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Page last updated on January 26, 2024 at 10:05 am

For more information, please contact

Andrew Krebbs, Communications Director, Office of the Mayor

andrew.krebbs@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3406 

 

Dan Sivils, Chief Operating Officer, GigabitNow

dan@isofusion.com or (206) 905-8060 

 

FTI Consulting

meridiamsc@fticonsulting.com

 

 

 

First 100 Bloomington Homes Ready for Connection to New Fiber Internet Network

Bloomington, Ind.–Mayor John Hamilton, fiber internet service provider GigabitNow and fiber network developer Hoosier Fiber Networks today announced that Bloomington’s first homes are ready for fiber internet home connections and order availability for GigabitNow fiber internet service. 

 

One hundred homes in the South Griffy neighborhood are now ready for connection to Hoosier Fiber Network’s fiber internet network, with an additional 3,700 homes expected ready for connection by the end of May. Since the project began, nearly a quarter million feet of fiber optic conduit have been laid, and 3,676 homes passed throughout Bloomington.  

 

“Bloomington has long sought to bring state-of-the-art fiber internet to our community,” said Mayor John Hamilton. “With the first homes ready for connection, we are seeing on-the-ground progress on our goal of serving every member of our community with the high-quality, high-speed fiber internet they need to live, work and learn in the 21st century. A digital transformation of our city has begun”

 

Only fiber is robust enough to deliver the stability and symmetrical upload and download speeds needed for remote work, education, and healthcare.  It is less prone to outages due to built-in redundancies, and it is a generational solution with nearly unlimited scalability and adaptability to future applications.

 

“We are pleased to invite members of the South Griffy neighborhood to sign up for fiber internet and for residents across the city to access real-time updates on when GIgabitNow will reach their communities,” said Steve Milton, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer, GigabitNow.

 

GigabitNow today announced service and pricing plans, including a $69.99 2Gbps internet subscription, a 5Gbps Internet plan for $149.99, and a connection up to 10Gig for $199.99. The company does not require a contract, installation is free, and all GigabitNow plans offer symmetrical upload and download speeds.

 

Designed to be accessible to every Bloomington resident, regardless of income level, the City and Hoosier Fiber Networks continue to collaborate on one of the country’s most comprehensive, inclusive, and innovative public-private partnerships to help low-income and digitally disadvantaged households access top-quality internet service.

 

Eligible low-income residents may qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Plan (ACP) to receive at least a symmetrical 250 megabits per second (Mpbs) plan at no cost to the user if ACP is applied. The City and Hoosier Fiber Networks will together provide the “drop” connection to qualifying households. Residents can find more information about low-income qualifications by visiting GigabitNow’s website at: gigabitnow.com/bloomington

 

“The City's Digital Equity initiative stands to bring the power of Fiber Network connectivity to the whole of the Bloomington community,” said Bloomington Housing Authority Administrator Leon Gordon. “We are hopeful this digital enhancement improves not just the connection inside each home, but on a broader, symbolic level, we hope it manifests a deeper sense of connection (and inclusion) within the Bloomington Community.”

 

In the coming days, residents can receive real-time construction and registration updates via a new dashboard and learn more about the network at gigabitnow.com/bloomington

 

Video of today’s event is available at: https://youtu.be/qHZtX1gN0Qc

 

Background

Since 2016, the Hamilton administration has prioritized establishing a community-wide high-speed fiber network to provide broad and equitable access to this essential 21st-century technology. The primary goals have been full community coverage, open access and net neutrality, a commitment to digital equity, and an ongoing voice at the table for the City in a financially feasible business model. 

 

After several explorations of prospective partnerships and nearly a year of discussions and site visits, the City signed a Master Development Agreement with Meridiam. Since Hoosier Fiber Networks announced its plans in May 2022 and subsequent launch in October 2022 to bring high-speed internet access to all of Bloomington, the City of Bloomington and Hoosier Fiber Networks have prepared to enter the operations phase of this transformational project.

 

Bloomington-based Hoosier Fiber Networks announced on September 13 its partnership with GigabitNow as the primary ISP (Internet Service Provider) under the Hoosier Fiber Networks agreement with the City (https://bton.in/0lATD).

 

Under the Hoosier Fiber Networks agreement with the City, GigabitNow is the exclusive ISP for at least a five-year term to allow market entrance. After the exclusivity period ends, the network will become a full open-access network, open to other ISPs, including local providers, for the lifetime of the network.

 

To learn more about the City’s Digital Equity program, visit bloomington.in.gov/digital-equity

 

Mayor John Hamilton speaking at Fiber Event
Mayor John Hamilton
Leon Gordon
Bloomington Housing Authority Administrator Leon Gordon
Steve Milton
GigabitNow CEO Steve Milton
Clint Wiley
Hoosier Fiber Networks CEO Clint Wiley