ISP Roundup
October 2026
Stimulus Broadband is revealing big plans in Oregon, and Kinetic marks a major milestone in Lexington, Kentucky.
Here some recent broadband headlines from internet service providers (ISPs) in October 2026.
October 12, 2026
Nevada-based ISP connects their first customer in Bonanza, Oregon
With a fiber network that now passes 250 homes and businesses in Bonanza, Stimulus Broadband says they’re now open for business in Bonanza, Oregon.
Nathan Whittacre, CEO of Stimulus Broadband, offered comments through the company’s October 12 announcement.
“Fiber changes what’s possible in a town,” Whittacre said. “It gives people more options for how they work, learn, run a business and stay connected. Bringing fiber service to Bonanza is an important step for this community, and connecting our first fiber customer here is an important milestone for our company. It’s something we’ve been working toward for years, and we’re glad it started here.”
Whittacre also said the company has its eyes set on other areas of the state.
“Over the next few months we’ll bring thousands more homes online, but our focus goes beyond building the network,” he said. “We want to be a provider people can count on, with a local team they can reach and a long-term commitment to the communities we serve.”
October 9, 2026
Kinetic grows Lexington fiber footprint by over 30%
More than 11,400 new fiber locations have been added to Kinetic’s footprint in the past year, a number the company says represents serious growth in their Lexington, Kentucky footprint.
The company says their footprint in the community has grown 31%, with plans to keep adding new locations continuing into 2027.
“Lexington is an important community for Kinetic and functions as an emerging innovation and high-tech corridor,” said Susan Schraibman, Kinetic’s state operations president.
Kinetic says they now serve nearly 47,000 households in the community.
October 6, 2026
Vero Fiber starts FTTH construction in El Centro
The county seat for Imperial County, California will play host to Vero Fiber’s latest fiber network build, the ISP announced Oct. 6.
Speaking through the company’s announcement, Vero’s CEO Sunita Krishna said the company’s new project in El Centro will help build opportunity.
“Bridging the digital divide will help local businesses grow and give schools and students access to more resources,” Krishna said. “We’re excited to bring infrastructure to El Centro that can support the local economy and the community for years to come.”
In their announcement, Vero also said they plan to continue hiring in the El Centro area.
Shentel completes FTTH upgrades in Buchanan, Virginia
Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technology upgrades to Shentel’s fiber network in Buchanan, Virginia have been completed, according to Shentel.
The upgraded network now provides symmetrical internet speeds of up to 8 Gbps for residential customers and up to 100 Gbps for business customers, the ISP announced Tuesday.
“This upgrade demonstrates our ongoing commitment to investing in the communities we serve and ensuring our network is ready for the future,” said Chris Kyle, VP of government and industry affairs at Shentel. “Fiber-to-the-home technology creates a strong foundation for continued growth while giving residential and business customers access to faster speeds and an exceptional internet experience.”
Currently, Shentel says their network is available to approximately 1,000 homes and businesses in Buchanan and Botetourt County.
$23 million investment to power Haverhill fiber network build
GoNetspeed will bring their fiber network to Haverhill, Massachusetts, thanks to a privately funded investment of $23 million, the ISP announced Oct. 6.
The company says the expansion will deliver speeds of up to 6 Gbps to more than 17,500 Haverhill residents and businesses.
Haverhill’s mayor, Melinda E. Barrett, said the community continues to invest in growth.
“GoNetspeed’s investment is an important addition to those efforts, bringing new options for residents and businesses while strengthening the infrastructure that supports our local economy,” Barrett said.
GoNetspeed said construction in Haverhill will begin in 2027.
October 5, 2026
Optimum announces network upgrades in Lake Charles
Optimum says they’ve upgraded their network to deliver 2 Gbps internet speeds in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
“Lake Charles is an important community for Optimum, and we’re committed to being more than a connectivity provider,” said Jesse Garcia, a VP and GM for Optimum’s Mid-Central operations. “Our investment in the network is an investment in the future of Lake Charles, helping ensure residents and businesses have the speed, capacity they need to live, work and grow.
With the announcement, Optimum said they were also donating $4,000 to local organizations, including the Black Heritage Festival Foundation, Voices of Freedom Collective, SWLA Tech Pirates FIRST Robotics team, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
October 2, 2026
Optimum launches fiber network in Abbeville, Louisiana
The Vermillion Parish community of Abbeville in Louisiana is the latest to gain access to Optimum’s fiber network services, the ISP announced Friday.
With the announcement, Optimum also said they’re donating $10,000 to James A. Herod Elementary, Eaton Park Elementary, J.H. Williams Middle School, and Abbeville High School to support STEM resources.
“Abbeville is a community with tremendous momentum, and we’re excited to be investing in its continued growth,” said Jesse Garcia, a VP and GM for Optimum’s Mid-Central operations. “Bringing our fiber network to Abbeville means residents and businesses now have access to speeds up to 8 Gbps, but our investment goes beyond connectivity.”
Optimum says the network will deliver internet speeds of 8 Gbps.
“Businesses can also leverage multi-gigabit connectivity to support cloud applications, video conferencing, large file transfers and other critical business needs,” the ISP announced.
October 1, 2026
GoNetspeed’s activates their new fiber network in Kittery, Maine
A fiber network that remains under construction in Kittery, Maine has begun serving customers in the community, according to GoNetspeed.
GoNetspeed says the continuing work is funded by a $1.7 million investment. Similarly, GoNetspeed says work is continuing in York, Maine, where a $5 million investment is powering the ISP’s network construction in the community.
“Kittery is officially connected, and we’re thrilled to welcome the first customers in the area to the GoNetspeed network,” said Richard Clark, GoNetspeed’s CEO. “From its neighborhoods to its local businesses, Kittery is a community that relies on strong connections every day.”
Kittery is the southernmost town in Maine and remains one of the state’s most popular tourist destinations, according to the community’s website.
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