A coalition of co-ops, their subsidiaries, and partners have launched their new brand name, the Alabama Fiber Network, as they prepare to connect more than 3,000 miles of new and existing fiber infrastructure across Alabama.

The coalition of electric co-ops formerly went by the name of Fiber Utility Network Inc., a name they had operated under since before the Alabama legislature approved the use of federal funds to expand internet across the state, according to Tom Stackhouse.

Stackhouse, who is the chairman of the newly named Alabama Fiber Network and also serves as president and CEO of the Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, said the new name reflects the coalition’s identity.

“Now that we are putting our middle-mile network plan into action, we wanted to develop a brand that reflects our core business and statewide service area,” he said.

According to the Alabama Fiber Network, which will go by AFN for short, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) approved using $276 million of the state’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funds to expand high-speed internet access across Alabama. A year later, the Fiber Utility Network was allocated more than $82 million to fund its middle-mile broadband network, the company’s announcement said.

The launching of the new brand name was formally announced Nov. 14 and follows the governor’s launch of the Be Linked Alabama initiative in August 2023.

Be Linked Alabama is a statewide initiative coordinated by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs that will lead the effort to expand access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet to all Alabamians, the state’s website for Be Linked Alabama stated.

Chris Skelton, the chief technology officer for the Alabama Fiber Network, called Be Linked Alabama an essential undertaking for the state.

“The Alabama Fiber Network is proud to be part of this initiative,” he said.

Skelton said the new brand name chosen by the coalition of co-ops is a clear representation of the network’s scope and scale.

“The ‘Alabama Fiber Network’ name is the perfect description of the 3,000-mile middle-mile fiber optic network,” he said.

A description of the network on their new website calls the Alabama Fiber Network a critical middle-mile executor for Alabama’s statewide broadband plan, with partners that have contributed dark fiber strands and expertise.

Cooperatives and subsidiaries involved in the Alabama Fiber Network include the Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative, Covington Electric Cooperative, Cooperative Connection LLC (a subsidiary of Cullman Electric Cooperative), JWEMC Communications LLC (a subsidiary of Joe Wheeler Electric Membership Cooperative), North Alabama Electric Cooperative, Tombigbee Electric Cooperative, and PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, alongside fiber lease partner Alabama Power Company, according to AFN’s Nov. 14 announcement.