News
Brightspeed has acquired 235 miles of fiber assets near Cincinnati from Cincinnati Communications, extending coverage to 69,500 locations.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Brightspeed has announced a significant expansion of its fiber broadband network in Ohio with the acquisition of 235 miles of fiber assets in suburban Cincinnati from Cincinnati Communications LLC.
This strategic acquisition is positioned to enhance Brightspeed’s service coverage by an additional 69,500 locations, bridging important gaps in its existing network and accelerating its ability to connect more households and businesses in the Cincinnati area and beyond, according to Brightspeed.
The newly acquired fiber assets lie just 11 miles south of Brightspeed’s ongoing build in Mason, Ohio, and 12 miles east of its project in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Manny Sampedro, Brightspeed’s Chief Operating Officer, highlighted the complementary nature of this acquisition, stating that these “dark fiber assets” will fill crucial network voids and enable faster deployment than constructing new infrastructure from scratch.
Brightspeed’s footprint across Ohio already includes more than 200,000 enabled homes and businesses, with ongoing construction efforts in communities such as Warren and Lima, reflecting the company’s steady commitment to expanding high-speed internet access across the state.
Expansion underpinned by public funding
This expansion is underpinned by significant public funding support aimed at bridging the digital divide in underserved and rural areas, Brightspeed’s release stated.
Brightspeed has been awarded $13.8 million from the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant program, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act alongside state authorities like the Broadband Expansion Authority and BroadbandOhio. These funds are slated to extend the company’s fiber network by more than 8,300 miles statewide, underscoring the scale and ambition of its broadband buildout. Additional grants, including a $1.5 million award for expanding services in Trumbull County and an $11.3 million allocation for further Ohio expansions, add to Brightspeed’s resources for growing its network.
According to Brightspeed, the acquisition and grant funding collectively support its broader mission of enhancing internet access, particularly in areas historically underserved by high-speed broadband.
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