C Spire Begins Work On Fiber Internet Project In West Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, AL — C Spire says work is underway on a 243-mile-long fiber optic cable that will soon bring expanded high-speed internet to many in Tuscaloosa County. The new line will run from Meridian, Mississippi to Homewood.

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C Spire made the official announcement in April, as Patch previously reported, and officially began construction on the the cable route last month. Work is expected to wrap up sometime in 2022.

The project involves placing conduit, ducting and fiber optic cable underground, which will impact Lauderdale County in Mississippi and five Alabama counties, including Sumter, Greene, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson and portions of Bibb, along U.S. Highway 80 and Highway 11.

It comes not a moment too soon for businesses and local economic development officials, as Tuscaloosa County is poised for sustained growth in the coming years, raising the demand for broadband and fiber internet availability.

“Expanding fiber-based broadband is essential to bridging the digital divide for residents and accelerating economic development opportunities in west Alabama,” said Danielle Winningham, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Economic Development Authority. “C Spire’s commitment to install this vital infrastructure will create jobs and positively impact fiber-based broadband services for residents and businesses in our region.”

Company officials said in an announcement on Wednesday that the route will help C Spire provide greater capacity, increased resiliency and lower latency fiber-based ultra-fast, broadband internet services to consumers and businesses in its Tuscaloosa and Northport, Alabama markets along with a 46-mile metropolitan fiber ring serving that area.

“High-speed, all-fiber broadband internet service is a game-changer,” said Alan Jones, senior vice president of Engineering and Development for C Spire. “Our ability to provide symmetric speeds immediately solves real-world challenges associated with interactive learning, remote work and telehealth applications. That’s good news for all Alabamians.”

Ben Moncrief, managing director of Alabama and senior vice president of Strategic Relations for C Spire, said the project also will help the company build its infrastructure base as it expands fiber distribution networks in west Alabama and in the Birmingham metropolitan market.

“Fiber will help us connect thousands of consumers, businesses, schools and government agencies to ultra-fast broadband services now and for decades into the future,” he said.

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