Avista Communications Targets Three More Cities

Avista Communications will expand into Yakima, Bellingham and Medford, Ore., by the end of the year, President Gregory Green announced Tuesday.

Commercial customers in Yakima and Bellingham will have access to new fiber-optic networks and switches capable of handling both high-speed Internet traffic and Metropolitan Area Network communications between facilities.

Green said about 40 miles of fiber-optic cable will be laid in both communities by another Avista Corp. subsidiary, Avista Fiber.

In Yakima, he said, additional equipment will be added by the middle of next year that will enable the networks to carry voice as well as data communications.

Avista Communications launched a similar package of services in Billings earlier this year and is in the process of rolling out its data offerings in Lewiston.

Last week, the company announced introduction of Internet and other data services in Coeur d’Alene.

Avista Communications has been on a fast track since January, when Avista purchased a majority share of One Eighty Communications, founded by Green. He earlier had been responsible for establishing NextLink Washington operations in Spokane.

Green said Avista Communications will invest $2.5 million in Yakima, $1.5 million in Bellingham and at least $500,000 in Medford.

“Bellingham has tremendous opportunities for growth with its developing high-tech sector,” Green said. “In Yakima, we are excited about being the first CLEC (competitive local exchange carrier) to offer voice, data and Internet solutions to customers who have essentially been ignored by their local incumbent carrier.”

He said the Medford system initially will consist only of fiber that will be leased to users. More capabilities will be added after further market research, including possible expansion into other areas of Oregon.

“We know there’s a great demand for data service there,” Green said.

He said Avista Communications continues to look at expansion, possibly in partnership with other companies, into mid-sized markets by-passed by other alternative phone service providers.