XENIA — Spectrum announced significant progress Monday in its effort to expand high-speed fiber broadband access across 11 Western Ohio counties, aiming to connect more than 20,000 homes and small businesses. The regional buildout is supported by a combined investment of more than $100 million.
The expansion is part of Spectrum’s multiyear rural construction initiative, which involves more than $7 billion in private investment nationwide. In Ohio, the project utilizes a mix of company funding and grants from the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program and the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.
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The network expansion targets unserved and underserved areas in Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Darke, Fayette, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Shelby counties.
Residents and businesses in these areas will gain access to gigabit speeds designed to support digital demands such as telehealth, precision agriculture, online learning, and remote work.
Gov. Mike DeWine recently joined the Dayton Development Coalition and Spectrum to discuss the role of connectivity in creating career opportunities.
“Families and businesses need access to reliable, fast internet and mobile service to learn, work, and connect in our digital world,” DeWine said.
“Spectrum’s commitment to delivering quality connectivity across Ohio is bringing more and more rural areas into the digital age, and I’m grateful for their dedication to serving our state.”
Sen. Jon Husted highlighted the state’s broader efforts to reach households that previously lacked service through the founding of Broadband Ohio.
“I was proud to lead the effort to found Broadband Ohio as Lt. Governor – an effort that is delivering high-speed connectivity to 240,000 households across Ohio who were previously left behind,” Husted said.
“I’m grateful to Spectrum for their partnership and for all our private sector partners who have supported the work of delivering for all Ohioans.”
Jesse Femyer, area vice president for Spectrum’s Midwest Central service area, said the company is working to accelerate the pace of its connections.
“This past year represented a significant step forward in our commitment to rural connectivity in Ohio,” Femyer said. “Our teams continue to refine our rural construction process, learning from every buildout and accelerating the pace at which we connect homes and businesses.
The impact is clear – communities that were once overlooked now have access to infrastructure that will serve them for decades.”
In Clark County, local officials noted the long-term benefits of the new infrastructure. Clark County Commissioner Charles Patterson has lived in the area nearly all his life.
“Having partners like Spectrum keep our communities moving forward,” Patterson said. “Their broadband network investments are bringing futureproof infrastructure across the county that will keep us connected to high-speed internet for the long haul.”
To support the expansion, Spectrum increased its physical presence by hiring more technicians and deploying more trucks in these rural areas.
The company stated this growth supports its customer commitment to provide same-day installations and rapid service calls.
While most of the expansion projects are already complete, additional activations are scheduled to continue through the end of 2026.
Local residents and business owners can visit spectrumruralexpansion.com to check for service availability.
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