Maui Becomes Fourth Fully Fiber-Enabled Hawaiian Island
Hawaiian Telcom targets a complete statewide transition to fiber by the year's end.
May 5, 2026 – Hawaiian Telcom announced that Maui is now fully fiber-enabled, marking a major milestone in the company’s effort to make Hawaii the first fully fiber-connected state in the nation.
The company said last year it aimed to complete a statewide transition to fiber by 2026. With Maui now complete, it becomes the fourth island to reach full fiber coverage, leaving just one remaining before Hawaii could become the first state entirely connected through fiber-optic infrastructure.
Hawaiian Telcom President Su Shin said that company officials were “working hard to ensure Hawai‘i’s people are not left behind in a world that relies on moving massive amounts of data at top speeds.”
For Maui residents and businesses, the upgrade means access to symmetrical high-speed internet delivered directly over fiber networks, improving reliability and performance compared to legacy systems.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said the investment has already demonstrated its value during extreme weather events. Bissen said fiber allowed Maui residents to be more resilient during recent Kona low storms and the network’s backup power ensured families could stay connected.
“Hawaiian Telcom’s investment in our island to create a robust fiber network strengthens local businesses, community organizations, and economic opportunities across all islands. This lifts up everyone on Maui, now and for future generations,” Bissen told Maui Now.
Hawaiian Telcom currently provides fiber-to-the-premise service to about 60 percent of the state, reaching more than 400,000 homes and businesses, as it continues to expand its network.
The expansion comes as fiber infrastructure is increasingly viewed as critical to supporting emerging technologies. Demand from artificial intelligence and cloud computing is reshaping broadband needs nationwide, with fiber networks serving as the backbone for high-capacity data transmission.
The FCC has also emphasized the shift to fiber networks, which are less vulnerable to outages and cheaper to maintain.
