Vexus Fiber is investing $50 million to bring a symmetrical multigigabit speed internet service in Southwest Louisiana.
The company is fully funding the network providing access to 40,000 homes and businesses in Lake Charles, Sulphur and Westlake.
Construction will begin in Q1 2022, with availability to some neighborhoods and businesses in the spring. Full completion of the 100% fiber network is estimated to take about 36 months.
“We are excited to expand our network into Lake Charles, Sulphur and Westlake,” “Gigabit speeds are becoming additionally important as more people work remotely or need access to education and other online applications,” Vexus CEO Jim Gleason said in a statement. “We are building the network of the future to help foster additional growth and economic development for the area.”
SWLA Economic Development Alliance President and CEO George Swift said the parish’s needs for a fiber-optic network have been critical for some time. This project, he said, will help the community “move into gigacity status.”
“We believe economic prosperity and growth are directly tied to a city’s ability to reach gigacity status,” Gleason said. “This region has faced challenges in recent years due to storms and this is an example of a way to help rebuild with even better technology.”
With this network build, Vexus plans to add around 75 construction jobs and 35 to 40 permanent jobs as they plan to open a local storefront in the next year.
Vexus Fiber currently operates fiber-to-the-home networks in Hammond, Covington and Mandeville, as well as communities in Texas. The region’s expansion is financed through existing Vexus investors, Pamlico Capital and Oak Hill Capital.
