4.8 million Cuyahoga County households get new broadband option

A new broadband provider has won a $2.4 million contract from the Ohio Department of Technology to install high-speed internet in underserved areas of Cuyahoga County. The award, announced on October 29, targets 4.8 million household connections across the region, with the first installations scheduled to begin in March 2027.

The initiative responds to a gap in connectivity identified in a 2025 county survey. That survey found that 12% of residents in suburban townships like Strongsville and Garfield Heights lacked access to speeds above 100 Mbps. The new provider, NetLink Solutions, will use a hybrid fiber and fixed wireless model to reach these areas without requiring extensive trenching.

County officials say the project is the largest public-private partnership for digital infrastructure in the county's history. NetLink will install 15 new cell towers and 300 miles of fiber optic cable. The company plans to hire 45 local technicians for the installation phase, with jobs expected to last through 2028.

Residents in the target zones will receive a 20% discount on their first year of service. The monthly rate for the 500 Mbps tier will be $55. No credit check is required for the promotional rate. Applications for the discount window open on January 15, 2027, and close on March 31, 2027.

The Department of Technology selected NetLink after a competitive bid process that included three other regional providers. The contract includes a performance clause requiring 99.5% uptime. If the provider fails to meet this benchmark for two consecutive months, a 5% penalty will be applied to the final payment.

County Engineer Jane Doe stated that the project will reduce the digital divide in the western part of the county. She noted that the previous provider had only reached 85% of the target households. The new infrastructure will also support the county's planned 5G rollout in 2029.

NetLink's CEO, Mark Smith, said the company is committed to local hiring. He announced that the first 20 technicians will be recruited from within the county. Training will take place at the Cuyahoga Community College campus in Lakewood, starting in February 2027.