Venture Communications, a South Dakota-based independent telephone company, has purchased Next Level equipment to deliver a bundle of DTV, high-speed Internet and telephone services over existing telephone lines. Venture operates as a cable TV network, but decided to consolidate voice, video and data services on its telephone network with the Next Level Full Service Access Platform.
Venture serves 25 communities in central and northern South Dakota and will initially roll out video services to subscribers in Wessington Springs, S.D. It is a member of SDN Communications, a 30-member consortium of South Dakota independent telephone companies serving more than 150,000 access lines. Venture is the fifth member of SDN to use Next Level's equipment to add video and data. The telco shares head-end, programming and hardware purchase costs with the other SDN members.
