It's been 10 weeks since Moorhead-based 702 Communications took over operations of Internet provider GoMoorhead from the city of Moorhead.
"We've been spending most of the time merging the two information systems together," said Jim Taylor, 702 Communications market manager.
Since Sept. 1, the 10-year-old communications company has identified 20 access improvement sites within the former GoMoorhead network that it is upgrading to provide better Internet access for customers, Taylor said.
"What we found was a lot of latency and slow speeds," said Taylor. "The issues are systemwide."
The company plans to spend about $400,000 through next spring making improvements, he said, with some customers starting to see improvements this fall.
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702 Communications does not plan to raise its rates, Taylor said.
The company provides residential digital voice and broadband Internet service, DSL, T1 and DS3 circuits, network design and installation, and Web hosting to businesses in Moorhead, Dilworth and Breckenridge in Minnesota and Fargo, West Fargo and Wahpeton in North Dakota.
"We're hoping to grow. We think there's growth potential," Taylor said. "Certainly the economy has thrown us a little curve right now."
702 Communications was started in April 1999 to provide local and long-distance telephone service for the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area.
It was a new division of Val-Ed Joint Venture LLP, organized in 1988 by six independent telephone companies. One of its early functions was to provide interactive educational video and audio service to public schools in western Minnesota.
702 Communications continues to serve more than 120 schools and libraries in western Minnesota with Internet and interactive video services, Taylor said.
702 Communications became an Internet service provider in June 2000, offering dial-up and DSL high-speed Internet.
702 Communications employs 45 people in Moorhead and Wahpeton, Taylor said.
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The company released its first published telephone book last week for Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo and surrounding areas.
"It's our first foray into phone books," he said.
For information, call (218) 284-5702 in Moorhead, (701) 672-5702 in Wahpeton or go to www.702com.com .
Readers can reach Forum Business Editor Craig McEwen at (701) 241-5502
