WHITMAN COUNTY – The Port of Whitman County and the towns of Malden and Pine City, Washington recently completed a multi-year project to install fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) around Pine City and Malden. The project brings broadband internet access to a rural area previously unserved by any broadband internet service providers. The launch of the fiber optic network began in October as the construction of fiber to the homes was completed.

“We want to thank our partners in Malden and Pine City for their collaboration in getting this essential service to their residents, as well as the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Community Economic Revitalization Board and the Washington State Broadband Office for providing needed funding to this project,” said Kara Riebold, Executive Director of the Port of Whitman County. “We also could not have done this project without WiFiber, whose commitment to providing service along the open access network in this area makes broadband service possible.”

Funding for the project came from a $1,734,921 CERB grant appropriated from the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, and $433,730 from the Washington State Broadband Office’s Match Grant Program.

The new underground fiber broadband will provide service to approximately 70 homes. As of October 2022, third-party speed tests in the area did not register any connections faster than 16/2Mbps, far below the state broadband standard of 100/20 Mbps. The new fiber service will support speeds of 1 Gbps/1 Gbps.

Broadband access will provide e-learning, work-from-home, business, telemedicine and other digital opportunities for an area still recovering from devastating fires in 2020. 

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About the Port of Whitman County

The Port of Whitman County is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Whitman County through industrial real estate development, preservation of multi-modal transportation, facilitation of economic development and provision of on-water recreational opportunities.