Blackfoot, the owner and operator of the region’s largest multigigabit network, welcomed Senator Jon Tester to Blackfoot’s headquarters in Missoula on Friday. Blackfoot CEO, Jason Williams, led a discussion of the company’s multi-million dollar broadband infrastructure project and provided an update on the progress of C2M beta, Blackfoot’s open innovation lab.
“Blackfoot Communications is at the forefront of connecting families, schools and businesses to high-speed internet,” Senator Tester said. “This 21st century infrastructure is making Montana more competitive across the globe and creating good jobs here at home. Local entrepreneurs continue to lean on Blackfoot and Blackfoot’s push to increase access to technology across Montana.”
Senator Tester and Williams discussed Blackfoot’s Montana-focused smart-growth projects: broadband network investments, a multi-year, multi-million dollar network upgrade project to help close the digital divide for rural residents and businesses; C2M beta: an open innovation laboratory for entrepreneurs, bringing next-generation ideas to the Montana marketplace; advanced products and services: an internal initiative to continue delivering exceptional residential and enterprise solutions.
“We were thrilled to share some of the amazing Blackfoot programs with Senator Tester, including giving him an overview and update of our new open innovation lab, C2M beta,” said Jason Williams. “Blackfoot is uniquely positioned to bring together traditional industries with Montana’s emerging high-tech innovators while continuing to provide exceptional customer experiences for our data and voice customers. With his focus on investing in Montana’s future, we were able to provide Senator Tester with a sampling of our smart-growth projects during his visit.”