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New Britain launches $5 million high-speed internet project

City leaders say it’s the next step to keep up with the technology we all use today and bring everyone up to speed.

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — A new project for New Britain will bring high-speed, fiber-optic internet service to the entire city. It’s a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership in conjunction with GoNetspeed.

Though the project comes out to $5 million, it'll be at no cost to the taxpayers since it's funding by American Rescue Plan money. The service will be available to anyone who wants to make the switch. 

Over the course of one year, crews will lay down more than 100 miles of fiber, passing over 40,000 homes and businesses and more than 100 city buildings and intersections. 

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City leaders say it’s the next step to keep up with the technology we all use today and bring everyone up to speed. 

“It was evident during the pandemic that the infrastructure just wasn’t there," said Tom Perrone, the chief operating officer for GoNetspeed.

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“Our children and our students were required to adapt to online learning. But one of the this that we found was that our students didn’t have access to high-quality, affordable internet," said Mayor Erin Stewart. "I think the most important piece about this project is that we are truly bridging the digital divide.” 

Engineering for the project is already underway but it could take anywhere from 6 months to a year to complete it.

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GoNetspeed is waiving the installation fee for the service for neighbors. 

They say the internet will cost people $40 a month for year one and $50 for year two, with no set price increases. Some money is also set aside to help low-income families. 

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Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

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