Hot Springs Village HyperFiber Installation Status Update

Hot Springs Village Public Services Director Ken Unger stated, “For the record, we realize some cuts HyperFiber contractors did were horrible. They did the installation so fast and we were surprised when we found this out. We have plans in place that we are working on, either through HyperFiber paying for the damage or a combination of potentially revisiting these damaged areas in the springtime or early summer to fix some of these areas. I can’t say what exactly will happen, but I want the residents in these areas to know that we don’t view some areas as satisfactory work. We do plan to take some steps to correct them.”

Hot Springs Village has experienced road damage due to the ongoing installation of HyperFiber’s high-speed internet service. HyperFiber, a new provider in the area, is working to bring fiber-optic internet to Villagers, offering speeds up to one gig. However, the installation has led to some challenges, including damaged roads and landscaping issues.

Public Services Director Ken Unger has assured residents that HyperFiber is actively working to address these problems. The company is patching up the affected areas and plans to implement a new approach that involves installing fiber along the edges of the pavement to minimize road damage. Despite the initial setbacks, HyperFiber is committed to improving the situation and ensuring a better experience for the community.

At a recent Public Services Committee Meeting, Hot Spring Village Public Services Director Ken Unger and Associate Public Services Director Matt Broom gave an update on the latest HyperFiber installation status.

Broom said that Public Services has gone back and forth with HyperFiber on how the POA wants the installation process. “It’s been somewhat of a headache, to say the least. We’ve got them back to boring.” HyperFiber has agreed to bore under the roads at all street crossings; Broom said that even on the back slope of the ditches, they should bore under driveways. “You can’t properly patch narrow cuts.”

Broom explained that they are working with HyperFiber to patch the cuts they have already made. “We may have to go back and do some type of seal or asphalt repair mix over the top of the cuts as the patching is not up to our standards.”

There will be some areas where boring is not possible. HyperFiber will need to make a wider cut in these areas for proper patching.

Unger said with the changes in reducing pavement cuts, “hopefully, there will be fewer issues going forward. Any road cuts made are subject to the approval of Public Services.”

“To my knowledge, HyperFiber has been working with residents to restore areas they have damaged and are doing what they need to do to make residents happy. This is in the best interests of HyperFiber. One of HyperFiber’s subcontracting crews is no longer installing in the Village, leaving only one subcontractor installing the fiber. This will make things easier for Public Services to keep track.”

“They do move fast and connect people to their service as they go. It is not like you have to wait for an entire neighborhood to be wired out. When they pass your house, they have been providing service to those people quickly. I am unaware of how many customers they have, but I will find out next week,” stated Unger.

Broom said HyperFiber is moving at a fast pace and are now heading west on Sierra Drive.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed and patient as HyperFiber works to resolve these issues and complete the installation process.

By Cheryl Dowden