DE Fastlink reaches 10K subscribers

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - A company that provides high-speed internet service to rural customers just reached a milestone.

DE Fastlink now has 10,000 subscribers.

An event celebrating that achievement was held at the headquarters of the Dixie Electric Power Association on Thursday.

DE Fastlink began as a pilot project of Dixie Electric in May of 2020 after the Mississippi Legislature gave the go-ahead for electric cooperatives to offer broadband service.

Dixie Electric also received $3.675 million in CARES Act funding for co-op broadband projects in July of 2020.

Fiber construction began in October of 2020, and the first subscriber was connected on Dec. 7, 2020.

The 1,000th subscriber was connected in September of 2021.

The 10,000th subscriber family lives in Wayne County.

The final phase of the project is scheduled to be finished in the summer of 2023.

At the time of completion, DE Fastlink will have constructed about 3,500 miles of fiber.

DE Fastlink is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dixie Electric Power Association.

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