GoNetspeed Celebrates Growing Footprint and 10th State

In partnership with the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, GoNetspeed, the Northeast’s largest independent fiber optic network builder, today celebrated GoNetspeed’s planned expansion into Newport, Rhode Island. Marking GoNetspeed’s first Rhode Island community, Newport also signifies a significant milestone for the company, as Rhode Island is the tenth state in GoNetspeed’s growing footprint.

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The combined $13 million investment was made possible through a $9 million award from Rhode Island Commerce Corporation’s Capital Projects Fund (CPF) with a $3.9 million match from GoNetspeed. This expansion will bring more than 8,200 homes and businesses throughout Newport access to high-speed, 100% fiber internet with speeds scaling up to two gigabits per second.

“Rhode Islanders deserve access to fast, reliable internet,” said Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee. “This investment is not just about connectivity; it’s about strengthening our economy, supporting local businesses, and ensuring everyone can participate in today’s digital world—key goals of our RI 2030 plan.”

“With ConnectRI, we’re delivering targeted broadband solutions that make a real difference in the lives of residents and businesses,” said Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce Liz Tanner. “These investments will help strengthen Rhode Island’s infrastructure and keep us competitive.”

“GoNetspeed is continuing to elevate the quality of life in communities throughout the Northeast with access to 100% fiber internet, and we aren’t slowing down. We are thrilled to celebrate Newport as the first Rhode Island community slated to gain access to our high-speed fiber-optic network,” said Richard Clark, GoNetspeed President and CEO. “We are grateful for the support we have received from the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, as they have made it possible for us to ensure that Rhode Island communities have the resources needed to thrive.”

Construction is expected to begin as early as fall of 2025, with the first customers expected to be connected by spring 2026. As construction begins this fall, homes and businesses will be connected neighborhood by neighborhood. The full construction process is expected to be complete by the end of 2026. Residents can visit https://www.gonetspeed.com/ to pre-order service and receive an exclusive pre-order offer, along with construction updates.

GoNetspeed’s expansion into Rhode Island underscores its commitment to bridging the digital divide and providing communities access to the latest technology. The company's 100% fiber-optic network is future-proof, capable of supporting the ever-increasing bandwidth demands of emerging technologies and applications.

Recently, GoNetspeed unveiled a $250 million investment that will bring fiber-optic internet to 27 communities throughout Massachusetts. This significant investment follows continued network additions and expansions throughout New York and Connecticut, and most recently, full network upgrades in four Vermont communities. The privately funded company continues to scale, bringing access to 100% internet throughout the Northeast.

About the Capital Projects Fund

This initial investment from the state CPF is part of a larger effort by Rhode Island Commerce Corporation’s ConnectRI program to connect all remaining unserved and underserved locations – meaning locations without access to 100/20Mbps service – across Rhode Island to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet.

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number CPFFN0169 awarded to the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

About GoNetspeed:

GoNetspeed, a high-speed fiber internet provider serving residential and business customers in Maine, Alabama, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginia, formed a partnership with Oak Hill Capital (“Oak Hill”) in January 2021, allowing GoNetspeed to accelerate the expansion of its fiber network throughout the Northeastern U.S. Adding thousands of new service areas every year, GoNetspeed is one of the largest independent internet providers in the Northeast. For more information about GoNetspeed, or to inquire about service in your residence, business or community, visit gonetspeed.com.

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