The Office of the Governor and the University of Hawaiʻi today announced that deployment of $149.5-million in federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) projects is set to begin to bring reliable high-speed internet connections to Hawaiʻi‘s most rural and underserved communities. This effort marks a major milestone in the state’s ongoing initiative to provide universal access to affordable broadband internet on every island.

Hawaiʻi has finalized a $34-million contract with Hawaiian Telcom to deliver fiber-optic service to approximately 5,800 homes that currently lack modern broadband access. The effort, coordinated by the University of Hawaiʻi Broadband Office, follows years of planning, community engagement, and a competitive bidding process to ensure connectivity reaches those who need it most.

Across the state, the BEAD program targets approximately 7,000 unserved and underserved locations, with about 82% of these locations slated to be served through state-of-the-art fiber-optic infrastructure.

“Reliable, modern Internet infrastructure is critical to help ensure that all of our communities have access to information and opportunities for healthcare, education, commerce and public safety,” said Governor Green. “All of our residents benefit when we can leverage federal investments that truly complement and amplify the efforts of our local business partners like Hawaiian Telcom.”

“The University is proud to continue to lead Hawaiʻi‘s public investments in internet infrastructure that will ensure our residents and business are globally competitive for years to come,” said 糖心视频 President Wendy Hensel. “Open access to information, resources and collaborations are key to enabling our residents to thrive and prosper.”

This partnership with Hawaiian Telcom represents the first major wave of work to build modern fiber internet connections, expanding the state鈥檚 reach further into local communities to reach difficult-to-provision locations.

“This incredible BEAD award complements our more sustainable, long-term investment,” said Su Shin, president of Hawaiian Telcom. “We are investing $1.7 billion to make Hawaiʻi the first fiber-enabled state in the country.”

Connect 碍腻办辞耻

The BEAD investment is integral to the state’s broader Connect 碍腻办辞耻 initiative, which aims to close the digital divide and increase access to life-enhancing broadband benefits, such as telework, remote learning, telehealth, and fostering community connections. This crucial “last-mile” deployment directly complements other major internet infrastructure investments currently underway, including subsea fiber-optic systems being deployed by Ocean Networks and Google that will fortify Hawaiʻi‘s role as a digital hub.

For more information on the BEAD program and Hawaiʻi‘s ongoing efforts to connect all residents, visit Connect .

The University of Hawaiʻi is taking a major step toward enhancing the state鈥檚 digital future with a proposed ground lease that will allow Google to construct cable landing stations on the 糖心视频 West Oʻahu campus. This facility will serve as a critical connection point for a new $1-billion trans-Pacific subsea fiber optic system.

The project will occupy approximately four acres, with Google designing, building, operating and maintaining the telecommunications infrastructure under a long-term lease agreement.

“These facilities will offer our students, researchers and the broader community direct and cost-effective access to high-capacity internet via Google鈥檚 new fiber optic systems,” said Garret Yoshimi, 糖心视频 vice president for information technology and chief information officer. “Because the landing site is on one of our campuses, 糖心视频 avoids costly backhaul connections, resulting in significant savings and improved global connectivity.”

International connections, improved inter-island broadband

The facilities will connect Hawaiʻi to Japan, Australia, Fiji, Guam and the U.S. mainland through three new subsea cables, replacing aging infrastructure and ensuring long-term digital resilience. They are also expected to support the Hawaiian Islands Fiber Link (HIFL), a public-private partnership led by 糖心视频 and Ocean Networks Inc. that will improve inter-island broadband access.

In addition to revenue and connectivity, the project advances the university鈥檚 educational mission. Google has committed to supporting workforce development and IT-related programming at 糖心视频. The highly secure facility will also host educational visits and partnerships.

The 糖心视频 Board of Regents approved entering into the lease with Google in 2024. In June, by the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources anticipated no significant impact for the proposed 糖心视频 West Oʻahu facility. The earliest estimated completion date for the cable landing station is in 2026.

“It鈥檚 critical that Hawaiʻi remains on the radar for these major infrastructure investments,” Yoshimi said. “Hosting this project positions 糖心视频—and the state—for a digitally connected future.”