Hawaii has received federal approval to spend nearly $149 million to expand high-speed internet access statewide, one of the largest digital infrastructure investments in the state’s history. The funding comes through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and supports the Connect Kakou initiative.
Connect Kakou aims to provide affordable and reliable broadband to every Hawaiian island. With approval secured, Hawaii can now move from planning to construction and deployment, officials said. The announcement was made at the Pacific Telecommunications Council’s annual conference, PTC 2026, in Honolulu.
About 7,000 unserved or underserved locations are eligible for the BEAD investment. State officials said approximately 82% of these locations will receive fiber-optic service, while the remaining 18% will rely on low-Earth-orbit satellite technology in areas where fiber installation is impractical.
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who leads Connect Kakou, said the program depends on a mix of public and private partnerships to close coverage gaps. Connect Kakou was launched by Governor Josh Green and Luke in partnership with the University of Hawaii, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and other state and county agencies. Public information sessions continue across the islands.
“To connect our islands to the world, it starts with Google and the subsea cables connecting Hawaii globally,” Luke said. “Then Ocean Networks helps connect our islands, and Hawaiian Telcom and Amazon bring service into our communities—expanding fiber where we can and reaching areas where it can’t. What you see is a true collective effort to fill every gap and connect Hawaii.”
Hawaii was among the first 18 states and territories to receive final BEAD approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The University of Hawaii Broadband Office will oversee implementation and finalize contracts with Hawaiian Telcom and Amazon’s low-Earth-orbit satellite service after a competitive procurement process.
Hawaiian Telcom President Su Shin said the funding complements the company’s broader $1.7 billion investment in fiber infrastructure across the state. “With the support and leadership of Altafiber, our parent company, we aim to make Hawaii the first fiber-enabled state in the country,” Shin said.
Amazon Vice President Brian Huseman emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in expanding access to hard-to-reach communities. The funding will also support last-mile broadband deployments that directly connect homes and businesses.
Beyond local connections, major subsea cable projects are underway to strengthen Hawaii’s role as a Pacific telecommunications hub. Google’s Pacific Connect Initiative includes cables like Taihei, linking Hawaii and Japan, and Tabua, connecting Hawaii to the U.S. mainland, Fiji, and Australia. Nigel Bayliff, senior director of global submarine networks at Google, said the new systems will significantly increase long-haul capacity and reliability.
Ocean Networks Inc. is developing the Hawaiian Islands Fiber Link, a new interisland subsea cable spanning roughly 400 miles. CEO Scott Schwertfager said the project will replace aging interisland infrastructure and is currently undergoing environmental review and cable manufacturing.
State officials said the BEAD funding is part of a broader plan that could bring more than $320 million in federal broadband and digital equity funding to Hawaii over the next five years. The state’s Digital Equity Plan, approved in March 2024, guides this effort to ensure connectivity across all communities.
The federal approval and ongoing projects position Hawaii to expand high-speed internet access, strengthen interisland connectivity, and enhance the state’s role in global telecommunications infrastructure.
