DMCI Broadband is continuing efforts to bring high-speed fiber optic internet services to all corners of Hillsdale County.
As of mid-July, the Reading Township-based company has bored over 110 miles of fiber to serve 1,500 homes in rural areas of the county, including the villages of Allen, Frontier, Cambria and Montgomery. The business has also reached into many townships, including Cambria, Jefferson, Hillsdale, Reading and Camden.
“DMCI is actively expanding its fiber network across the county, including a move into the village of Camden,” said sales manager Adam Stockford. “Our long-term goal is to ensure every rural household and business in our service area has access to fast, dependable internet. We continue to evaluate new buildout areas and look for opportunities to accelerate deployment through strategic planning and partnerships.”
The company believes expansion of high-speed internet availability into the rural market will be a factor in economic growth and quality of life in rural communities, Stockford said, allowing the white-collar labor force to work remotely and school-aged children to complete assignments from home.
“Fiber infrastructure also supports property values and long-term community growth, making Hillsdale County a more attractive place to live and do business,” Stockford said. “By providing consistent, high-speed connectivity, DMCI is helping bridge the digital divide and give rural residents the tools they need to thrive in a connected world.”
The demand for broadband internet services began rising with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when government mandates shuttered schools and businesses and brought millions into remote work.
Subscribe Now: For all the latest local developments, breaking news and high school sports content.
That was a problem in rural Hillsdale County, where broadband internet infrastructure didn’t yet exist, leaving many schools to distribute MiFi devices for internet connectivity.
DMCI received a $6.3 million federal grant in 2022 to expand connectivity during the peak of the pandemic, with projects slated through 2027.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: DMCI continues expansion of fiber internet lines into rural Hillsdale