Fiber internet coming to more communities

MALDEN — In a press release from the Port of Whitman County, the Port announced that a multi-year project to install fiber-to-the-home around Pine City and Malden has recently been completed.

The project was funded by a $1,734,921 CERB grant from the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund and $433,730 from the Washington State Broadband Office’s Match Grant Program.

The launch of the fiber optic network began in October, as construction of fiber to the homes was completed. The project provided service to approximately 70 homes in the area previously unserved by broadband internet service providers and put in new underground fiber broadband.

“It helps bring high-speed fiber to areas that did not have any, and it’s exciting to have high-speed fiber,” Malden Mayor Dan Harwood said.

As of October 2022, third-party speed tests in the area did not register any connections faster than 16/2Mbps, far below the state broadband standard of 100/20 Mbps. The new fiber service will support speeds of 1 Gbps/1 Gbps.

Harwood said that the project covers the north end of Malden and the outlying area of Pine City and has taken over two years to complete. “It is an amazing project, and we’re very proud that the port could make this project happen,” Harwood said.

Executive Director of the Port of Whitman County Kara Riebold thanked the Port’s partners in Malden and Pine City for their collaboration to get the essential service to residents, the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Community Economic Revitalization Board, and the Washington State Broadband Office for providing the funding needed for the project. “We also could not have done this project without WiFiber, whose commitment to providing service along the open access network in this area makes broadband service possible.”

The Malden, Pine City area is still recovering from the fires in 2020 and now has access to e-learning, work-from-home, business, telemedicine, and other digital opportunities.

“Anytime you increase technology, it allows commerce and education,” Harwood said, adding that it’s a good asset for a community.