AccessPlus and MBI Celebrate Affordable Fiber Internet Going Live at Hearthway Properties

New high-speed fiber connection advances AccessPlus’s commitment to expanding affordable internet access in Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD, MA, UNITED STATES, September 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — AccessPlus joined the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI), Hearthway Properties, and local community leaders this week to celebrate the launch of high-speed fiber internet service at Hearthway Properties in Pittsfield.

The Go LIVE celebration marks another important milestone in AccessPlus’s work to connect Pittsfield’s affordable housing communities to fast, reliable and affordable internet service.

Through funding from MBI’s Residential Retrofit Program, AccessPlus has been awarded projects to bring high-speed fiber connectivity to housing units across 4 Pittsfield properties. The program supports improvements to broadband infrastructure in public and affordable housing communities, helping address one of the most significant barriers to digital access: reliable, affordable connectivity.

“Connecting Pittsfield’s affordable housing communities has been a priority for us from the beginning,” said Kevin Alward, CEO of AccessPlus. “High-speed internet is essential to everyday life — for education, work, healthcare, accessing services and staying connected. Working with MBI and local housing partners gives us the opportunity to make sure more residents have access to the speed and reliability of fiber at a price that works for their household.”

Bringing Affordable, High-Speed Fiber Directly to Residents

AccessPlus’s affordable housing fiber program provides residents with access to high-speed fiber internet starting at 500 Mbps for $35 per month, including Wi-Fi, with no hidden fees or long-term contracts.

Unlike traditional cable connections, fiber provides symmetrical upload and download speeds and the capacity to support the growing number of connected devices used in today’s households.

The Hearthway Properties activation builds on AccessPlus’s first MBI-supported Pittsfield Go LIVE earlier this year, when new fiber service became available across four Pittsfield Housing Authority properties.

“Reliable, affordable internet access is an important resource for our residents. We’re proud to work with MBI and AccessPlus to bring high-speed fiber directly to our Hearthway communities and help ensure our residents have the connectivity they need for work, education, healthcare and everyday life.”

— Eileen Peltier, President and CEO, Hearthway Properties

Expanding Digital Access in Pittsfield

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute’s Residential Retrofit Program is designed to improve broadband infrastructure at public and affordable housing properties throughout Massachusetts and address barriers that can prevent residents from accessing high-quality internet service.

“The Residential Retrofit Program is providing reliable, affordable broadband in public and affordable housing in order to close the digital divide in communities that have been historically marginalized. This Hearthway Properties project in Pittsfield is another example of how the program is successfully bringing housing providers, internet providers and community partners together to ensure residents have the connectivity they need to thrive.”

— Michael Baldino, MBI Director and General Counsel

AccessPlus has deep roots in the Berkshires and has made significant investments in fiber infrastructure in Pittsfield. Today, that infrastructure is supporting affordable housing connectivity, existing AccessPlus customers, and new business connections throughout the area.

AccessPlus provides fiber internet, dedicated internet access, business voice, managed networks and other communications solutions designed to give local organizations access to reliable, high-performance connectivity backed by a local team.

For AccessPlus, connecting affordable housing is an important part of putting that local fiber infrastructure to work for the community.

“Projects like Hearthway are exactly why local investment in connectivity matters,” Alward added. “We’re able to pair our fiber infrastructure with programs like MBI’s to deliver a service that can make a meaningful difference for local households.”

About AccessPlus

AccessPlus is a locally based provider of fiber internet, business voice, managed network and connectivity solutions serving Western Massachusetts, Block Island, Rhode Island, and the Capital District of New York. With roots in the Berkshires spanning more than 20 years, AccessPlus provides communications services to businesses, municipalities, organizations and residents throughout the region.

In Pittsfield, AccessPlus operates its own fiber infrastructure, providing high-speed connectivity to affordable housing communities, local businesses, and existing customers.

For more information about AccessPlus, visit GetAccessPlus.com.

About the Massachusetts Broadband Institute at MassTech

A division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) is working to extend high-speed internet access and availability across the state. To achieve this, MBI uses state and federal funding to launch infrastructure expansion programs that target areas of the state that lack high-speed internet access as well as digital equity programs that tackle barriers to internet adoption and increase availability, addressing critical issues around affordability, enhanced public Wi-Fi, the need for internet-enabled devices, and digital literacy training. Learn more at broadband.masstech.org.

Megan Andersen
AccessPlus
+1 877-422-2377
email us here

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