More details are being released as Bartholomew County moves closer to having countywide broadband internet available for the first time.
The first rural neighborhood that will have fiber optic cable available for high-speed service will be just north of Columbus Municipal Airport, Hoosier Fiber Networks CEO Dave Brodin said. He expressed a goal to have 100 homes in this vicinity signed up by the end of this month.
Brodin’s company is building the infrastructure necessary to eventually spread the fiber optic cable to all areas of the county. Another firm, GigabitNow, will serve as Hoosier Fiber Networks’ internet provider.
An online map on a GigabitNow website indicates the infrastructure outside Columbus will first be completed west of County Road 350E, south of County Road 600N, north of County Road 400N and east of U.S. 31. Brodin said he’s optimistic the installation of fiber optic cable will be completed in 100 homes within this vicinity by the end of this month.
At that point, there is typically a 30-day acceptance process where the company inspects the system and makes sure everything is working properly, Brodin said.
“That puts the first homes ready for service around the end of October or in early November,” he said.
About 10,000 rural residents will be eligible to receive high-speed internet at different times throughout next year, with completion of the entire rural project by the end of July, 2025, Brodin said.
Once completed, the infrastructure is expected to have a lifespan of 20 to 25 years before upgrades might be needed, Bartholomew County Commissioner Tony London said.
Some areas, especially in Columbus, already have a choice of internet providers. However, Bartholomew County government is investing $4 million from their federal American Rescue Plan allocation to make broadband internet available countywide. London says the goal is to make high-speed internet available to isolated rural homes where service is considered economically difficult due to the high cost of fiber optics cable.
It was only after performance proposals and bids were evaluated that Hoosier Fiber Networks and GigabitNow were chosen by county officials. The only other bidder was AT&T.
After analysis, a consultant stated Hoosier Fiber Networks would reach 3,993 more rural homes than its competitor. In terms of land coverage, Hoosier Fiber Networks would provide fiber optics to 65,489 rural acres, compared to 17,088 acres offered by AT&T.
Hoosier Fiber Networks is the network utility provider for the investment firm Meridiam Infrastructure North America Corp. Meridiam is investing about $33 million into the necessary infrastructure for local countywide high-speed internet.
The city of Columbus has a similar agreement with Hoosier Fiber Networks, but Jake Freshour, who is GigabitNow’s local coordinator, said the infrastructure foe both the city and county are going up simultaneously.
“The only challenge is if you have a half-mile driveway, you may have to help financially with installation,” London said. “But a residence that is 500 feet away from the main line? No extra charge.”
Freshour says his company’s base package starts at 350 megabits per second for $49.95 per month. But lower prices or free service has been requested for economically disadvantaged families who meet income guidelines, London said.
GigabitNow wants to establish a local presence in Bartholomew County. At this time, they are seeking adequate office space in the vicinity of downtown Columbus, Freshour said. The company has a policy of becoming involved in communities they serve, and are already planning to sponsor specific events, he said.
To find out when GigabitNow will become available in different parts of the county, go online at Gigabitnow.com/bartholomewcounty.
