Alton (IL) company launches $25 million fiber project to bring high-speed internet citywide

The company that’s renovating much of downtown Alton (IL) has launched a $25 million citywide fiber internet network. AltonWorks, which already opened a coworking space and has a number of housing efforts underway, is behind the opening of FiberNet. The service will reach 94 percent of the city's residents and provide speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, the same connectivity used by Fortune 500 companies, AltonWorks said. "Today marks Alton's entrance into the next century," said John Simmons, CEO of AltonWorks. "We're not just installing cables. We're dismantling digital barriers, unlocking innovation, and ensuring that every child, every entrepreneur, and every resident has access to the same world-class opportunities as anyone, anywhere. This network will serve Alton for the next 100 years, evolving with technology we can't even imagine today." Simmons, a local attorney and member of the Southern Illinois University board of trustees, started AltonWorks in 2018 with the hope to revitalize his hometown. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity provided $20 million for the creation of AltonWorks FiberNet with a grant.