LENOIR CITY, Tenn. — The Lenoir City Utility Board said crews would start work on a fiber optic broadband system this week. They will gather for an informal ceremony with Lenoir City Mayor Tony Aikens at the job site on Wednesday, near the intersection of Harrison Road and Glenfield Drive down the street from Lenoir City High School.
Officials said that the first in-home services for fiber internet are expected to be available in that neighborhood by November. Customers who want to check when fiber internet may be available for them can use an online tool to search their address.
The internet is faster than most other providers, according to LCUB. They also said there would be no data caps or speed throttling. The new fiber network also uses technology that matches download and upload speeds, which can make working from home and communicating on conference calls easier.
They also said the installation would be free when it is available at a customer's home.
Plans to provide fiber optic broadband were first announced in February. Construction was originally set to start in June 2022, but it was delayed because of issues getting the materials the project needed, according to a release from LCUB.
They said the network would cost around $22 million to build. Officials previously said the business plans could result in net losses from the first 3 years of operation, but then start profiting in all future periods.
LCUB said it will pay a portion of the costs for the fiber-optic network, and they said they anticipate using inter-division loans to cover the other costs.