Cincinnati Bell Announces Partnerships in Northern Kentucky to Invest $181M and Deliver Fiber-Based Gigabit Internet to All 207,000 Campbell, Kenton, and Boone County Addresses in 24-36 Months
Cincinnati Bell is expanding its fiber network in Campbell County, Kenton County, and Boone County, and will be able to provide all 207,000 consumer and business addresses in those counties with fiber-to-the-premise gigabit Internet in the next 24-36 months.
The $181 million investment continues Cincinnati Bell's ongoing commitment to increase digital equity in Northern Kentucky and ensure that all residents have access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.
Once the fiber build is complete, 95,000 new addresses in Campbell County, Kenton County, and Boone County will have access to fiber-to-the-premise gigabit Internet from Cincinnati Bell. Cincinnati Bell currently offers fiber-based gigabit Internet to 112,000 addresses in these counties.
- Under the agreement with Campbell County, which was approved on July 21, Cincinnati Bell will expand its fiber network and offer fiber-based gigabit Internet to 17,600 addresses that are currently unserved or underserved. Campbell County is committing up to $4.5 million to the project.
- Under the agreement with Kenton County, which was approved on July 27, Cincinnati Bell will expand its fiber network and offer fiber-based gigabit Internet to 37,000 addresses that are currently unserved or underserved. Kenton County is committing up to $10.8 million to the project.
- Under the agreement with Boone County, announced in March, Cincinnati Bell will expand its fiber network and offer fiber-based gigabit Internet to 40,000 addresses that are currently unserved or underserved. The Boone County Fiscal Court is committing up to $13.6 million to the project.
In addition to expanding its fiber network, Cincinnati Bell is also announcing that its UniCity organization will invest a total of $1.1 million to support Smart City initiatives in each county to enhance the quality of life for residences and businesses, and allow local governments to provide more value-added services to constituents.
"Broadband Internet expansion through the use of fiber to the premises is a goal the County Commissioners and I have had for several years, and the COVID-19 pandemic only accentuated the need for this project," said Campbell County Judge/Executive Steve Pendery. "We are proud to partner with Cincinnati Bell on this transformative initiative that will improve the daily lives of our residents and businesses for years to come."
"One of Kenton County's top priorities is to deliver access to high-speed broadband Internet to all of our families. That goal is now becoming a reality with the approval of our contract with Cincinnati Bell to make fiber-to-the-premise available to all residents in the next 24 to 36 months, offering one gigabit internet to more than 37,000 addresses," Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann said. "It's an exciting development for Kenton County, and as historic as any initiative ever undertaken here in our community. Most importantly, I believe in the potential of our people, and I know delivering fiber-based broadband to their homes will empower them to pursue their dreams."
"I am very pleased that our three Northern Kentucky counties will have a unified regional approach to broadband fiber, in partnership with Cincinnati Bell, that will enhance connectivity through the deployment of high speed fiber-to-the-premise," said Boone County Judge/Executive Gary Moore. "This project will be transformative to Boone County and the region and will improve the quality of life for our citizens."
Cincinnati Bell has a long history and progressive experience in providing and managing large and complex wireline and wireless projects. As the leading supplier of fiber-based services in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati Bell has invested more than $1 billion into its fiber network to date, which currently reaches approximately 500,000 addresses in Greater Cincinnati.
The company in 2014 became the first Internet Service Provider in Greater Cincinnati to offer 1 gigabit Internet, and earlier this year became the first Internet Service Provider to introduce 2 gigabit speeds in this market.
"Access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities are the great equalizers in our society, and high-speed Internet is absolutely essential to level the playing field in Northern Kentucky," said Tom Simpson, Chief Operating Officer of Cincinnati Bell. "We are imagining the possibilities of fiber, and we're excited about partnerships like these that are helping to bring that reality to life for their communities."
About Cincinnati Bell Inc.
With headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati Bell Inc. (NYSE:CBB) delivers integrated communications solutions to residential and business customers over its fiber-optic and copper networks including high-speed internet, video, voice and data. Cincinnati Bell provides service in areas of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Hawaii. In addition, enterprise customers across the United States and Canada rely on CBTS and OnX, wholly-owned subsidiaries, for efficient, scalable office communications systems and end-to-end IT solutions. For more information, please visit www.cincinnatibell.com. The information on the Company's website is not incorporated by reference in this press release.
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