Hawaiian Telcom has invested $1.5 million to complete a fiber internet ring on Hawaii Island, the telecommunications provider announced recently.
Crews closed an approximately 25-mile fiber gab between Volcano and Pahala. This allows voice and data traffic to now be re-routed if a section of the ring is damaged, such as in the event of a natural disaster, ultimately minimizing potential service disruptions. It also enhances the company’s ability to expand broadband service to underserved communities in East Hawaii, according to Hawaiian Telcom.
The location of the gap went through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, making closing the fiber ring more costly, according to the announcement.
“This completed fiber ring provides route diversity to more than half of Hawaii Island, including the districts of Puna, Kau, South Kona, and Kailua-Kona,” Dan Masutomi, director of strategic business development for Hawaiian Telcom, said in a statement. “It skyrockets the network reliability of our backbone system to 99.999%.”
In 2022, Hawaiian Telcom invested more than $160 million to expand fiber internet to 55,000 additional homes and businesses across Hawaii, as recently reported by PBN. Hawaiian Telcom's fiber internet service, Fioptics, has the fastest upload speed in the state, at 500 megabits per second and one gigabit download speed. Hawaiian Telcom plans to continue to expand fiber throughout the state to more than 60,000 additional locations in 2023, according to the internet provider.
“Connectivity is essential in creating a sustainable Hawaii Island, where our keiki and their keiki can thrive and succeed for generations,” Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth said in a statement. “We appreciate Hawaiian Telcom’s investment, which will not just enhance the everyday lives of our valued residents and visitors but will also contribute to their health and safety during emergencies.”
