Jeremy J Fugleberg

jfugleberg@argusleader.com

Sioux Falls and 11 surrounding communities will be the first in South Dakota to gain access to a faster cable internet connection through Midco.

The Sioux Falls-based company on Wednesday announced the launch of its Xstream Gig service to the area, at a price of $99 a month.

"This will be 35 times faster than the average internet speed," said Midco CEO Pat McAdaragh. "As people take this service over time, I truly believe Sioux Falls and South Dakota will be one of the fastest-rated states in the country, in terms of service."

The technology is centered on a new type of cable modem that uses recently developed, breakthrough technology to better utilize existing cable circuits, and won't require customers get fiber optic lines installed.

Midco has offered 10-gigabit internet service to business for years, but the new technology opens gigabit speed to residential customers, who are increasingly using more bandwidth because of additional internet connected devices and wider use of streaming video.

Midco's Xstream Gig service will be available to Sioux Falls customers and also those in Baltic, Canton, Colton, Crooks, Harrisburg, Humboldt, Lennox, Madison, Renner, Shindler and Tea.

The announcement was praised as a boon for businesses and entrepreneurs by local business leaders, including Jason Ball, president and CEO of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, and Rich Naser, president of the Zeal Center for Entrepreneurship and University of South Dakota Discovery District.

"I think Midco's new Xstream Gig service will meet that need in the community, in providing an affordable, reliable solution for entrepreneurs," Naser said. "The exciting part again is it's extending out into surrounding communities."

McAdaragh said the plan is to extend gigabit-speed service to 80 percent of Midco's customers by the end of 2017, with the remainder by mid-2018.

Midco serves 650,000 homes and 55,000 businesses across South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Midco first debuted the launch of its gigabit service in Fargo in late March.