Inadequate internet infrastructure meant that Newberry was an underserved community for high-speed internet — a liability that made the area less attractive for businesses and residents. The City of Newberry found that existing providers would not improve service speeds, and so it decided to build its own network. It became South Carolina’s first municipality to complete and operate a fiber-optic network that serves all residents and businesses.  

The city partnered with telecommunications company WCFiber to light the fiber. Careful legal research found that the city partnering with an end-user provider prevented it from competing with private industry. Newberry used gross revenue fund savings to build the network, to be reimbursed from fiber-optic lease revenue. As the city already operated an electric utility, it could use its existing poles for the network, allowing for a swift and cost-effective build.  

The city planned for a three-year construction project, but decided to accelerate construction once the COVID-19 pandemic spurred a need to connect customers with a better option for virtual schooling and remote work. The city’s utilities department oversaw the construction firm’s project and will continue to provide maintenance to the network. WCFiber created an in-town office for customer service.  

The original conservative estimate that 25% of possible customers would use the service was far exceeded within the first year. By intentionally overbuilding the network, Newberry can more easily extend the system as growth occurs, so that the network can provide internet to new areas with a level of service that customers would see in a larger community.