Garfield, WA (November 1, 2021) – The Port of Whitman County today announced that high-speed fiber-optic internet service is now available to Garfield residents and businesses. As a result of the network build, the citizens of Garfield will be able to choose from among at least three internet service providers (ISPs).

The network enables “Gig-speed” or Gigabit fiber internet, streaming TV and fiber-based phone services for the first time in the city, the same services that went live in Palouse on October 15 and Rosalia on July 30, as part of a five-city partnership between the Port and Ziply Fiber to build fiber internet in Whitman County. The remainder of the builds in the county – which include Oakesdale and Tekoa – are currently under construction. 

“We are thrilled to announce that Garfield’s ultra-fast fiber-optic internet network is ready for service. This new network will elevate our connectivity, providing residents and businesses with dependable internet and phone services, on par with any city in the state,” said Kara Riebold, Chief Operating Officer at the Port of Whitman County. “We have witnessed the huge impact this open-access model has made within our cities over the last few months, and now the citizens of Garfield have the opportunity to take advantage of the options available to them.”

Residents and businesses will benefit greatly from the significant speed, capacity, and reliability upgrade that fiber internet provides when making video calls, uploading, and downloading content and streaming entertainment. 

“Ziply Fiber’s primary belief is simple: Easy, reliable internet access is fundamental for all individuals, families, and businesses, regardless of their zip code,” said Harold Zeitz, CEO of Ziply Fiber. “Our partnership with the Port of Whitman County paved the way for us to continue bringing this vision to reality. This week, we are proud to show the residents and businesses in Garfield what access to ‘Gig-speed’ means.”

Construction of the new fiber network was supported by the Washington Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB), which was formed in 1982 to respond to local economic development in Washington communities. CERB’s Rural Broadband Program provides low-interest loans and grants to local governments and federally-recognized Indian tribes, financing the cost to build infrastructure to provide high-speed, open-access broadband service, to rural underserved communities, for the purpose of community economic development. 

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About Port of Whitman County 
The Port of Whitman County is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Whitman County through industrial real estate development, preservation of multi-modal transportation, facilitation of economic development and provision of on-water recreational opportunities.