Governor Ivey visits hometown to celebrate major milestone in Alabama’s middle-mile broadband expansion effort

Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL), along with state and local leaders, gathered on the banks of the Alabama River to mark a practical milestone in Alabama’s broadband buildout: the Alabama Fiber Network’s middle-mile line has crossed the J. Lee Long Bridge on Alabama Highway 29, one of the final major spans before the statewide backbone is finished. The ceremony took place in Camden, Gov Ivey’s hometown in Wilcox County. AFN, the rural-electric-co-op-led consortium building Alabama’s statewide middle-mile, now has service available in all 67 counties as of the end of October, with full project completion still tracking for February 2026, according to the Governor’s Office. The backbone totals roughly 3,500 miles and is designed to lower transport costs, add resiliency, and shorten timelines for last-mile internet service providers extending service to unserved and underserved areas.