Hawaiʻi To Be Fully Fiber-Enabled by 2026

The availability of fast, broadband internet service is of the top criteria given by buyers searching for a primary residence home in Hawaiʻi.

It is a valid question, given that our neighbor islands (Hawaiʻi the Big Island, Kauai, Maui, Molokaʻi and Lanaʻi) are rural, with significant portions lacking in public water or electrical service. In rural areas, the only broadband internet option until now has often been expensive satellite service. That was true of my current home in Hawi when I bought it in 2021 – even though the surrounding subdivision of Maliu Ridge had cable for TV and Internet.

My Hawaiian Telcom fiber optic package includes high speed internet and a phone line

Hawaiian Telcom: State of Hawaiʻi to be Fully Fiber-Enabled by End of 2026

Not only do we have more residents working from home, but many businesses require high speed, reliable internet. Having high speed internet fosters economic growth and allows for  provision of top quality services from health care to online higher education for our rural communities.

For these reasons, Hawaiian Telcom made a commitment more than a decade ago to invest heavily in fiber broadband connectivity.

It expects to have all of Hawaiʻi fiber-enabled by the end of next year.

• Molokaʻi and Lanaʻi were the first islands addressed – fiber optic cable was in place in 2023
• The fiber-optic network on Kauai was completed this month (June 2025)
• Maui is expected to be complete by the end of 2025
• Oʻahu and the Big Island will be fully fiber-enable by the end of 2026.

This will make Hawaiʻi the first state to achieve this goal.

Still Up to Individual Homeowners and Subdivisions To Obtain Utilities, Including Internet

Imagine my joy when the Hawaiian Telcom truck appeared at the bottom of our road to install a new node to accommodate fiber. The word passed quickly via our neighborhood group text. A few short month later, the crews returned to hang the fiber optic cable over the existing copper lines along our road. Then they used the existing phone lines into my home to guide the new fiber line in place.

And yes, as this test shows, we can have multiple devices on video conferencing at the same time, essential for the practice of modern real estate!

That having been said, even if fiber optic service is available in your neighborhood, the home you are purchasing might be on cable, DSL, or satellite. Just like water could be provided by the County, a private provider, or catchment. Just like electrical service could be public power or photovoltaic. Your agent can help you determine what utility service is available for properties of interest.