Project expands access to telework, telehealth and education while establishing a scalable model for future infrastructure deployment
ORANGE COUNTY, CA. – Feb. 4, 2026 – AVX Networks has been awarded $37.5 million in federal funding through the California Public Utilities Commission Last Mile Federal Funding Account Grant program to deliver critical submarine fiber infrastructure connecting Catalina Island to the mainland, representing a major investment in equitable, future-ready connectivity for island communities.
Owned and operated by AVX Networks, the project will extend high-capacity submarine fiber connectivity originating from Huntington Beach in Orange County, delivering reliable broadband access to approximately 3,700 to 4,400 year-round residents across roughly 1,200 housing units on Catalina Island, where a significant portion of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. As an island community facing meaningfully higher housing costs than the mainland and limited access to essential services, the project addresses long-standing connectivity challenges that have constrained economic and social opportunity.
The new infrastructure will enable expanded telework, telehealth, and educational access, helping residents overcome geographic isolation while supporting workforce mobility and long-term economic participation. Beyond connectivity, the project is designed to address broader challenges facing Catalina Island, including limited growth opportunities for youth, high transportation costs, and persistent housing affordability constraints.
“This project is about people, not just infrastructure,” said AVX Networks CEO Lance Ware. “Reliable connectivity is foundational to economic participation, healthcare access, and education. This grant allows us to deliver real, measurable impact for Catalina Island while building a model that can be replicated in other underserved regions.”
The Catalina Island project also serves as a strategic proof point for DEC LLC, reinforcing its leadership in frontier infrastructure development and establishing a foundation for Ark Genesis, DECs emerging infrastructure platform. The project demonstrates a clear pathway from public-sector funding to scalable private infrastructure deployment, with future-facing implications for dual-use offshore computing, national security, sensing and next-generation connectivity.
As communities across the country continue to face inequitable access to digital infrastructure, AVX Networks Catalina Island submarine fiber project offers a replicable model for bridging the digital divide while enabling long-term economic and social opportunity.
For more information regarding the grant, please visit https://www.avxnetworks.com/
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About AVX Networks
AVX Networks designs, builds, and operates advanced network infrastructure in complex and underserved environments, delivering resilient, future-ready connectivity solutions that support economic growth and community impact.
Media Contact
Caroline Comer
KCOMM
caroline@kcomm.com
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