Innovative, the leading telecommunications provider in the U.S. Virgin Islands, has announced more updates regarding the modernization plan that was unveiled to the community 21 months ago. EVO by Innovative is the brand name for Innovative’s communication services currently being delivered to subscribers on a new Hybrid Fiber- Optic Coaxial network (HFC). In 2011, Innovative began an accelerated modernization project to address the need for new communication services and improve the quality of telephone, Cable TV and high-speed Internet offerings throughout the territory.
Terry Falls Sr., vice president of network operations, said, “The upgrade of our network began in the summer of 2011, and, thus far, we have completed 85 per cent of the construction of our outside plant territory-wide. We have thousands of homes and businesses in St. Thomas and St. Croix that already have access to our new network, but we will be accelerating our conversion even further by focusing on specific neighborhoods to provide real-time coverage.”
A dedicated team including sales professionals and installers are engaging in a targeted customer interaction plan in dedicated areas to schedule installations, answer questions and facilitate the installation at the customer’s premises. All month, the team focused on installations in the following areas on St. Thomas: Lytton Fancy, Hospital Ground, Knud Hansen, Lionel Roberts Stadium and east of the Stadium, Estate Elizabeth, Mafolie, Agnes Fancy and Lerkenlund.
On Friday, Aug. 30, customers in the aforementioned areas who have not converted to the new system can stop in to the Innovative Wireless retail store on the waterfront to sign up for an installation. The office will have extended hours until 7 p.m. to accommodate customers after normal business hours.
Customers in the targeted areas have and will receive letters, postcards and door hangers to advise them that their area is “EVO Ready,” and they should call a dedicated number specifically for EVO installations to schedule the installation at their convenience. Sales professionals are visiting the neighborhoods to answer questions and schedule installations for customers who are available, and same-day installations can be arranged.
EVO is available in the following areas: Frenchtown, Polyberg, Contant, Lower Solberg, Savan, Agnes Fancy, Lerkenlund, Frenchman’s Bay, Bakkeroe, Polyberg Hill, Bolongo Bay, Hospital Ground, Estate Elizabeth, Mafolie, Skyline, Louisenhoj, Caanan, Rosendahl, Wintberg Peak, Flag Hill, Bovoni and Mariendahl on St. Thomas. On St. Croix, EVO is available in Barren Spot, Strawberry Hill, Mon Bijou, Glynn, Morning Star, Mary’s Fancy, Concordia, Frederiksted, White Bay, White Lady, Hannah’s Rest, Campo Rico, Concordia West, Whim, Two Williams, Williams Delight, Prosperity, La Grange, Little La Grange and Frederikshaab. Customers can contact the EVO team by calling 774-2000 or sending an inquiry e-mail to [email protected]. Additional information is also available at the EVO Web site: http://evoready.innovativevi.net.
Customers can look forward to the following improvements at the same price that they are paying today:
• True residential High-Speed Internet service from 1.5 Mbps to 5 Mbps and speeds of 5 Mbps and higher for business customers
• Faster and more efficient installation experiences
• A more resilient telecommunications network that takes less time to restore and requires fewer resources
• A more robust suite of communication products including: Telephone, High-Speed Internet, Cable TV, High-Definition programming and HD-DVRs
Innovative’s on-going network modernization plan progresses as outside plant construction personnel continue to bury underground telecommunications facilities on St. Croix and St. Thomas by utilizing “micro-trenching” technology. The modernization project is ground-breaking in the territory because Innovative has employed the method, which is a more cost effective and less intrusive way to excavate and place its fiber-optic cables underground.
“We are very pleased with the pace of this upgrade, and we are looking forward to providing this service to the residents and businesses in focused areas over the next few months,” said Falls.