Representatives from Surf Internet and ChoiceLight celebrate with the Wilder family, the first to connect to Surf’s latest completed fiber-optic construction project in Clay Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana. Pictured from left to right: Jake Tague, Surf Internet Sales Representative; Scott Franko, Surf Internet Director of Business Development and Community Relations; Shawn, Stephanie, and Coraline Wilder; Jim Morris, Surf Internet Regional Development Manager; and Jamie Brazeau, ChoiceLight Business Development Manager.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (July 23, 2024)—Surf Internet® proudly announces the expansion of its high-speed fiber-optic network to South Bend, further extending its reach within northern Indiana’s St. Joseph County. Following initial deployments in Lakeville and New Carlisle, Surf delivered service late last year to 2,400 homes on the south side of South Bend. The project now progresses north to Clay Township, where over 2,700 additional homes are slated to have access to Surf’s state-of-the-art fiber-optic services by Fall 2024.
“Surf is thrilled to deliver our high-speed internet services to South Bend area residents,” said CEO Gene Crusie. “As an Elkhart-based company, it’s particularly exciting to serve our neighboring county. While many areas of St. Joseph County are more populated, there are still underserved pockets where high-speed internet access or provider options are limited. We are privileged to bring our state-of-the-art services to these communities.”
The service was initially launched with speeds of up to 2 gigabits per second (Gbps) but has been designed with the future in mind. Surf’s infrastructure will provide a foundation capable of scaling to 10 Gbps in the near future, ensuring the network remains competitive and “future-proof.” This is especially important for consistent performance when using an internet connection across multiple devices for e-learning, video conferencing, working from home, gaming, entertainment, and so much more.
Kimberly Dutton, the first customer connected to Surf’s fiber-optic network in South Bend this past February, expressed her satisfaction with the service. During a visit by Surf leadership to her home in the Whispering Hills neighborhood on the south side of the city, Dutton remarked, “I love the consistency and fast speed! No issues at all!”
Shawn Wilder’s family was the first to connect once service went live in Clay Township, north of South Bend, in June. He shared his positive experience, saying, “I’m paying almost half the price and getting double the speed! We are very happy with Surf.”
Terry O’Brien, Economic Development Planner for the St. Joseph County Department of Infrastructure, Planning & Growth, emphasized the significance of Surf’s investment in the county. “We appreciate Surf Internet’s investment in bringing fiber broadband to residents in these parts of the county. We recognize the transformational benefits that fiber broadband brings to the community and are thankful for Surf’s ability to bring that infrastructure to homes in the county,” O’Brien stated.
Kimberly Dutton, the first customer connected to Surf Internet’s fiber-optic network in St. Joseph County, celebrates with Surf Internet and community leaders. Pictured from left to right: Terry O’Brien, Economic Development Planner for the St. Joseph County Department of Infrastructure, Planning & Growth; Regina Emberton, CEO of ChoiceLight; Kimberly Dutton; and Surf Internet’s Business Development Representatives Scott Franko and Jim Morris.
One of Surf’s key partners in this initiative is ChoiceLight, a South Bend-based fiber-optic infrastructure-as-a-service network extending more than 500 miles throughout St. Joseph, Elkhart, and Marshall counties in Indiana. Surf leverages ChoiceLight’s existing dark fiber infrastructure and unlit optical fiber cables to expand its reach into unserved areas, eliminating the need to build new fiber paths. By installing its own optical equipment at each end, Surf can cost-effectively provide high-speed internet access to new service areas, benefiting from the scalability and control offered by the dark fiber network.
“ChoiceLight is delighted that our robust fiber-optic infrastructure network is supporting Surf Internet’s expansion in St. Joseph County,” said ChoiceLight CEO Regina Emberton. “As a trusted partner, we empower service providers to extend their offerings and deliver affordable, reliable internet service to communities and neighborhoods. It is rewarding to see the growing number of businesses and residents that can now access a brighter digital future!”
All active construction projects in St. Joseph County are scheduled for completion by this fall. An additional 8,000 St. Joseph County addresses are being added to Surf’s construction plans through 2026. This expansion in northern Indiana is part of Surf’s broader commitment to building an advanced fiber-optic network serving rural communities across the Great Lakes region, including Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. To check if Surf Internet services are available at a specific address, visit https://surfinternet.com/ and click “Check Availability.”
About Surf Internet
Surf Internet is an innovative fiber-optic internet company that serves as the essential gateway to connectivity across the Great Lakes region of Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The company is building a bridge to the wide-open future by delivering high-speed, reliable internet to homes and businesses in underserved, rural communities. Surf’s 250-plus-person team is local, giving them an edge when it comes to customer care and advocacy for the region. Headquartered in Elkhart, Ind., Surf also has offices in La Porte, Ind., Byron Center and Fowlerville, Mich., and Coal City, Naperville, and Rock Falls, Ill. Learn more at https://surfinternet.com.