Underline: Colorado Springs is a new open access fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network designed for the city of Colorado Springs. Built with private capital, at no cost to the government or taxpayers, this network provides gigabit+ connections for residents and businesses. In addition, as an open access network, subscribers will be able to select from a choice of internet service providers (ISPs) and can switch between different services and providers with ease.
There will be three phases of construction in Colorado Springs. We started construction for Phase 1 in October 2021 and expect to begin connecting homes in spring 2022.
In some areas the fiber will be buried underground, and in others you’ll see wires attached to utility poles.
Depending on your location, construction could be underground or aerial. Where construction is underground, fiber is laid in the ground at the edge of the road. Where construction is aerial, crews will attach the fiber to existing utility poles. We will coordinate closely with community members to minimize the impact of construction and ensure everyone understands what’s happening at each stage of the process.
It’s time for a change–Colorado Springs residents and business owners deserve faster, more reliable, and more affordable choices when it comes to their connectivity.
We’re asking you—Colorado Springs residents and businesses— to tell us you want this network by expressing interest at underline.com/cos. Once your neighborhood hits the required level of demand, you’ll be prompted to select your service(s) and then we can connect your location. There is no deposit or payment required for expressing interest.
While the majority of work will be aerial, there are times when underground work is necessary. In these instances, residents may see a large drill near the road that’s used to feed fiber through the ground. All work is closely monitored to ensure safety, all work zones will be left the way they were found, and all residents and business owners will receive a notification of upcoming work in accordance with local guidelines.
During aerial construction, fiber is physically connected to utility poles by workers in bucket trucks. It typically takes a two-person crew one week to complete 2-3 miles of work, with connections being made pole by pole.
You can express your interest in this network right now at underline.com/cos. Expressing your interest helps us measure demand in the community as a whole, and on the neighborhood level too. The neighborhoods with the most demand will move to the front of the line for construction and installation. Once your neighborhood is ready for installation, you’ll be prompted to create an account and select your services through the marketplace. If you want service as soon as possible, be sure to encourage all of your neighbors to express their interest today! And just a quick note: there is no deposit or payment required for expressing interest.
Yes—as a customer of Underline’s open access network, you can easily switch your Internet Service Provider and add new services through the Underline marketplace.
The fiber is pulled from the nearby pole and connected aerially to your location. Then the fiber physically passed through a small hole in the wall of your location (typically located near the electric panel) and then connected to the Underline gateway. Depending on which services you choose, additional hardware may also be installed at your location. If required, this hardware—for example for VOIP and IPTV—is plugged directly into the gateway device.
To build this network, we need to meet a certain level of demand within the community. To ensure this network becomes available in your neighborhood as soon as possible, explain the benefits to your neighbors, colleagues, and friends, and encourage them to express their interest too. You can also help build broad support for this project by becoming a Network Champion. You will see an option to join the team of Champions once you’ve expressed your interest.
On a fiber network—a critical replacement for copper or cable networks—data is transmitted at near the speed of light. This means ultra-fast connections with rapid load-times, smoother streaming, and the ability to upload and download large files in seconds. Fiber networks also provide symmetrical speeds—in other words, the same speed for download (e.g. video streaming) and upload (e.g. putting a video on YouTube or video conferencing). As an open access network, multiple service providers share the same network so will be able to choose from a range of providers that compete for your business.
Yes. We are committed to closing the opportunity divide and ensuring ultra-fast connectivity for everyone, regardless of the ability to pay. Households that qualify for the federal Affordable Connectivity program can sign up for 500/500 Mbps service at no cost, and 1/1 Gig for $35. Check your eligibility now and apply. If you need assistance, please reach out to us at support@underline.com.
Yes. Underline takes the question of equity, access, and opportunity very seriously. We believe that access to the internet should never be a barrier to upward mobility.
For households that qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program, we provide 500/500 Mbps service at no cost, and 1/1 Gigabit service for $35. Check your eligibility now and apply.
For more information on the Affordable Connectivity Program and how to apply, click here.
An ultra-fast, reliable internet connection will improve your experience for remote work, online education, streaming entertainment, gaming and more.
We aim to keep disruption to a minimum by designing and executing the most efficient construction plan. Throughout the process, we will keep in regular touch to ensure every community member understands what’s happening at each stage of the process.
On your current network, you're locked in with a single ISP. The Underline network is an open access network, and that means you’ll be able to choose from a range of internet service providers and different kinds of services. In addition, as a fiber network—distinct from the copper and cable networks you currently have —you will have an ultra-fast, reliable connection. And that means rapid load times, smoother streaming, and the ability to upload and download large files in seconds.
Projects like this need advocates to help spread the word. Network Champions will help lead the grassroots campaign to educate, energize, and drive engagement around Colorado Springs. We’ll have lots of content for you to share with family and friends, interactive webinars, exclusive Champions-only events, and we’ll even surprise you from time to time! If you’re interested in becoming a Network Champion and have already gone through the expression of interest, join the team here.
Prior to construction, the Underline team visits each work zone and carefully documents all pre-existing property conditions so everything can be returned to its original condition. If there's damage that's immediately recognized, it will be fixed on the spot and the property owner will be notified. If damage occurs that is not initially visible, but shows at a later date following initial construction, the property owner should contact our customer service team by email at coshelp@underline.com and a work crew will be sent out as soon as possible to make all necessary repairs.
If you are having trouble with your monthly payment, please reach out to us through the support portal by logging into your account at app.underline.com/support. You may also contact our customer service team by email at coshelp@underline.com.
There are no data caps on our networks and no overage charges. Finally, you’ll have security in knowing that long work from home days, large file uploads/downloads, and remote learning won’t result in surprise service fees.
Once we’re ready to connect you, we'll send you an email to select your services and schedule your installation. All residential installations are free of charge, including equipment.
All service locations will have an Underline Gateway installed connecting the site to the more extensive Underline network. This device will typically have basic WiFi capabilities but can become a passthrough for additional service provider equipment to reduce redundant capabilities. The Gateway is also virtually controlled and configured through your Underline account, in case you’d like to change things like the WiFi password.
Your monthly bill will always be due the 15th of the month for your next month’s service. If you’ve incurred any extra costs from provider services like long-distance calls etc, those charges will also be placed on your bill. Also note that your first month with Underline will be pro-rated and added to your next billing cycle.
No. All standard equipment is included in your membership to the Underline network. There is no purchase requirement or rental fees.
Log into your Underline account and then select the option to reschedule your appointment from your account page.
This isn't the case. In fact, far from being replaced by new 5G wireless technology, fiber networks are required to power 5G and other wireless technologies. In addition, 5G small cells offer remarkable ability, but only when connected to fiber, and with very sharp limits. You can read more about fiber and 5G here.
The full service ISPs on the Underline networks in Colorado Springs and Fountain are Adaptive Fiber, InfoWest, and StratusIQ. Capcon Networks has also joined the networks as a business-focused service provider.
Once you're ready to switch to the Underline network, you can create an account to access the Marketplace. From the marketplace, you will be able to select your desired speed of service, your ISP, and your installation appointment.
It’s important to note that Underline sets the price for each speed tier of internet service so that won’t change based on the ISP you select.
Residential internet pricing is as follows:
For households that qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program, 500/500 Mbps service will be available at no cost, and 1/1 Gig will be available for $35. You can check your eligibility and apply today.
For micro-businesses, internet pricing is as follows:
Pricing for small, medium, and enterprise business customers will be dependent on specific needs with speeds up to 100 gigabits.
If you believe an error has been made on your bill, please reach out to us through the support portal by logging into your account at app.underline.com/support. You may also contact our customer service team by email at coshelp@underline.com.
Yes. While we don’t charge equipment rental fees, we can certainly connect you to the Underline network using your own equipment. Here are a few router brands we recommend for our various speed offerings:
500/500 Mbps and 1/1 Gig
10/10 Gig (and below)
Once you express interest, we’ll add you to our email distribution list. We promise not to email you too often—our goal is to make sure every interested resident and business owner understands what’s happening at each stage of the process.
You can change your password at any time by logging into your Underline account and navigating to your contact information. If you’ve forgotten your password, then you can reset it on the login screen and an email will walk you through the next steps.
There are no forced bundles on the Underline network, so you only pay for the services you want! If you want to add TV to your internet subscription, some ISP on the marketplace will offer IPTV as a value-added service that you can select. Another option is to cut the cord entirely and stream all your TV over your fast new internet connection! YouTube TV is a great subscription option for live TV, local channels, and sports. In addition, you can opt to subscribe to any number of streaming services for on-demand TV e.g. Netflix, Hulu, ABC, HBO etc.
If you’re having trouble with your equipment or connection, please reach out to us through the support portal by logging into your account at app.underline.com/support. You may also contact our customer service team by email at coshelp@underline.com.