Building Broadband: Frontier targets underserved California communities; LiveOak Fiber gets additional funding

Frontier wins $23M in grants to target underserved California communities
Frontier secured over $23 million in Federal Funding Account grants to expand high-speed fiber broadband service to unserved and underserved homes and businesses in California. Administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the $2 billion Federal Funding Account is a grant program that funds last-mile broadband infrastructure projects. The three grants from the CPUC enable Frontier to expand its fiber network in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. 

HyperFiber brings fiber Internet to Firestone, Colorado
HyperFiber launched its fiber internet service in Firestone, Colorado. On August 22, Firestone Mayor Don Conyac held an official groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction. Upon installation, more than 5,000 homes in the area can access HyperFiber’s 100 percent fiber network choice and experience the advantages of high-speed, fiber-to-the-home internet. Customers can choose from multiple plans, all with no contracts, data caps, equipment charges, or installation fees. HyperFiber plans feature symmetrical connections. The fiber company also offers a “Gig for Life” plan with a guaranteed rate for life on all Gig packages for customers in good standing.

LiveOak Fiber gets additional funding for network expansion
LiveOak Fiber has secured additional funding through a co-investment partnership between InfraRed Capital Partners and MEAG, the Asset Manager of Munich Reinsurance Company. This co-investment commitment has been granted to LiveOak for clients managed by MEAG. This new investment will further support LiveOak's mission to deliver high-speed broadband to underserved markets in the southeast United States. Since its founding in June 2022, LiveOak Fiber has completed more than 50% of its planned network builds in Northwest Florida. It has invested more than $200 million and constructed over 1,000 miles of fiber. The new investment builds upon LiveOak's recent success in securing $250 million in financing underwritten by J.P. Morgan. 

MCNC breaks ground on Sanford, NC broadband expansion project
MCNC is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) on Thursday, Sept. 5, to signify the start of MCNC's HERO (High-Speed Economies for Rural Opportunity) Project. MCNC received $11.2 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in June 2023 for the HERO Project. Funded through the federal Internet for All initiative, the project will support broadband access and affordability improvements in central and southeastern North Carolina. Along with MCNC's investments and continued support from the Golden LEAF Foundation, the HERO project will be about a total infusion of about $19 million towards high-speed internet and technology services for the state. MCNC said the expansion will also enhance the affordability strategies of last-mile commercial providers in these communities and help support significant construction and engineering jobs throughout the project.

RightFiber begins a $6.3M network expansion in Fort Smith, AR
Many Fort Smith neighborhoods are set to gain access to fiber-based internet as construction has begun on Ritter Communications' $6.3 million infrastructure investment. RightFiber, the company’s fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service, will connect residential neighborhoods with 5 Gbps fiber-based broadband speeds. Ritter Communications launched its RightFiber-branded residential fiber offerings in 2021, signaling its efforts to deliver multi-gigabit fiber-based broadband services. 

Vero Fiber gets California’s PUC’s green light for Arcata Bay broadband grant
The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) has recommended awarding Vero Fiber Networks a $4.4 million grant for its proposed Arcata Bay Grant. This nearly $6.3 million project aims to bring new fiber optic infrastructure to Indianola, Samoa, Fairhaven, and Manila, providing these communities access to multi-gigabit broadband services. Vero Fiber will cover the remaining funds needed to complete the project. When the project is completed, the Arcata Bay Grant will provide fiber internet access to over 500 homes, businesses, and public safety locations. Nearly half of these locations are unserved and need affordable, critical infrastructure. The final approval of the grant funding is anticipated at the September 26th CPUC meeting. While this project is new, it is not Vero’s first in the region. Vero has been actively involved in Humboldt County for years, including the Digital 299 Broadband Project, which includes the installation of a new fiber optic network from Arcata to Cottonwood. Besides the Arcata Bay Grant project, Vero will begin phased rollouts of Eureka's fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) services starting in September.