New ISP looks to bring cheaper Internet to C-Falls

A new Internet service provider is looking to provide high-speed, low cost Internet to Columbia Falls and other rural locations in the Flathead Valley.

Velocity LTE has started beta testing in the Batavia area west of Kalispell and will start beta testing soon in Columbia Falls, said co-owner Tyler Ament.

Velocity recently purchased its own radio spectrum — it’s similar to cell phone service — Ament noted, but in this case, the signal is a dedicated Internet protocol.

Ament said the company has targeted more rural regions of the valley that don’t have cable TV or fast DSL. Some rural locations are in a proverbial “black hole” where DSL is expensive and the service is slow — 3 megabytes or less.

Velocity is offering 30 megabytes download speed and five megabytes upload speed for $49 a month for residential customers and 100 megabyte download speed and 15 megabyte upload at $120 a month.

They’ve been working on building the infrastructure to provide the service for the past year, Ament said during a recent interview.

Users interested in becoming beta testers can sign up at Velocity’s website at www.velocitylte.com.