Surf Internet, an Indiana based fiber-optic provider that serves the Great Lakes region, has announced reaching the mark of 100,000 passings of fiber-optic routes in Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois.

Gene Crusie, the CEO of Surf Internet, celebrated the announcement and said the company is “honored to be on the front lines of transforming the rural landscape of the Great Lakes region.”

According to a Nov. 30 release from the company, Surf Internet’s next milestone is to extend their fiber network to near 400,000 passings by 2028.

Cruise, whose comments were included in Surf Internet’s announcement, said reaching the 100,000 passings milestone “is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to our team’s dedication.”

Surf Internet said they have expanded their footprint since 2018. The company said their growth has been “rapidly accelerated” by utilization of grant money to extend service into difficult-to-reach areas. Surf Internet has also benefitted from investment and partnerships with private equity firms Post Road Group and Bain Capital, as well as the recent financing of $100 million from DigitalBridge Credit, the company’s announcement said.

The company said they’ve made it a priority to go after grant money in an effort to make traversing rural communities financially feasible.

“We’re proud to be able to offer the opportunity for so many people to bridge the digital divide and experience the incredible leap forward in their ability to work, study, and communicate with others that comes with this advanced technology,” Cruise said.