Bridging the Digital Divide: ChoiceLight and Surf Internet Partner to Enhance Connectivity for South Bend Schools
Reliable, high-speed internet is a necessity in today’s educational landscape, ensuring students and educators have access to critical digital resources. In an exciting new collaboration, ChoiceLight, Inc. and Surf Internet have been selected to provide enhanced fiber-optic connectivity to the South Bend Community School Corporation (SBCSC), one of Indiana’s largest school districts. This initiative will significantly improve network infrastructure across 33 district sites, benefiting more than 15,000 students and educators.
Expanding High-Speed Access
Through this partnership, each SBCSC site will receive a dedicated 10 Gbps connection, with Surf providing a total of 20 Gbps of dedicated internet service for the district. This robust network will support essential applications, including security systems, phone services, student information software, and remote learning tools. By leveraging its existing regional dark fiber network, ChoiceLight will play a key role in extending connectivity, ensuring all district locations benefit from enhanced internet speeds and reliability.
Currently, ChoiceLight’s infrastructure connects 14 SBCSC buildings, forming a strong foundation for the initiative. To achieve full district-wide coverage, nearly 60 percent of sites will require new fiber construction. This effort underscores the commitment to expanding digital access for schools and ensuring students and faculty can seamlessly integrate technology into their daily learning experiences. Work on the project is already underway, with services expected to go live for the 2025/2026 school year.
Funding Through the E-Rate Program
The project is primarily funded through the federal Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) E-Rate program, which provides essential financial assistance to schools and libraries for telecommunications services. This funding is allocated based on the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunches, ensuring that schools with the greatest need receive critical resources for improved connectivity. As Indiana’s third-largest Category 1 E-Rate provider, Surf will serve as the primary internet provider, working alongside ChoiceLight to implement this transformative initiative.
Strengthening the Community’s Digital Future
This project is more than just an infrastructure upgrade—it represents a significant step forward in ensuring that SBCSC students, teachers, and administrators have the digital resources necessary to succeed in a rapidly evolving world. With cutting-edge fiber-optic technology, the district will be better equipped to support digital learning, remote education, and future technological advancements.
“South Bend Schools’ ability to deliver modern educational experiences depends on robust, reliable connectivity,” said Michael Hutter, E-Rate Business Development Director at Surf. “By partnering with ChoiceLight, we’re ensuring the district has the infrastructure it needs to meet today’s demands and prepare for future advancements in technology.”
Beyond meeting the district’s immediate needs, this partnership lays the groundwork for potential future residential fiber expansions in St. Joseph County. By evaluating community needs and proximity to district sites, the project could serve as a catalyst for broader high-speed internet accessibility in underserved neighborhoods.
“This project is a testament to what can happen when community-minded partners bring their cutting-edge resources to the table,” said Regina Emberton, Chief Executive Officer of ChoiceLight, Inc. “We are excited to increase the availability and improve the accessibility of quality internet connectivity through this partnership.”
Looking Ahead
As technology continues to play an increasingly integral role in education, partnerships like this ensure that local students are not left behind. ChoiceLight remains committed to fostering digital equity by expanding fiber-optic infrastructure, enabling students, educators, and communities to thrive in an increasingly connected world. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of this project as it unfolds, providing South Bend schools with the digital tools they need for a brighter future.
For more information on ChoiceLight, Inc., visit www.choicelight.org.
