Cajun Broadband Successfully Completes State’s First GUMBO Project
Broussard, La. – Cajun Broadband, a Louisiana-based internet service provider, announced the successful installation of 90,000 feet of fiber cable in St. Martin Parish that will provide high-speed internet service to more than 500 previously underserved homes and businesses.
This milestone marks the completion of the first project funded by the Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities (GUMBO) program under the newly formed Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity.
“We are incredibly proud to complete the first GUMBO project to serve the residents of St. Martin Parish,” said Chris Disher, managing partner of Cajun Broadband. “We believe our partnership with parish leaders can serve as a model for bringing broadband to other underserved areas of our state, helping Louisiana become more nationally competitive and improving quality of life for its residents.”
The first phase of the completed project—a first of its kind in Louisiana—was created through a landmark cooperative endeavor agreement between Cajun Broadband and St. Martin Parish Government.
Under the agreement, signed in February 2022, the parish utilized an initial $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for the first phase of the project and pledged a 20% match in funds towards the GUMBO application for the second phase of the project. The partnership paved the way for the contribution of right-of-way, due diligence, and community awareness efforts, further strengthening the application.
“Many residents and local business in our parish struggle to access reliable internet service,” St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said. “With so much of our daily life revolving around internet connectivity, we are making fiber infrastructure modernization a priority for our parish. Not only will this improve quality of life but also provide a number of positive community benefits, including higher-quality education, health care, and workforce and economic development opportunities.”
During construction, the Cajun Broadband team installed more than 20,000 linear feet of fiber every week beginning in September 2022—completing the installation in time for the holiday season, when internet demand significantly increases.
"This project has truly been a team effort to bring reliable internet to residents in St. Martin parish as quickly as possible, and we are excited to continue helping to close the digital divide as we expand fiber accessibility throughout St. Martin Parish and beyond,” Disher said. “We are honored to have the state recognize our work and provide an opportunity for us make a real difference in our communities and the lives of fellow Louisianians—in a way that the larger telecommunications providers simply can’t do.”
This is the first of several broadband projects funded by more than $20 million in grants the state awarded to Cajun Broadband to fund the planning and installation of similar projects across 10 parishes—providing high-speed service to over 10,000 homes and businesses.
The second phase of Cajun Broadband projects in St. Martin Parish will begin in February 2023 and bring fiber service to over 500 homes and businesses in the Breaux Bridge area beginning on Hwy 94, traversing Hwy 31, and ending in Cecilia.
Cajun Broadband will complete the remaining GUMBO-funded projects in 2023 and is canvassing the state to partner with other underserved municipalities who need assistance applying for and implementing fiber-to-the-home projects.
From left to right, Parish President Cedars is joined by Allen Leonard, Jimmy Lewis and Chris Disher of Cajun Broadband, and Kiesha Lee with the Cade Water District