Hawaiian Telcom has expanded its fiber internet service, Fioptics, on Kauai during the first half of 2022, and plans to enable more businesses on the island with the high speed internet service through the end of the year.
“We appreciate Hawaiian Telcom’s efforts to invest in our island and make Kauai a priority in their broadband expansion efforts,” Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami said in a statement. “Many of our residents have experienced vulnerability and isolation as a result of natural disasters like flooding and landslides, and improved connectivity will strengthen the resilience of our community.”
The company expanded the fiber-optic infrastructure to nearly 10,000 homes and businesses on Kauai, providing fiber internet to parts of Anahola, Kapaa, Kawaihau, Koloa, Moloaa and Wailua, according to Hawaiian Telcom. It aims to extend fiber internet to parts of Kalaheo and Lawai on Kauai through the end of 2022.
Hawaiian Telcom also takes part in the federal Affordable Connectivity Program which provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households.
ACP only applies to residents and not to businesses, according to Hawaiian Telcom’s Senior Corporate Communications Manager, Ann Nishida Fry.
This expansion is part of Hawaiian Telcom’s larger goal of extending its fiber internet service to 50,000 homes and businesses by the end of 2022, as previously reported by PBN, with more than 50% of those located on neighbor islands. Hawaiian Telcom has expanded its fiber service every year for almost ten years, Nishida Fry told PBN.
For more information on Fioptics, residents and businesses can go to hawaiiantel.com/fioptics.
