google suggests their customers are apparently happy they switched to fiber. The future is almost here. Even in the mountains.