Belmont County GIG Provides Area Internet Service
Ohio GIG was established by the Dett P. Hunter family in 2020 to bring high-speed internet to underserved communities across the state of Ohio.
Vice President and Construction Manager Chad Blake said the company’s mission is to provide reliable internet service to both rural and in-town residents.
In 2022, the company expanded locally with the establishment of Belmont County GIG that offers both residential and business internet services.
Since the launch, the company has installed approximately 105 miles of fiber optic cable in the county while building infrastructure that’s able to serve 1,700 homes.
So far, construction has stretched west along Route 40 from State Route 331 in the East Richland area and south towards Belmont and Bethesda while also moving north from Wilson towards Barnesville.
Crews are also expanding to the Eastern Ohio Industrial Park north of Barnesville then north towards Hendrysburg and Fairview.
The installation process involves drilling underground, where crews place conduit about three feet below the surface where fiber optic lines are run.
The Belmont County GIG crew uses a directional drill (left) to install conduit, which houses fiber optic cables underground. ©Barnesville Area News Company Photo.
Fiber optic internet differs from traditional copper-based service in how data is transmitted. Instead of electrical signals, fiber uses light to carry information, allowing for faster and more reliable connections.
“It travels by light,” CPI technician Taylor Day said. “It’s all glass tubing that runs back to our data centers, gets plugged in via optics and sends light through the fibers.”
“It’s very safe, more reliable and more protected,” Blake added.
In addition to underground work, Belmont County GIG plans to build out an aerial project in Barnesville this summer that will provide service from the police station to the elementary school and beyond.
“Many people are underserved,” Blake said. “Some of the people we’ve connected are now able to obtain jobs and work from home. It’s a great opportunity, especially for those on fixed incomes.”
The local office for Belmont County GIG is located at 37281 Barnesville-Bethesda Road in the industrial park building that once housed Bob’s Chevrolet. Information on current or future internet service may be found on the website www.belmontcountygig.com
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