Elkhart County Fiber Initiative: Advancing Elkhart County Fiber for a more “Connected” Community

by enFocus

"The collaboration with enFocus opens doors for growth and sustainability of the Elkhart County fiber network." --Ben Hudson, Fiber Plant Manager, Elkhart County Highway Department
Fellows Akash Praharaj and Ashwin Mitra with Ben Hudson, Elkhart County Fiber Plant Manager.

Background

Elkhart County launched the dark fiber connectivity initiative in 2018. Dark fiber is a vendor-neutral optic strand that can be “lit” by any service provider to provide internet service. According to FCC Broadband statistics in June 2021, 70% of Elkhart County residents had no access to fiber optic broadband and  24% of residents had availability to only one  provider.

The Opportunity

Expanding the dark fiber infrastructure across Elkhart County will  increase wide-scale availability of broadband access to deliver improved service opportunities, higher-speed connections, and more affordable internet to businesses and homes throughout the County. The goal is to create a more connected community and enhance quality of life. It will also make the community more attractive to future economic development.

The Engagement

Elkhart County provided funding, engineering and project management support. enFocus Fellows researched economic development opportunities and proposed a strategic direction for further expansion. This included geospatial maps of businesses, municipalities, schools, and nonprofits to identify unserved and underserved areas. They also facilitated relationships with external partners to enable implementation of the network.

Results

  • Developed a strategic direction for future fiber expansion efforts to close the gap by 2027
  • Facilitated meetings to establish a partnership with a multi-county nonprofit organization to manage administration and operation of the network
  • Proposed nearly 100 miles of  fiber route expansion  to enable the County to reach unserved and underserved rural areas, and to connect fiber routes between Elkhart and St Joseph counties

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