Commemorates $30M Community Investment, Network Milestone

Metronet has officially declared the City of St. Joseph a Certified Gigabit City Powered by Metronet after the company’s ultra-high-speed, multi-gigabit fiber-optic network became accessible to a majority of households and businesses throughout the city of more than 70,000. Metronet celebrated this significant milestone with a $10,000 donation to the Second Harvest Community Food Bank, which will help provide approximately 30,000 meals throughout the region.

To date, Metronet has installed more than 240 miles of fiber-optic internet throughout St. Joseph, bringing future-proof multi-gigabit speeds to residents and businesses through their fully funded $30 million investment in the community.

“The City of St. Joseph is proud to now be a Certified Gigabit City as Metronet’s gigabit speeds and advanced technology are now within reach of a majority of our homes and businesses. In building one of St. Joseph’s community-wide infrastructure projects, Metronet has demonstrated their dedication to investing in the success of St. Joseph residents and businesses,” stated Mayor John Josendale. “Access to Metronet’s fiber-optic internet will benefit our community and improve quality of life online. We appreciate Metronet’s ongoing support and investment in our city.”

“St. Joseph is a hub for prosperous industries and hosts a thriving and progressive local business community,” said Natalie Hawn, president & CEO of St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. “Our commitment to resident and business success is clear. Majority access to Metronet’s service highlights our city as distinctly invested in economic development, choice, and competition, and we look forward to Metronet’s continued involvement.”

“One hundred sixty years ago, St. Joseph was the home of advanced communications in the form of the Pony Express. Today, we are thrilled to officially declare St. Joseph a Certified Gigabit City Powered by Metronet, marking our commitment to expanding the availability of our multi-gigabit speeds. Metronet is proud to invest in St. Joseph, transforming the way residents and businesses live and work every day through widespread access to fiber-optic technology,” said Kyle Hamilton, Metronet’s executive vice president of construction. “We are grateful for the support we have received from the city as we’ve progressed through construction, connecting St. Joseph to our reliable, ultra-fast network. We are excited to celebrate this milestone by supporting Second Harvest Community Food Bank and the important service they provide. We look forward to continuing to invest in St. Joseph’s bright future.”

“Metronet’s generous donation will provide nutritious meals and a source of hope to many families throughout the region,” said Chad Higdon, CEO of Second Harvest Community Food Bank. “At Second Harvest Community Food Bank, it is our mission to feed families and inspire action against hunger. Metronet’s compassionate investment will boost our efforts by supporting our community.”

Metronet began construction in St. Joseph in 2022 and is scheduled to complete construction in summer 2025. St. Joseph residents interested in learning more about Metronet’s future-proof services may visit Metronet.com.

Metronet currently employs several local associates in departments such as local sales, community engagement and field operations. Those interested in joining the Metronet team can visit Metronet.com/careers to search available positions and submit applications.

Certification as a Gigabit City Powered by Metronet is earned once a majority of households and business locations in a municipality have access to Metronet’s symmetrical fiber-optic internet speeds of at least 1 Gigabit (1,000 megabits per second).

City officials interested in adding their community to Metronet’s growing list of “Certified Gigabit Cities Powered by Metronet” may visit metronet.com/gigabit-city.

High-resolution logos and photos available upon request.

About Metronet:

Metronet is the nation’s largest independently owned 100% fiber-optic internet service provider. Based in Evansville, Ind., the customer-focused company provides cutting-edge fiber-optic communication services, including high-speed Fiber Internet and full-featured Fiber Phone. Metronet started in 2005 with one fiber-optic network in Greencastle, Indiana. Since then, Metronet and its affiliates have grown to serve and construct networks in more than 250 communities across Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico, and Louisiana. Metronet is committed to bringing state-of-the-art telecommunication services to communities — services that are comparable or superior to those offered in large metropolitan areas. By offering XGS PON technology, Metronet can easily carry its communities into the future of multi-gigabit service. Cablefax has named Metronet as the 2023 Fiber Provider of the Year. Metronet has also been recognized by PC Mag as the Fastest Major ISP in 2023 and as one of the Top 10 ISPs with Best Gaming Quality Index in 2021. For more information, visit www.Metronet.com.

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