Alleviating the Digital Divide

In today’s digital world, having high-speed internet can increase economic opportunities, elevate education, improve access to healthcare, and more. Surf Internet—a fiber-based high-speed broadband provider in the Great Lakes region—is committed to providing affordable internet to unserved and underserved communities in both rural and urban areas.

The company has partnered with local municipalities and secured grants across the region to build more extensive broadband networks. In Indiana alone, for example, Surf Internet received a $6.6 million grant from the state’s Next Level Connect program to expand its network there and is matching those funds to invest over $10 million in the state’s northern region. Since Bain Capital Credit acquired a majority stake in Surf Internet in 2021, the business continues to increase its impact.

Surf Internet also supports federal initiatives like the Affordable Connectivity Program, which ensures that households living below the federal poverty level have access to broadband services and computers. Through this program, the company delivers internet service to nearly 300 households and gives approximately $120,000 in federally funded discounts to qualifying customers each year. Additionally, Surf Internet is working with federal partners to educate communities about the program’s benefits, improve ease of registration, and increase participation among eligible households.

Part of Surf Internet’s mission is to improve access to education. It’s why the company partners with the federal Schools and Libraries Program, commonly known as E-Rate, to offer service discounts of up to 90% for eligible institutions. Since its inception, Surf Internet has invested more than $13 million to support 70+ schools in this program, including grants. During the height of the pandemic, the company equipped school buildings in the Elkhart School District—where 80% of students are enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program—with outdoor WiFi hotspots to allow students without internet access at home to complete online lessons and assignments.