After beginning construction in Moline in Feb. 2023, Metronet’s assembly of 125 miles of underground fiber and 60 more miles of Moline’s telephone poles is completed. The construction was fully funded by Metronet, with more than $19 million invested in the year-and-a-half-long project.
This addition now makes Moline a Certified Gigabit City powered by Metronet. Moline residents will have the option to access internet with speeds up to 5 gigabits, and businesses can subscribe to service with speeds up to 10 gigabits.
"The completion of this network enhances our community's digital landscape and fosters opportunities for growth and connectivity,” City Administrator Bodgan Vitas said in a press release.
Metronet Vice President of New Market Development Ben Ruzick said coaxial cable has traditionally been used nationwide. Instead, Moline’s new fiber-optic network operates with glass lines.
“Fiber is the future of what our infrastructure will become across the states,” Ruzick said. “…Because fiber-optic cables use light rather than electrical signals, fiber connections are far less likely to be affected by power outages or electromagnetic interferences.”
Ruzick said this addition is especially timely as more people begin to work from home and smart devices continue to be developed as additions to households.
Metronet is currently the largest privately owned fiber-to-home company in the country, constructing in over 300 cities in 18 states.
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