Ripple Fiber plans to invest more than $80 million to bring high-speed, 100% fiber-optic internet service to more than 50,000 homes and businesses across Pima County as the company expands into Arizona for the first time.
The North Carolina-based internet provider announced construction will begin later this month in Oro Valley, followed by Sahuarita in early June. Additional municipalities are expected to be announced as the project progresses, with service anticipated to launch for the company’s first Arizona customers later this summer.
The expansion marks Arizona as Ripple Fiber’s 11th state since the company was founded in 2021.
“Arizona is our eleventh state, and it’s one we’ve worked toward with intention,” Ripple Fiber founder and CEO Greg Wilson said in a statement. “We’ve spent time in Oro Valley and Sahuarita building the relationships that give a project like this the foundation it needs to succeed.”
Ripple Fiber Chief Government Affairs Officer Bobbie Gilbert said Pima County stood out as an attractive location after the company evaluated markets across the country.
“Pima County stood out as something that really attracted us from the business perspective,” Gilbert said. “There was a lot of opportunity there, and in having conversations initially with Oro Valley and Sahuarita, they were very welcoming and very engaging.”
Gilbert said the company is also in discussions with the city of Tucson and Pima County regarding possible future expansion into unincorporated areas.
Ripple Fiber said its fiber-optic network will provide symmetrical internet speeds, increased reliability and infrastructure designed to meet growing technology demands, including remote work, telehealth, online gaming and artificial intelligence applications.
Residential packages will start at $40 per month, with plans scaling up to 8 Gig service. Plans at 1 Gig and above will include an eero Pro 7 router and free internet backup service, while multi-gig plans will include a three-year price lock.
Gilbert said fiber technology offers long-term advantages over traditional cable infrastructure.
“Fiber is the technology of the future,” Gilbert said. “It is future-proof. It’s a more reliable and resilient technology and really capable of managing what’s coming ahead with technology.”
According to data provided by Ripple Fiber from The Brattle Group’s November 2024 report on fiber deployment, expanding fiber broadband access nationwide could generate more than $3.24 trillion in economic impact, increase home values and create an estimated 380,000 jobs.
The report also found that households in nonurban areas with newly deployed fiber internet could experience an average income increase of about $1,450 annually.
Gilbert said broadband access plays a critical role in economic development and future community growth.
“We’re looking at really providing our fiber internet product across these homes and businesses to support telehealth, remote learning, work, gaming and all the benefits that come with having a fiber internet product,” Gilbert said.
Sahuarita Mayor Tom Murphy praised the project, calling reliable broadband infrastructure essential for residents and businesses.
“Fast, reliable internet has become essential to how families live and how businesses compete, and our residents deserve access to a network built to meet those demands for decades to come,” Murphy said in a statement.
Gilbert emphasized the importance of maintaining strong relationships with local governments and residents throughout the construction process.
“We’re not just here to build and leave,” Gilbert said. “We’re here to make a long-term investment and be involved.”
Residents in construction areas will begin receiving mailers, postcards and door hangers with information about upcoming work in their neighborhoods, according to Ripple Fiber.
Ripple Fiber also plans to partner with local organizations and chambers of commerce as part of its long-term community involvement efforts.
“For us, it’s really important that residents and leadership know who we are,” Gilbert said. “The closer we are aligned with the community, the better these projects go.”