'Major milestone' celebrated in Camden for middle mile fiber network project

A "major milestone" has been reached as state and local leaders announced the near completion of a 3,500-mile fiber internet project during a celebration in Camden. 

According to an announcement from the office of Gov. Kay Ivey the project is a partnership between the Alabama Fiber Network (AFN) and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) to bring internet access to unserved and underserved areas. 

Though the project is reportedly set to be finished in February 2026 state funding has allowed middle-mile service to be provided in all 67 counties as of October 31. 

Leaders celebrated as the network crossed the Alabama River at the J. Lee Long Bridge on Alabama Highway 29. 

“Since my first day as governor, I have made it a top priority to ensure every Alabamian, no matter their zip code, has access to reliable, high-speed internet service through an internet service provider,” said Ivey.

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“This middle-mile network represents a once-in-a-generation investment in our state’s future. It will support our hospitals, schools, businesses, families, and it will ensure Alabama remains competitive in the 21st-century economy. Together, we are building a stronger, more connected Alabama.”

The announcement provided the following background information about the network: 

• The Alabama Statewide Middle-Mile Network is a roughly 3,500-mile fiber optic network connecting 64 counties. Additional grant funding has enabled the Alabama Fiber Network’s availability in all 67 counties ahead of schedule as of October 31, 2025.
• The middle mile project received $82.4 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), administered by ADECA through its Digital Expansion Division.
• The Alabama Fiber Network (AFN), a collaboration of Alabama’s rural electric cooperatives, is deploying the network.
• The network will connect key anchor institutions such as public safety facilities, K-12 schools, libraries, healthcare facilities and government buildings.
• By providing critical middle-mile infrastructure, the network will lower costs for internet service providers, accelerate last-mile broadband deployment and enhance economic development statewide.

“The Alabama Middle-Mile Network is an essential building block for our state’s digital future,” said Director Boswell. “By working together with the governor, the Legislature, our electric cooperatives and private partners, we are ensuring that every region — from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf Coast, to right here in the Black Belt — can participate fully in the opportunities that broadband brings.”