Pete HahnloserOhio has announced a $50 million investment to support a broadband expansion project designed to improve internet coverage at some 38,000 buildings in the southwest portion of the state. This initiative will serve 13,000 households and 30,000 people currently without internet access.
BroadbandOhio, a division of the Ohio Department of Development, will work with Altafiber to deliver high-speed, affordable internet in Adams, Brown and Clermont counties through the Multi-County Last Mile Fiber Build Pilot program. The project seeks to provide high-speed broadband access to every unserved and underserved address in the tri-county region once completed.
“We’re opening up new economic, educational, and healthcare opportunities for thousands of people in Adams, Brown and Clermont counties with this expansion,” Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said. “There was no viable plan to expand internet access in these areas, so with this announcement we are opening up a world of opportunity that otherwise these counties would be left without.”
Altafiber will handle the design, construction and installation of equipment and infrastructure to extend its existing fiber optic network to the 38,000 new locations, including both single-family and multi-dwelling units within the service area. This expansion will cover 13,263 structures that are currently considered unserved or underserved.
The program will enable residents of the three counties to access Altafiber’s high-speed fiber-based network, offering multi-gigabit speeds to both residents and businesses in the project area.
Upon completion of the buildout, 3,606 unserved and 3,390 underserved addresses in Adams County; 3,465 unserved and 1,753 underserved addresses in Brown County; and 766 unserved and 283 underserved addresses in Clermont County will gain high-speed internet service options.
“Through this transformational, multi-county project, we’re taking a major step closer to ending the digital divide across Ohio,” said Director Mihalik. “Whether it’s improving connectivity with loved ones, reaching a doctor via telehealth, or searching for a job, the people of Adams, Brown and Clermont counties are going to reap a huge benefit from this project.”
BroadbandOhio is contributing $50 million to the $110 million total project cost, while altafiber is investing $60 million. The state’s funding comes from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund (CPF).
Funding provided by BroadbandOhio will be used for the buildout in Brown and Clermont counties, which must be finished by the end of 2026. The buildout in Adams County, which Altafiber will be funding, must be completed within one year after the Brown and Clermont counties project is finished.
“Broadband fiber-to-the-home connectivity is essential in order for individuals and families to access educational, healthcare, and employment opportunities. It is also an important economic development tool in the attraction and retention of job-creating businesses,” Altafiber President and CEO Leigh Fox said.
The CPF allocates $10 billion to governments at all levels to support projects that improve work, education and health monitoring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds address challenges exposed by the health emergency, particularly in rural areas, tribal communities, and low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, helping ensure all communities have access to high-quality, modern infrastructure, including broadband, which has become essential for accessing services.
