Live on island time. Connect at the speed of light

A decade of expansion brings fiber closer – lowering costs along the way.

By Ali Boe for Rock Island

For residents of San Juan County, reliable internet is much more than a luxury; it’s a lifeline. From remote work and online learning to telehealth, daily business operations, and emergency communication, connectivity plays a critical role in island living. For years, islanders settled for tawdry speeds delivered over aging copper infrastructure with frequent outages, and long repair delays – while mainland communities saw dramatic upgrades in broadband speed and reliability. As larger providers focused on dense population centers, our islands were left with fewer choices and slower progress toward modern connectivity.
Since 2015, Rock Island’s local team has worked hard to close that gap. More than 4,000 residents of San Juan County now have fiber optic service, with nearly 3,000 more served by the nation’s first Fixed Wireless network. With the network expanding every day, fiber may be closer than you think.

By the Numbers: A Decade of Progress
Ten years of steady investment have transformed connectivity in the San Juans.

• Miles of fiber installed: 750+
• Fiber customers served: 4,154
• Fixed wireless customers served: 2,650
• Homes within $3k build cost of fiber: 6,000

Behind these numbers lies a significant expansion of backbone infrastructure, inter-island submarine cables, and neighborhood-level access that continues to support both current demand and future growth.

Reaching Remote Locations
Island geography introduces obstacles beyond distance alone. Sensitive environmental and archeological zones, variable construction access, seasonal weather windows, and complex permitting requirements all influence how and when infrastructure can be built (residents of Cape San Juan may recall a delay of several weeks due to the mating season of a rare butterfly species).
In many areas, Fixed wireless helped bridge the gap by providing immediate service while fiber expansion continued. Some of the most meaningful milestones have come from connecting homes once considered too remote or costly to reach. Who would have thought that Center Island would be connected to fiber optic service? Final installations there are scheduled for Spring 2026, as well as Decatur and Blakely.

Expanding Opportunity Through Grant Funding
Recent grant funding has been an integral part of Rock Island’s success, enabling construction that would otherwise have taken many more years to complete. Through ARPA-funded projects, fiber infrastructure has reached 1,000 previously unserved locations, including homes on outer islands without ferry service. Our local contractors Earthworks and Schrock Construction completed nearly 82 miles of trenching work ahead of schedule; islanders know how to get it done!
Next up for grant funding is the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant, which has had a long application and approval process that is still underway. When funding comes through, Rock Island will get started on a mix of fiber and wireless expansion projects that will bring quality service to most of the county.

Understanding the Cost of Rural Fiber — and How It’s Changing
Unlike urban environments where dense development spreads infrastructure costs across many homes, rural fiber construction often requires individual trenching to reach each property. In most cases, that last-mile construction is funded by the homeowner, and costs can vary significantly depending on distance, terrain, and permitting requirements.
However, one of the most important outcomes of ongoing expansion is the gradual reduction of those costs. As backbone routes extend deeper into neighborhoods and more homes connect along the way, construction distances shrink and shared infrastructure lowers the per-home investment required.

It’s Time to Revisit Your Fiber Project
For some residents, early construction estimates may have felt out of reach. But infrastructure growth changes the equation. Homes that were once far from the nearest fiber route may now be much closer, making installation significantly more affordable than it was just a few years ago.
If you received an estimate in the past, it may no longer reflect today’s reality. Requesting an updated estimate is simple – just visit us online at www.rockisland.com and click the orange “Connect Today” button to get started.
There are about 6,000 homes in San Juan County that can get connected to fiber with no up-front cost. This means that the total cost to bring fiber to the home is $3000 or less. Rock Island will cover all costs up to $3000 with a 12-month commitment to Gigabit service. Don’t need Gigabit speed? Financing is available for a fiber project of any size through OPALCO’s Switch It Up program – finance fiber build on your power bill with very low interest. No service contract or minimum service requirement. More on these great options at https://rockisland.com/resources

A More Connected Future
The team at Rock Island has stayed true to our mission: to bring dependable broadband to the residents and businesses of our neighbors in San Juan County. With the community’s support, our network has grown steadily since 2015, and we’re not slowing down. If you’re not connected yet, we want to hear from you! Submitting a request at rockisland.com helps us track where the areas of most interest are.
We look forward to getting you connected!