Fiber Optics
Subsite launches M10 beacon for underground utility installation
Contractors can more easily and reliably run short shots of fiber lines and other underground utilities using the new M10 HDD guidance beacon from Subsite. The M10 beacon is designed for use with compact Ditch Witch horizontal directional drills (HDDs) like the JT5 and small drills from other manufacturers.
Fiber optics and forests: Mosaic Technologies weaves fiber beneath Wisconsin’s Northwoods
In the forests of Northwest Wisconsin, Mosaic Technologies is laying nearly 400 miles of fiber to connect over 2,500 addresses, overcoming rugged terrain and tight deadlines to bring high-speed internet to remote communities.
Bridging the digital divide: Fiber installation brings innovation to the Pennsylvania Turnpike
In Pennsylvania, a groundbreaking fiber optic installation along the Turnpike is tackling two challenges at once: expanding the state’s digital backbone and closing the broadband gap in rural communities. With innovative micro-trenching methods and all-season materials, the project is on track to deliver 325 miles of new connectivity infrastructure by 2026.
City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
In a recent Albuquerque City Council meeting, officials put forth a resolution to stop all fiber optic construction in the city, amid growing complaints from residents about damage and disruption due to improper installation by fiber optic contractors.
Las Vegas, Nev., dark fiber project underway as LSC expands network for AI, data centers
Light Source Communications (LSC) has started construction on a 60-mile dark fiber network in Las Vegas, marking its third major project in less than a year.
NTSB publishes preliminary report on fatal gas pipeline explosion in Lexington, Mo.
The U.S. National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) has published a preliminary report concerning a fatal gas pipeline explosion that occurred last month in Lexington, Missouri. The explosion occurred after a subcontractor installing a fiber optic line drilled into an unmarked section of a capped underground gas distribution main located near residences.
Ripple Fiber breaks ground on $140 million project, expanding into central Mass.
Ripple Fiber has begun construction on the first phase of its $140 million Central Massachusetts project. The Southeast U.S. provider anticipates construction to begin soon in the neighboring Town of West Boylston. Between Holden and West Boylston, over 9,000 households will receive access to Ripple Fiber’s network. Ripple Fiber aims for its first Massachusetts customers to begin using the new fiber internet service by mid-2025.
Vero completes first phase of fiber installation in Evans, Colo., expanding underground network
Vero Fiber completed phase 1 of its fiber internet expansion in Evans, Colorado, bringing high-speed service to more than 1,500 customers. City officials praised the project as a major win for residents.
C3ntro to install over 1,500 miles of fiber optic network connecting U.S. and Mexico
C3ntro Telecom on Tuesday announced the launch of its Tikva Project. Through Tikva, an approximately 1,553-mile (2,500-kilometer) underground fiber optic network will be installed between Phoenix, Az., and Querétaro, Mexico, representing an ambitious step in cross-border connectivity.
Southern Telecom secures 300-mile fiber contract with hyperscale customer
Southern Telecom, a subsidiary of Southern Company, has secured its largest fiber deal to date, a monumental 300-mile fiber contract with a strategic hyperscale customer. The new route will connect a major data center in Montgomery, Ala., to both Birmingham, Ala., and Atlanta.
S.C. Senate considers passing bill to address repeated damage to gas and water lines
Senate members in South Carolina are considering a bill that would address utility strikes that have disrupted local communities. The bill, which would tighten rules on digging in public right-of-ways, passed the House of Representatives in February, but is still awaiting hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee, The State reported.
Kinetic to install over 330 miles of fiber optic infrastructure in Texas community
Kinetic recently broke ground on a strategic $13 million high-speed fiber internet expansion that will connect over 22,000 households in Fort Bend County, Texas. The project is part of a $2 billion multiyear investment strategy by Kinetic to dramatically expand multi-gigabit fiber service across the company’s 18-state footprint.
Astound completes 108-mile underground fiber build along Oregon’s Highway 6
Astound Broadband has finished constructing a 108-mile underground fiber route along Highway 6, delivering high-speed internet access to rural areas of Tillamook County for the first time.
California fast-tracks underground utility rebuild after Los Angeles fires
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order to accelerate the rebuilding of critical underground utility systems in fire-damaged areas of Los Angeles County, including Altadena, Malibu, and Pacific Palisades.
Ripple Fiber to invest $200 million for fiber optics construction, expansion in Michigan
Ripple Fiber first announced its plans to enter the Michigan market in September 2024. Now, Ripple Fiber will reach $200 million in investment capital to continue expanding digital access across the region, with construction in Midland. Mich., to begin April 7, 2025.
Editor’s Log: Old problems, redux
In this month’s Editor’s Log, Editor-in-Chief Robert Carpenter delves into the growing tension between fiber optic installations and aging underground infrastructure in Katy, Texas. As the city halts fiber projects over repeated water line strikes, Carpenter explores the broader implications for utility safety, contractor responsibility, and the need for better locating practices nationwide.
Lumos to install over 1,200 miles of fiber optic, expanding into Indiana
Lumos has announced its inaugural expansion into Indiana, with plans to build over 1,200 miles of fiber optic infrastructure aimed at providing 100% fiber optic internet service to homes and small businesses in the area.
Los Alamos, N.M., hit by second network outage after fiber line breaks during construction
For the second time in a week, Los Alamos, N.M., experienced a network outage on March 17 after construction crews accidentally severed fiber lines along NM-4.
Intrepid Fiber breaks ground on fiber optic network in Superior, Colo.
Intrepid Fiber Networks has begun construction on a fiber broadband network in Superior, Colorado, marking a major step toward expanding high-speed internet access in the region.
Trump administration to shift funding, preference away from fiber optics infrastructure
According to TechSpot, the Trump administration has announced significant changes to the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program that could redirect substantial funding towards non-fiber technologies, such as Elon Musk's Starlink satellite service, and divert preference and funding away from fiber optics infrastructure.
Katy, Texas passes moratorium on fiber-optics projects after damage to water lines
According to The Houston Chronicle, city council in Katy, Texas has unanimously voted to pass a moratorium on fiber-optics projects after construction damage has repeatedly broken water lines. Fiber optics companies will now be required to sign a contract and coordinate with the city before digging.
Texas infrastructure stuck at ‘C’ as energy, water systems struggle
The Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has given the state’s infrastructure a cumulative grade of ‘C’ in its 2025 Texas Infrastructure Report Card—unchanged from 2021.
Lumos expands fiber-optic internet to Florida with 7,500-mile network
Lumos is expanding its 100% fiber-optic internet service to Florida, investing in nearly 7,500 miles of infrastructure to connect over 30 communities.
Fiber broadband deployment costs stabilizing, report finds
The Fiber Broadband Association’s latest Fiber Deployment Cost Annual Report, conducted by Cartesian, shows that broadband service providers expect fiber deployment costs to remain steady or rise slightly—less than 10%—compared to 2024. This marks an improvement from the previous year’s study, which reported steeper cost increases.
Lumos to lay over 1,300 miles of fiber optic in Birmingham, Ala. metro area
Lumos has announced its inaugural expansion into Alabama, its sixth state of operation. This expansion will lay over 1,300 miles of fiber, providing reliable, high-speed internet to underserved communities and families throughout the Birmingham Metro.
National OnDemand expands in Texas with J. Tucker Construction acquisition
National OnDemand, a communication and utility infrastructure services provider, has acquired J. Tucker Construction, a Greenville, Texas-based company specializing in telecom and utility infrastructure.
Bandwidth IG expands fiber network by 170 miles in Greater Atlanta
Bandwidth IG (BIG), a growing provider of purpose-built fiber infrastructure, has launched a 170-mile expansion to its fiber network in the Greater Atlanta area. The expansion will double BIG's fiber footprint, increasing its total coverage in Georgia to over 330 miles.
IQ Fiber acquires ThinkBig to expand fiber-optics across Chesapeake Bay region
IQ Fiber, a Jacksonville, Florida based provider of 100% fiber-optic internet service, announces it has completed the acquisition of ThinkBig Networks, LLC, a Maryland-based 100% fiber-optic internet service provider.
Crown Electrokinetics secures $8M in fiber optic purchase orders for Oregon region
Crown Electrokinetics has announced that its Fiber Optics division has been issued multiple Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) purchase orders with an approximate value of $8 million by a leading regional fiber-optic internet provider, further broadening its footprint in Oregon.
Gigapower’s Arizona fiber rollout linked to infrastructure damage, CWA report says
In Mesa, Arizona, where Gigapower began fiber deployment in early 2023, subcontractors have reportedly caused over 40 underground utility hits, including damages to electric, gas, water, and telecommunications lines, totaling more than $135,000 in repairs.
- Authorities investigating trench collapse that killed worker in Ashburn, Va.
- NTSB publishes preliminary report on fatal gas pipeline explosion in Lexington, Mo.
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds
- Ditch Witch West sells first Bulldog trencher to speed up undergrounding work along West Coast
- Centuri awarded nearly $400 million for U.S. gas infrastructure work
- Maryland lawmakers push to curb BGE pipeline spending, citing safety and cost concerns
- Charlottesville, Va., to begin work on 24-inch water line for Rivanna River crossing
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish