Hawaiian Telcom expanded its fiber-optic infrastructure to more than 22,000 homes and businesses during the first half of this year and said Wednesday it is on target to achieve its goal of enabling a total of 50,000 homes by year-end.
The company’s fiber internet service, Fioptics, is the state’s only 100% fiber internet service and provides an upload speed of 500 megabits per second and a 1 gigabit download that is one of the fastest download speeds available.
Gigabit fiber internet speeds transmit data faster and can support more than 20 devices. The faster speeds are increasingly important because of the growing popularity of gaming and the increased usage of telehealth visits and video calls.
“Every home that is enabled with access to our 100% fiber internet is another step toward reducing the economic and social disparities in our state,” Hawaiian Telcom President and General Manager Su Shin said in a statement. “We recognize our kuleana, our responsibility, to expand our fiber broadband network to help enhance digital equity, and are making tremendous progress in fulfilling our commitment to extend fiber to as many communities as possible, as quickly as possible.”
Since 2010 Hawaiian Telcom has invested more than $1 billion — including
$100 million last year — to expand its fiber footprint, maintain and increase capacity of its communications network, and to support its integrated communication solutions for its business, residential and wholesale customers. More than 215,000 homes and businesses now have access to Fioptics service.
More than half of the homes and businesses enabled with fiber this year are on the neighbor islands. Communities recently enabled with Hawaiian Telcom’s Fioptics service include parts of the following neighborhoods:
>> Anahola, Kapaa, Kawaihau, Koloa, Moloaa and Wailua on Kauai
>> Haiku, Kihei and Makawao on Maui
>> Kahaluu, Maunawili, Nanakuli (Nanakuli Avenue) and Waianae (Kaupuni and Lower Lualualei) as well as the Hokulani and Makalapa neighborhoods on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu
>> Keaau, Makuu, Paradise Park and Pahala on
Hawaii island
Residents and businesses can visit hawaiiantel.com/
fioptics to check if their home or business qualifies for Fioptics.
To further enhance digital equity in Hawaii, Hawaiian Telcom participates in the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. Hawaiian Home Lands are considered qualifying tribal lands.
Eligible households also can receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. For information about ACP eligibility and enrollment, go to
fcc.gov/acp.
