Pāhala is first Big Island zip code fully fiber-enabled by Hawaiian Telcom

Hawaiian Telcom continues to make strides in closing the state’s digital divide by fully enabling Pāhala on the southeast side of Hawai‘i Island with access to its fiber internet service.

All Pāhala residents and businesses within zip code 96777 now have access to Hawaiian Telcom’s reliable high-speed internet Fioptics that offers 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) download, which is among the fastest speeds in Hawai‘i, and the state’s fastest upload speed of 500 megabits per second (Mbps).

More than 330,000 locations in Hawai‘i now have access to Hawaiian Telcom’s 100% fiber internet service Fioptics including the following zip codes that are fully enabled with fiber:

• 96751 Kealia, Kaua‘i
• 96765 Lāwa‘i, Kaua‘i
• 96763 Lāna‘i City, Lāna‘i

Part of the Ka‘u District, Pāhala is a former sugar plantation town that is now home to many family-owned farms and ranches. It is considered one of the most remote, rural areas in Hawai‘i. Hawaiian Telcom’s fiber expansion extends into Na‘alehu, including Wai‘ōhinu Town and the Discovery Harbor subdivision, both of which incorporate some Hawaiian Home Lands.

“The place you call home shouldn’t limit your access to education, housing, healthcare and other opportunities,” said Hawai‘i County Mayor Mitch Roth. “Mahalo to Hawaiian Telcom for continuing to invest in Hawai‘i Island so our residents and businesses have access to online resources that enhance our quality of life here and enable our residents to thrive.”

“Hawaiian Telcom’s $1.5 million investment to close a fiber gap in East Hawai‘i this year further increased the reliability of our communication network and supports our goal to be a resilient and sustainable county of the future,” Roth noted.

“In our 140^th anniversary year of serving Hawai‘i, we’re proud to continue making a positive impact by increasing digital equity and enabling as many homes and businesses with fiber internet service as quickly as we can,” said Hawaiian Telcom President Su Shin. “Access to broadband is essential and empowering, especially for our rural communities.”

Residents of Pāhala and Na‘alehu may qualify for free internet service through August 2024, courtesy of the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation’s HI Connect Broadband Project. For information, please visit hawaiiantel.com/hiconnect or call Hawaiian Telcom at (808) 643-3456.

Hawaiian Telcom also participates in the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) that offers a discount of up to $30/month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75/month for households on qualifying tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a discount to purchase a device from participating providers. For information about ACP eligibility and enrollment, please visit fcc.gov/acp.

Hawaiian Telcom is Hawai‘i’s only provider of 100% fiber internet Fioptics powered by fiber connections directly to homes and businesses. Fiber-optic cables carry 10,000 times more bandwidth than copper cables and fast upload speeds provide a superior experience with video calls, file uploads, and security cameras. Fiber cables are more energy-efficient, more durable and less susceptible to elements such as water and electromagnetic interference.

Since 2010, Hawaiian Telcom has invested more than $1 billion to expand its fiber footprint, maintain and increase capacity of its communications network, and support its integrated communication solutions for its business, residential and wholesale customers. Last year alone, Hawaiian Telcom invested more than $160 million to expand and support its fiber network expansion efforts.