EASTHAMPTON — The city’s $10.4 million fiber internet project, which began in 2023, is now wrapping up its final stages. High-speed internet service is now available in several sections of the community, and GoNetSpeed anticipates that service will be available throughout all of Easthampton by the end of this summer. 

Construction is continuing to plow ahead, and implementation is already complete in several sectors toward the center of the city. Crews are now hard at work in some of the remaining portions of the community, working on both initial preparations and ongoing construction. 

The project is being funded entirely by GoNetSpeed, a telecommunications company that builds fiber-optic networks on the East Coast. Karin Moyano Camihort, Easthampton’s IT director, confirmed that “no city or taxpayer funds are being used — the project is entirely funded by GoNetSpeed.”

GoNetSpeed said that they currently have about $10.4 million invested in the project. 

“The full build is not yet complete as many areas throughout the city are underway, including active construction and initial make ready work,” Heidi Mahoney, GoNetSpeed’s manager of government affairs, said in an email to the Gazette. 

Once construction is complete, all Easthampton residents will be able to opt-in to utilize high-speed fiber internet as an alternative to cable internet. Fiber-optic internet aims to provide more efficient and stable internet connections through the use of fiber-optic cables which are made with thin strands of glass or plastic rather than copper wire, allowing data to be transmitted as pulses of light. 

The project will provide city residents an additional internet option to pre-existing service through Charter Connections – also called Spectrum. 

Furthering digital equity in the city is a main goal of the project. Moyano Camihort relayed to the Gazette that part of GoNetSpeed’s agreement with the city is to provide fiber internet citywide, “not just to the main commercial corridors or higher-income neighborhoods where adoption rates might be higher.”

Easthampton residents can check whether fiber internet service is available at their address on GoNetSpeed’s website, gonetspeed.com. 

Residents may contact GoNetSpeed regarding inquiries or issues surrounding the ongoing work. Lauren Harmon, GoNetSpeed’s customer advocacy and continuous improvement manager, can be reached by phone at (585) 978-8882 or via email at lauren.harmon@gonetspeed.com. The city’s Information Technology department is also available to provide any additional help. 

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.