C Spire Begins Construction on 243-Mile Fiber Route
C Spire has started construction on a 243-mile-long fiber optic cable route from Meridian, Mississippi to Homewood, Alabama.
Contractors for the broadband and business services division of the diversified telecommunications and technology services company began work on the multi-million-dollar project late last month and it is expected to be completed next year.
The project, which involves placing conduit, ducting and fiber optic cable underground, will span six counties – Lauderdale in Mississippi - and five Alabama counties, including Sumter, Greene, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson and portions of Bibb, along U.S. Highways 80 and 11.
Company officials said the route will help C Spire provide greater capacity, increased resiliency and lower latency fiber-based ultra-fast, broadband internet services to consumers and businesses in its Tuscaloosa and Northport, Alabama markets along with a 46-mile metropolitan fiber ring serving that area.
"High-speed, all-fiber broadband internet service is a game-changer," said Alan Jones, senior vice president of Engineering and Development for C Spire. "Our ability to provide symmetric speeds immediately solves real-world challenges associated with interactive learning, remote work and telehealth applications. That's good news for all Alabamians."
The project also will help the company build its infrastructure base as it expands fiber distribution networks in west Alabama and in the Birmingham metropolitan market.
"Fiber will help us connect thousands of consumers, businesses, schools and government agencies to ultra-fast broadband services now and for decades into the future," said Ben Moncrief, managing director of Alabama and senior vice president of Strategic Relations for C Spire.
C Spire is expanding its broadband internet services to consumers and businesses in Alabama as part of an overall $1 billion investment announced earlier this year to speed the development and deployment of fiber broadband and network enhancements across its three-state footprint.
Alabama ranks 38th nationally in broadband access and state leaders have made access to fast, reliable and affordable internet for rural areas a priority through state funding and creation of the Alabama Rural Broadband Coalition, a group of community, business and government leaders dedicated to job creation, economic development and business growth.
Local business leaders lauded C Spire's continued fiber expansion in Alabama.
"Expanding broadband services, especially in rural areas like Sumter and Greene counties, is extremely important, and it's gratifying to see the private investment from C Spire that will transform this goal into reality," said Blake Hardwich, executive director of the Energy Institute of Alabama.
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