Company plans to complete Bartholomew fiber internet work despite delay

A company slated to provide high speed fiber internet access to most of rural Bartholomew County still plans to complete the work.

The company updated County Commissioners on the project Monday. Dave Brodin, CEO of the former Hoosier Fiber, now known as mStreet Fiber Indiana, said that the company hopes to start work again soon on the rollout of fiber optic infrastructure across the unincorporated parts of the county.

The work has been slowed after the main contractor laying the fiber filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. Brodin said that the company had a bond in place to ensure the work is completed despite the loss of its contractor. He said the surety bond company must still approve the restart of the work and the release of the funds. Brodin said they are nearing the hiring of a new contractor to start the work again and plans are to sign a contractor by Christmas.

The county has committed to giving the company $4 million dollars from COVID relief funds, if the company provides fiber access to 82 percent of the rural households. But Commissioner Tony London pointed out that if the work is not completed by the end of next year, the money will revert to the federal government and the company will get nothing.

Brodin said that even in that case, the work will still go on. He said the company’s investor, Meridiam, views the installation as a long term investment strategy and remains committed to the project.