Partnership with altafiber to bring fiber to homes

(Westerville, Ohio) - The City of Westerville and altafiber are proud to announce a new public-private partnership that will bring altafiber's cutting-edge, multigig XGS-PON fiber network to the community. Construction is slated to begin this summer, with the goal of providing Westerville residents with access to fast, reliable fiber internet for their homes within the next three years.

One of the most innovative aspects of this agreement is its funding structure: as a true public-private partnership, zero capital dollars are being used to finance the infrastructure, bringing a vital modern resource to the community without a high price tag.

Westerville stands out as a unique technology leader in Central Ohio, operating its own Electric Department as well as WeConnect, the City's community-owned data center. This partnership serves as another prime example of how Westerville deploys innovative, forward-thinking solutions to enhance the community, continuing our investment in quality of life and keeping it a highly attractive hub for employers.

Through a long-term presence at the WeConnect data center, altafiber will efficiently service local customers while collaborating with the City to deploy underground fiber in key areas to mitigate high excavation costs. This unique partnership drives new revenue streams for WeConnect and unlocks direct access to an expanded customer base.

Once the three-year build is complete, Westerville residents will have access to the robust broadband connectivity required to support hybrid work, remote education and advanced healthcare opportunities. altafiber is building to roughly 15,000 addresses in and around Westerville.

"High-speed internet is an absolute necessity for modern daily life. This partnership is Westerville's response to the need for fiber, and we found a way to do it without a multi-million dollar investment," said Westerville City Manager Monica Dupee.

"What makes this partnership truly special is our ability to build on prior plans and investments in infrastructure to deliver a crucial resource without making a significant commitment of City funds."

Greg Wheeler, chief operating officer of altafiber, said the collaboration reflects the company's commitment to partnering with forward-looking communities to expand fiber access. "We're excited to partner with the City of Westerville on this important investment in the community's digital future," Wheeler said. "World-class fiber infrastructure is a critical driver of economic growth-supporting business expansion, attracting new employers and enabling innovation across industries. Thanks to the leadership and vision of City Manager Monica Dupee and her team, Westerville is taking a forward-thinking approach that positions the city to compete for jobs and investment, while ensuring residents and businesses have the connectivity they need to grow and thrive."

As the leading provider of fiber-based services in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, altafiber has invested more than $1.5 billion to build and enhance its Midwest fiber network. The company is expanding its 100 percent Fiber-to-the-Home network into communities throughout Ohio, including Fayette, Franklin, Montgomery, Greene and Union counties.

altafiber currently offers symmetrical speeds up to 6 Gig with 99.99% network reliability. Westerville residents can visit the altafiber website to check their address eligibility and sign up for notifications as construction progresses into their neighborhoods this summer.

***

About the City of Westerville
The City of Westerville, Ohio, is a thriving, forward-thinking community of over 40,000 residents, named by Money Magazine one of America's "Best Places to Live." Often revered as "a city within a park," Westerville is consistently recognized for its award-winning municipal services, nationally acclaimed parks system, high levels of civic engagement, robust economic development that actively supports its diverse business base, thriving Uptown and high quality of life, which are supported by a progressive Council/Manager form of government. The City distinguishes itself by providing pioneering, unified customer service, functioning as a single, efficient point of contact to resolve every citizen request.

About altafiber
Cincinnati Bell is now doing business as "altafiber" in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. The Company delivers integrated communications solutions to residential and business customers over its fiber-optic network including high-speed internet, video, voice and data. The Company also provides service in Hawai'i under the brand Hawaiian Telcom. In total, altafiber can deliver gigabit Internet to more than 1 million addresses in the territories it serves. For more information, please visit www.altafiber.com. The information on the Company's website is not incorporated by reference in this press release.