Fiber-optic internet service provider IQ Fiber will deploy its fiber-optic network in Neptune Beach to complement its deployment in Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach.
The investment to connect the city’s residents is estimated at more than $10 million. IQ Fiber will begin constructing the network immediately, with a major connection through all the beaches communities along Third Street, according to a statement from the company.
The Neptune Beach project is expected to start serving its first customers by summer 2023.
“We are excited to bring a new, modern internet choice to the citizens of Neptune Beach,” IQ Fiber CEO Ted Schremp said. “Our 100% fiber-optic network not only delivers the reliability and ultra-fast symmetrical speeds that residents now require, but our focus on a streamlined and simplified customer experience also removes the hassles that Neptune Beach residents endure today.”
Atlantic Beach’s network was activated late last year and network construction is now also underway in Jacksonville Beach.
“We are pleased IQ Fiber is bringing its network to Neptune Beach,” Neptune Beach Mayor Elaine Brown said. “Our residents will look forward to having more technology choices to include IQ Fiber’s state-of-the-art network.”
The provider announced plans in January for a $36 million project in St. Johns and Nassau counties. That came after IQ Fiber activated its third geographic area in Orange Park.
IQ Fiber’s network is capable of symmetrical speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, according to the company. For the past 20 years, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties have been served only by DSL and cable-based internet, both of which offer inferior speeds and service in comparison to fiber-optic internet, according to IQ Fiber.
IQ Fiber’s three service plans deliver symmetrical internet speeds between 250 and 1,000 Mbps at month-to-month rates and whole-home Wi-Fi service with a simple app to manage connections and settings.
The first phase of the network will deliver fiber-optic internet to 60,000 homes across Northeast Florida. IQ Fiber is privately funded and launched in Jacksonville in August 2021.
