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Crews work on digging into parkway along Morrison Boulevard in Elk Grove Village for Ripple fiber installation on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (Tom Wessell\/Journal photo)<\/p>\n
North Carolina-based Ripple Fiber is in the midst of a $104 million, 1,250-mile rollout of its internet service network expansion in Elk Grove Village \u2014 the first rollout of fiber-optic internet for the company in Cook County and Illinois.\n<\/p>\n
Unlike other telecommunications companies, Ripple only offers internet connectivity, not packages that include cable television or mobile services.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
Crews recently started installing plastic conduit underground along parkways and in about one in four residential easements in the village, said Elk Grove Public Works Director Bryan Grippo. Ripple\u2019s fiber-optic cable will run through the conduits.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe anticipate Elk Grove Village to be completed by mid-2026,\u201d Ripple Communications Director Emily Francois told the Journal & Topics last week.\n<\/p>\n
Fiber internet has been available in the Elk Grove Village business and technology parks in recent years. Mayor Craig Johnson remarked that one of the reasons Elk Grove Village is the second leading location for data centers in the U.S. (outside of suburban Washington, D.C.) is because of the existing network of fiber-optics available to companies.\n<\/p>\n
Fiber, described by Francois as \u201cthe next generation of the internet,\u201d has been slower to arrive in residential areas of Elk Grove Village. Johnson said AT&T briefly tried offering fiber in residential areas several years ago but abandoned that effort.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cDifferent from cable internet, fiber internet transmits data using pulses of light through strands of glass,\u201d Francois said. \u201cWith this design, fiber is incredibly fast and efficient. As a more resilient option than cable, fiber doesn\u2019t lose performance quality over long distances and is less vulnerable to weather interference.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWith symmetrical upload\/download speeds and minimal latency, among other benefits, fiber proves to be the future of the internet.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Johnson and Grippo said the customer service offered by Ripple for such a large-scale operation has been exemplary and even a little surprising. Both said so far, the village has received no complaints about installation crews working in neighborhoods. Johnson also said he has had positive interactions with Ripple workers who weren\u2019t aware of his title, but who have been working around his home.\n<\/p>\n
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Sign alerts motorists to utility work along Morrison Boulevard for new Ripple fiber internet on Friday, Aug. 8. (Journal photo)<\/p>\n
When asked why Elk Grove Village, specifically its residential areas, were selected by Ripple as the company\u2019s first in Illinois, Francois responded: \u201cElk Grove Village is a great community with a forward-thinking government who values the future of internet connectivity. We\u2019re proud to be the first provider to launch fiber internet service in the area.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
She said the company plans to expand its fiber services next in Illinois in Naperville.\n<\/p>\n
Francois detailed the possible costs to Elk Grove Village residents for fiber internet from Ripple. She said 500 MB speeds would cost $65 per month, 1 GB speeds (with a lifetime price guarantee) would cost $85 per month, and 2 GB speeds (with a limited-time \u201cprice for life\u201d guarantee) would cost $95 per month to start.\n<\/p>\n
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