DigitalC: Delivering on the Mission Despite Unprecedented Challenges

Cleveland’s digital divide has long been a glaring issue, leaving thousands of families—particularly students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD)—without reliable internet access. While major corporations ignored the problem, DigitalC stepped up to do the impossible: build a state-of-the-art broadband network from the ground up in some of the city’s most disconnected neighborhoods and offer service at an affordable rate. This effort wasn’t just ambitious—it was groundbreaking, the first of its kind in the entire telecom industry.

Yet, instead of being formally recognized for their extraordinary progress, DigitalC is now facing an unnecessary $1,000,000 penalty—despite exceeding the majority of goals and achieving 80% of installations. When the full picture is considered, one thing becomes clear: the city’s investment in DigitalC is working, and penalizing them now only hurts the residents who need this service the most.

Overcoming Roadblocks to Deliver on a First-of-Its-Kind Initiative

Building a broadband network at this scale and under these circumstances is something no company—big or small—has ever attempted. DigitalC agreed to connect 3,500 households in 2024 and 23,500 by 2027, fully aware that they were setting a precedent. However, like any first-of-its-kind project, there were unpredictable roadblocks.

One major challenge was that DigitalC was not permitted to knock on doors to sign people up for service until September 2024—nine months into the engagement and a full year after the Cleveland City Council was expected to facilitate these permits. Without door-to-door outreach, it was nearly impossible to enroll households at the pace needed. Once they received permission, installations surged by over 150%, proving that with the right support, they will not just meet but exceed expectations.

Then, in an event no one could have foreseen, Cleveland’s first tornado since 1953 destroyed months of DigitalC’s work, forcing them to rebuild critical infrastructure. Yet, even with these setbacks, they managed to connect over 2,800 households, coming remarkably close to their original target.

The Real Impact of the $1,000,000 Penalty

The penalty imposed on DigitalC—$500 per household signed up through the CMSD partnership—adds unnecessary strain to an already cost-intensive operation. With equipment alone costing $600 per household, these fines create artificial financial pressure that directly impacts the city’s most vulnerable residents.

More alarming is the impact of this penalty on CMSD students. The total CMSD penalty was $450,000, a cost that falls entirely on families who live in Cleveland. These penalties amount to $500 per CMSD household, despite the fact that the City Council knew DigitalC secured outside funding for students’ monthly payments from day one. How is this good judgment or responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars? The very students this program was supposed to help are now being penalized by a decision that was completely avoidable.

An Excessive and Illogical Cut

If any reduction in funding were necessary, a 20% cut—bringing the contract amount to $1,750,000, with DigitalC receiving $1.4 million—would have been a logical adjustment, representing a $350,000 reduction. Instead, the city will only pay them 43% (or $ 760,000) of the money for 80% of the work, despite the fact that it was city-imposed permitting delays that slowed installations in the first place.

This excessive $1,000,000 cut deeply impacts DigitalC’s already razor-thin budget, creating unnecessary financial hardship for a project that is demonstrably working. Rather than making an adjustment that aligns with the actual work completed, the city has chosen to dock more than half the funding for a project that is nearly finished.

DigitalC is On Track to Deliver

While some have tried to frame this as DigitalC missing the mark, the numbers tell a different story. The project has surpassed expectations in nearly every area except installations—a challenge that can be directly linked to delayed permitting. Now that those roadblocks have been removed, all projections indicate that DigitalC is on pace to meet and even exceed their goals.

Building a broadband network of this scale takes more than just funding—it requires vision, resilience, and adaptability. DigitalC has demonstrated all three. And with over $30 million raised outside of city funding, they have proven their commitment to making Cleveland a leader in digital equity.

This isn’t just about meeting a number—it’s about connecting families, ensuring students have access to education, and positioning Cleveland as a forward-thinking city that invests in solutions rather than punishing progress.

DigitalC is doing exactly what they set out to do. The only question now is whether Cleveland will support the success of its own investment—or create unnecessary hurdles for a project that is already delivering real results.