A local broadband provider has begun the next phase of its project to close the digital divide for Johnson County residents.
JCFiber, a subsidiary of Johnson County REMC, will expand into another part of its service area in the western portion of the county, the company announced Thursday. The company provides fiber internet access throughout Johnson County and in some of its neighboring areas.
The expansion area is known as Zone 3, and will fill in gaps between zones 1 and 2. The project also adds additional internet access to an area north of Zone 1, which stretches from State Road 37 in Morgan County to near County Road 75 West. Zone 2 encompasses an area south of State Road 44 to the Johnson-Brown county line and stretches east-to-west from just east of the Johnson-Morgan county line to near Nineveh.
The main section of Zone 3 encompasses an area from just south of State Road 44 up to County Road 300 North in Bargersville, and stretches east-to-west from near North 400 West to the Johnson-Morgan county line. The smaller section of Zone 3 that is located north of Zone 1 includes an area near state roads 37 and 144 near the Johnson-Morgan county line, according to a JCFiber news release.
The creation of Zone 3 will cover nearly 940 residents and businesses. Those who are eligible for the service in the new areas will be notified when it becomes available, and sign-ups will begin in parts of the zone in early 2022, the release said.
JCFiber’s mission is to give rural areas that are not typically prioritized by other internet providers the option to have high-speed fiber optic internet, said Nick Stainbrook, JCFiber director of fiber operations, in the release.
“Fiber is the absolute best internet technology available and we’re working diligently to bring access to our members who don’t have fast reliable broadband,” he said in the release.
Data from the Federal Communications Commission shows that roughly 99.7% of Johnson County residents have access to three or more internet providers. However, JCFiber estimated earlier this year that there are roughly 5,000 residents who are underserved by their providers.
In December, JCREMC’s Board of Directors announced their plans to expand JCFiber’s network to reach 5,000 additional people over four years. Earlier this year, JCFiber began construction in Zone 2.
Additional expansion zones will be announced in 2022, the release said.
