Bloomington, Columbus, and Shelbyville are getting a new fiber internet service provider (ISP) early next year. However, it's unclear how much the service will cost.
Paris-based Meridiam, which operates as Hoosier Networks in Indiana, announced Wednesday its partnership with Seattle-based GigabitNow to provide internet speeds of one Gigabit per second to more than 70,000 homes in south central Indiana.
“Residents will be offered multiple plan choices at various prices and internet speeds that fit their respective needs,” GigabitNow said in a statement.
Chief operating officer Dan Sivils said the company plans to announce prices later in October, with fiber installation starting in Bloomington the same month.
The first Bloomington residents are expected to have high-speed internet by the end of January 2023, with the project wrapping up by the beginning of 2025. Columbus and Shelbyville residents will have fiber internet starting in the first quarter of 2023, and those projects will finish before the end of 2024.
Sivils said residents who pre-register online will be the first to know about service availability near their address.
READ MORE: Bloomington gives final go ahead for broadband project
The service was approved by the cities that included tax breaks over 20 years for the company investing almost $70 million in infrastructure.
READ MORE: Bartholomew County considers tax break for Meridiam broadband
GigabitNow will be the only ISP allowed to use Meridiam’s fiber network for at least five years. If the company achieves a 35 percent market share and other equity benchmarks, the exclusivity period can be extended by two years. After that window, any ISP can lease the fiber infrastructure.
A proposed digital equity program in Bloomington will provide 250 megabits per second for $30 per month to qualifying residents. Once combined with the Biden administration's Affordable Connectivity Program, residents can receive internet at no cost. People eligible for federal and state programs such as SNAP, TANF, social security, disability, and free and reduced lunch will qualify.
