Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke

August 29, 2025

HONOLULU – In June, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority (HPHA) and Hawaiian Telcom announced a public-private partnership to connect more than 45,000 residents in public housing communities statewide with reliable, high-speed fiber internet service.

The partnership is made possible by a $6 million in-kind contribution from Hawaiian Telcom: $5.5 million for infrastructure upgrades and an additional $500,000 to provide service to onsite community hubs for 10 years. No state or federal funds are being used for the project.

Over the past two months, Hawaiian Telcom established fiber connections to virtually all HPHA properties and is collaborating with other agencies to expedite the remaining connections in the upcoming month.

The effort supports the state’s Connect Kākou initiative, which aims to close the digital divide by bringing affordable, high-speed internet to every community in Hawai‘i.

“Investing in strong internet infrastructure is essential to ensure Hawaiʻi has the tools to thrive in today’s digital world and beyond,” said Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke. “As we make progress on this project for our public housing communities, we’re reaffirming our commitment to reliable internet access that residents can count on.”

HPHA residents will soon have the option to sign up for internet access at a discounted rate. Hawaiian Telcom will contact residents directly with details on how to enroll.

“We’re reaching an important milestone by connecting all HPHA properties to our fiber network, and now we’re focused on bringing service directly into each unit,” said Hawaiian Telcom President Su Shin. “Reliable internet is essential for families, and we’re proud to partner with the state to ensure residents in public housing have access to high-quality fiber internet.”

Through Connect Kākou, the state continues to focus on three key areas to close the digital divide:

• Infrastructure: Building connections that deliver high-speed broadband internet to every community.
• Devices: Ensuring people have laptops, phones, tablets, and the tools they need to connect.
• Know-How: Equipping our communities with the skills to navigate the online world effectively and safely.

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