New fiber internet company in Saline is taking on the monopolies

Prime One new internet service starts in Saline, with expansion goals

Imagine being so fed up with your internet service that you decide to start your own. Not only did two guys in their 20s do just that.

SALINE, Mich. (FOX 2) - As the saying goes, if you want something done right - do it yourself.

The backstory:

Two guys from Metro Detroit used that mantra to start their business from scratch, and now they are trying to topple monopolies starting in Saline.

Imagine being so fed up with your internet service that you decide to start your own. Not only did two guys in their 20s do just that, they actually say they offer faster internet at a cheaper price and they are starting in their own backyard.

Prime One is a new Michigan-based internet service provider or ISP from founders Samuel Herman and Alex Baciu, turned one year old this August.

"Everything that is green is live, yellow is in construction right now, and blue is in permitting right now," said Sam Herman pointing at a map. "Right now we are on our path to get to 200 customers."

Herman and his brother-in-law Baciu, both call Saline their home, and they say all their lives they've had trouble getting reliable internet.

They knew the tech side of the industry and how to install fiber cable so they decided why not form their own internet provider.

"Being that we had experience on how to build a plant for an ISP, we just had to put own heads together and figure out how to run an ISP, not just be able to build it," said Herman.

Their mission was fueled when a competing company told them Saline in particular, would never have fiber internet. Fiber offers a faster, more reliable connection.

FOX 2: "Did you ever think this would be your path? That you would be an internet provider going up against the internet monopolies of the world?"

"No. Let me tell you this - five years ago I never would have thought so," Herman said. "Once an installer told me that it was impossible and that no one is going to come over here, it kind of sparked something in me. I was like, 'Ain't no one is going to tell me no that is an option. Because it’s not."

"They are offering you one gig download and when you are uploading it’s like 25 megs," said Alex Baciu.

For one price, this is what you get.

"Inside your house you see this, this wall plate is an actual fiber port," said Herman.

"Here at Prime One with fiber we are offering symmetrical speeds," Baciu said. "That means if you are getting one gig download, you are getting one gig upload. You are not going to see that buffering icon going in there."

"We have price for life, is what we like to call it," said Herman. "When you sign up for one gig service. It’s $75 a month and that’s your price for life, that never changes.

"There is no annual contracts. It’s month-to-month. If you want to cancel next month you cancel, and that is it."

It’s an ambitious endeavor to take on established company and they knew mistakes were bound to happen.

"We did do things kind of backwards," Herman said. "We started servicing the people who really need it most but it ended up costing the most to build."

But they had plenty of reasons to keep going with an emphasis on customer satisfaction.

"It’s so beautiful when you are talking with the customers and they say because of you guys I don’t have to drive to get better internet with my kids homework and classes, I can do everything at home" said Baciu. "The reward for it, is there for sure, too."

Right now, prime one is servicing Saline exclusively, but according to their webpage they are looking to expand in Brighton, South Lyon and Wayne as soon as possible.