HONOLULU (KHON2) — Neighbor islands will soon have a second option for cable service provider. Many said it has been a long time coming and hope it will result in more competitive pricing.
If you live on a neighbor island and want cable service, until now you did not really have options. But that is about to change with Hawaiian Telcom expanding its cable franchises to Maui, Kauai and Hawaii counties.
“Starting August 5, we’re going to be launching our new Fioptics + video service on the neighbor island,” Hawaiian Telcom President Su Shin explained.
She said they have invested over a billion dollars in the last decade.
“To make sure we have enough fiber out there across the state to be able to support not just high-speed internet, at speeds people want and need today, but products like this, you know, incredibly exciting new TV product,” Shin added.
She describes it as a hybrid of traditional cable TV and popular streaming services like Netflix and Disney plus.
“I think options for our community is always a good thing,” Maui County Council Member Keani Rawlins-Fernandez said. “You know, Hawaiian Telecom has offered internet, so having cable and not just one choice is is good.”
Many hope the competition will help make cable services more affordable.
“In this day and age, everybody, you know, enjoys having options in regard to looking at what’s more economic for you,” Maui resident Joseph Phillip said. ” So, you know, with the addition of another service that’s being provided, especially with television, it’s just an exciting time for everybody.”
The State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) granted Hawaiian Telcom a 15-year franchise term, with a slew of requirements including their commitment to expanding their cable services.
In a statement the DCCA Director Nadine Ando, said: “This expansion will not only improve the video and communication infrastructure throughout Hawai’i but will also address the needs of underserved communities across the state.”
Shin said their fiber network currently covers just over 50 percent of the state.
“The island of Lanai is fully fiber enabled. The top side of Molokai is fully fiber enabled. By the end of this year, the island of Kauai will be fully fiber enabled. So we are making really good progress,” she explained.
But she said there are still places where customers will not qualify for cable services. Their goal is to have fiber statewide by 2027.
KHON2 reached out to Spectrum cable for comment and are waiting to hear back.
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