The $6 million project funded entirely by Hawaiian Telcom will connect 81 HPHA properties—home to over 5, 500 residential units—across Oahu, Kauai, Maui and Hawaii island with fiber infrastructure within the next 60 days. Construction is underway at multiple sites simultaneously to meet the targeted completion date in August.
In addition to discounted internet access for individual households, Hawaiian Telcom will provide 1 gigabit of free service to 41 shared community hubs for a 10-year period. These community rooms, equipped with Wi-Fi, will function as internet access points at no cost to residents or the state.
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who leads the state’s Connect Kakou initiative, said the project demonstrates how collaboration between government and the private sector can help address internet access needs across Hawaii. She emphasized that upgrading HPHA properties with fiber infrastructure is a key step toward expanding access to online education, telehealth services, job opportunities and everyday uses such as streaming movies or TV shows and staying connected to family and friends.
“Today, everything we do seems to be online—whether it’s to get benefits, whether it’s to connect people—and fast and stable internet is a door to the world. It is our collective responsibility, our kuleana, to keep those doors open for every single resident across the state of Hawaii, ” Luke said.
The partnership is part of a broader effort to close the digital divide in Hawaii through Connect Kakou, the state’s broadband expansion initiative backed by over $400 million in federal funds. The Research Corp. of the University of Hawaii leads the coordination of these broadband investments.
“As we continue to modernize our communities for individuals and families with limited incomes, reliable high-speed internet is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity, ” Hakim Ouansafi, HPHA executive director, said in a statement Monday. “With more than 10, 000 new affordable homes in development across our properties, we’re working to meet Hawai ‘i’s urgent housing needs and to ensure our residents can thrive in vibrant, connected, and transit-oriented neighborhoods.”
Hawaiian Telcom was awarded the HPHA contract through a competitive bidding process and will provide approximately $5.5 million in infrastructure and $500, 000 in serv ices for the community hubs.
Hawaiian Telcom President Su Shin, who grew up in Mayor Wright Homes public housing, said she understands the challenges that underserved communities face firsthand. She noted that limited access to technology can hold people back in today’s digital world, and that fiber connectivity helps close those gaps.
The company’s contribution, she explained, reflects Hawaiian Telcom’s commitment to ensuring that everyone in Hawaii—especially the most vulnerable—has access to strong, reliable digital resources that support opportunity and success.
She added that the project aligns with Hawaiian Telcom’s broader goal of making Hawaii the first fully fiber-enabled state by the end of 2026.
Shin also said that once the fiber infrastructure is in place, residents will have the option to sign up for Hawaiian Telcom’s Fioptics service.
As part of the project, HPHA households will be offered a special discounted rate of $26.99 per month for 100-megabit symmetrical speeds. While she couldn’t compare that to what residents currently pay—since Hawaiian Telcom hasn’t previously offered fiber at these properties—she emphasized that this new service will give families access to high-speed internet at a reduced cost.
For residents like Rommel Marcelino, who has lived at Kalakaua Homes for six years, the upgrade means more than just faster internet.
“We all understand that underlying health conditions do not define us, especially now with the intro-duction of new fiberoptic internet, ” Marcelino said. “For many of our kupuna, this will open new opportunities for connection, purpose and reducing loneliness. No matter our passions, it takes a village to achieve our goals. This new fiberoptic infrastructure will bring our communities across the island chain closer together, fostering greater unity and support for all.”
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