Hawaiian Telcom invests $1.5 million to complete fiber ring in East Hawaiʻi

Hawaiian Telcom recently invested $1.5 million to complete a fiber ring in East Hawai‘i that increases the reliability of the company’s backbone system on Hawai‘i Island.

Hawaiian Telcom crews closed an approximately 25-mile fiber gap between Volcano and Pahala, completing another ring in the company’s network. Voice and data traffic can now be re-routed if a section of the fiber ring is damaged, minimizing potential service disruptions. The additional fiber also enhances the company’s ability to expand broadband service to underserved communities in East Hawai‘i, a company news release said.

“This completed fiber ring provides route diversity to more than half of Hawai‘i Island, including the districts of Puna, Ka‘u, South Kona and Kailua-Kona,” said Dan Masutomi, director of strategic business development for Hawaiian Telcom. “It skyrockets the network reliability of our backbone system to 99.999%.”

Masutomi also said that in the event of a natural disaster, such as the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption, the new fiber path can be used to avoid or minimize service disruptions on the Big Island.

“Connectivity is essential in creating a sustainable Hawaiʻi Island, where our keiki and their keiki can thrive and succeed for generations,” Hawai’i County Mayor Mitch Roth said in the news release. “We appreciate Hawaiian Telcom’s investment, which will not just enhance the everyday lives of our valued residents and visitors but will also contribute to their health and safety during emergencies.”

Closing the fiber ring was a costly endeavor, primarily due to the location of the gap which went through Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Environmental assessments and securing multiple permits, traffic control, tree trimming and coordination with other entities were required.

Hawaiian Telcom is the only internet service provider in Hawai‘i that has invested more than $1 billion over the last 10 years to expand and support its statewide network and serve its customers, the company said.

Approximately 268,000 homes and businesses in Hawai‘i have access to Hawaiian Telcom’s 100 percent fiber internet service Fioptics with the state’s fastest upload speed of 500 megabits per second and ultra-fast one gigabit download speed. 

To check if your location qualifies for Fioptics, visit hawaiiantel.com/fioptics.