Apr 23, 2025 - News

DigitalC hits milestone in Cleveland broadband rollout

Sam Allard

Black man in blazer with hands in pockets, standing inside — DigitalC CEO Joshua Edmonds (R) and director of technology Rolando Alvarez (L) show off the network's high speeds in 2023. Photo: Sam Allard/Axios

In early April, the local nonprofit DigitalC connected its 4,000th Cleveland home to its wireless internet service, Canopy.

Why it matters: DigitalC received $20 million in federal stimulus funds to expand local broadband access, though City Council was initially skeptical that the unproven nonprofit could meet lofty subscriber benchmarks.

Flashback: In January, council's fears seemed to be warranted. DigitalC surrendered $1 million of its funding after falling short in 2024.

It connected 2,800 homes that year, well below its goal of 3,500.

The latest: In a presentation to council last week, DigitalC CEO Joshua Edmonds said the organization is now connecting homes at a faster pace and is on track to reach its 2025 goals — 4,700 new customers.

It connected 1,148 households in the first quarter of this year.

The big picture: To access the full $20 million in relief funds, DigitalC must connect 23,500 households that previously lacked broadband internet access over four years.

The high-speed Canopy service is $18 per month, regardless of income level, and is now available in broad swaths of the city.

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DigitalC hits milestone in Cleveland broadband rollout

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