Ezee Fiber Brings Fiber Internet to Elk Grove Village

Original article can be found at Elk Grove Business Journal

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, July 9, 2026 /EGBusinessJournal/ -- A third national internet provider has begun installing high-speed fiber internet infrastructure in Elk Grove Village, sparking a competitive race to wire the suburban community.

Ezee Fiber joins Ripple and AT&T in deploying residential fiber networks across the municipality. Company officials said the expansion is part of a broader push into suburban Chicagoland, a region they describe as underserved despite its status as a major commercial tech hub.

"The suburbs are starved for fiber," said Greg Thomas, Ezee Fiber's senior vice president and general manager for the Midwest region, noting that only 15% of residential internet customers in the suburbs currently have access to high-speed fiber service.

Ezee Fiber is operating under a federal mandate that allows crews to install infrastructure on public rights-of-way and easements. Because of the federal oversight, the municipality has no authority over the operations, according to Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson. If residents call the village to complain about construction crews, officials route them directly to the respective companies.

To minimize friction, Thomas said 95% of Ezee Fiber's easements are located in front of homes. He noted that other providers, including Ripple, are installing infrastructure in rear-yard easements, which has led to local complaints regarding unsecured property gates.

Ezee Fiber's underground conduit installation takes 30 to 45 days to complete a single neighborhood section of 200 to 400 homes. Crews typically spend about one day in front of any individual home before returning later to restore the easements with grass seed or sod.

Thomas said residents receive up to four notifications before construction begins, starting with direct mail 30 to 45 days in advance and concluding with door hangers two to three days before crews arrive.

"We have built strong relationships with our municipal partners," Thomas said. "We will not leave a resident in a distressed state."

The installation is a year-round operation, though Thomas noted that extreme Midwestern weather — including snow, heavy rain, excessive heat, and tornadic activity — can slow down progress.

The residential push contrasts with Elk Grove Village's well-established reputation as a commercial digital powerhouse. The village features a 6-square-mile business park, the largest in the U.S., and ranks second nationally in data center density. The village currently hosts 20 data centers, with another 19 in development, Johnson said.

Commercial fiber has long been a selling point for the area. When the 1.2 million-square-foot Elk Grove Technology Park was developed in 2019 by Brennan Investment Group, high-speed fiber connectivity from Comcast Business was used to attract advanced manufacturing tenants, according to Jack Brennan, then a vice president for leasing agent CBRE and now a managing principal at Brennan Investment Group.

While Ezee Fiber employs a sales force to target businesses, Thomas said its primary focus remains residential. According to the company's website, it offers residential download speeds up to 8 gigabits per second and enterprise connectivity up to 400 Gbps.

The logistical rollout within the village remains highly competitive. Johnson said Ripple crews are currently installing infrastructure from east to west, while AT&T is moving from west to east. Thomas declined to disclose Ezee Fiber's specific geographic route through the village, citing competitive considerations.

Ezee Fiber began active regional construction last October across 10 cities in Cook, DuPage, and Lake counties. The company aims to expand to as many as 50 Illinois communities, though Thomas declined to name the specific target markets due to competition.

About Ezee Fiber

Ezee Fiber is a rapidly growing fiber internet company delivering premium multi-gig service to residential, business, and government customers over a 100% fiber-optic network—at exceptional value. The company's carrier-grade infrastructure spans Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Oregon, Michigan and Washington, supported by local teams who live and work in the communities they serve. Ezee Fiber's industry-leading speeds, award-winning customer service, and transparent pricing model set the company apart. Learn more at www.ezeefiber.com.