Fidium Fiber recently connected large swathes of Windham to its network, the firm’s first foray into the Lakes Region.

After five months of construction, the network came online in phases during March and April. Lakes Region Now reported in November on the start of the construction of the network, which provides fiber connection to 7,500 homes in the Windham area.

Fidium provides high-speed internet to customers in eight states, including more than 360,000 homes in Maine. Within the Lakes Region, there are currently Fidium networks in Bridgton and Windham, with a network currently under construction in nearby Gorham. According to Sarah Davis, vice president of market development, Fidium is looking at expansion plans for 2026, with communities including Casco, Raymond and Naples expected to be on its radar.

In a previous interview with Lakes Region Now, Davis said that Consolidated Communication Holdings, Inc., Fidium’s parent company, had identified Windham as an excellent location to start building a local fiber network. She said that she sees fiber expansion as a way of spurring economic growth for rural communities, with the introduction of reliable broadband allowing customers to be well connected to Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings, run online businesses and participate in telehealth meetings, as well as helping students do their homework and engage in class during remote learning.

When asked about how the new fiber network could benefit Windham’s economy, Davis cited a study from the Center of Rural Innovation which described how fiber broadband drives economic growth in rural communities. According to the study, fiber broadband increases business growth by 213% and leads to 44% higher GDP, and that, on an individual level, fiber access has resulted in self-employment growth of 10% and increased per capita income by 18%, while also improving educational outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. Regarding real estate values, the study found that single-family homes with fiber access have a 4.9% higher value than those without.

Over the past two weeks, representatives of Fidium have been in the Windham area, going door to door and taking part in local events to inform residents about service options and availability. Fidium had previously sent out representatives ahead of the initial construction, in order to inform residents about what to expect during construction and how to be notified quickly once service was fully installed.