Empire Fiber Internet expands into the Lehigh Valley with 100% fiber and no long-term contracts

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — After two years of preparation, Empire Fiber Internet is now actively building a 100% fiber-optic network across the Lehigh Valley. CEO Kevin Dickens said the first customers could be online as early as this summer.

Empire Fiber Internet announced on March 31 that it is expanding into the Lehigh Valley. The company plans to target more than 35,000 homes and businesses with a fiber network it says will outperform the cable-based infrastructure most valley residents rely on today.

“Lehigh Valley residents deserve internet that works as hard as they do,” said Kevin Dickens, CEO of Empire Fiber Internet. “We’re not just expanding our network; we’re giving customers a superior choice.”

The company began in 1896. Next year marks its 75th year serving Pennsylvania. It already serves Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport, Hazleton, Bloomsburg, and Erie.

Empire started planning its Lehigh Valley push about two and a half years ago, Dickens said, well before it made last month’s public announcement.

What construction will look like

Dickens explained that residents will see two types of construction activity, depending on their neighborhood.

In newer developments where utilities run underground, crews will dig trenches along road easements, lay protective piping known as conduit, pull fiber optic cables through it, and install small weatherproof junction boxes, called handholds (underground access points for cable connections), at connection points near each home.

A follow-up crew then backfills the trench, restores the soil, and reseeds the grass, returning the area to its original condition.

In older areas with above-ground utilities, workers will string fiber along existing poles and attach small splitter devices—these splitters divide the main fiber line so connections can branch off directly to individual homes.

Dickens said the team coordinates with existing utility companies during the process. For underground work, they map existing conduit to avoid conflicts.

For aerial construction on poles owned by electric utilities, Empire submits engineering diagrams and navigates a formal approval process that can take 12 to 18 months — a timeline the company began long before making any public announcement.

How fiber differs from cable

Empire’s network will offer symmetrical speeds up to 2 gigabits per second, meaning upload and download speeds are equal.

Dickens said cable networks are shared infrastructure, meaning performance degrades when multiple households in the same area are online simultaneously, and that fiber eliminates that problem entirely.

“If you have four or five people on your street who are all on the same provider, everyone is going to sacrifice a bit,” Dickens said. “You will see speeds slow down at peak hours, and that can impact streaming and all the other services.”

He said fiber prevents those slowdowns. Whether one person or an entire household streams, plays games, or joins video calls simultaneously, the connection stays consistent and fast.

The company said it offers three speed tiers: 500 Mbps, 1 Gig, and 2 Gig.

To help customers choose, Empire guides them through four or five questions on its website about household size and usage habits, then recommends the plan that best fits their needs.

Pricing and contracts

Empire sets market-based prices and has not released specific figures for the Lehigh Valley ahead of launch, but Dickens said customers will benefit from competitive pricing and superior service compared to existing options.

The company said customers can find fully transparent pricing online without speaking to a salesperson. Customers simply enter their address on the Empire website to see available plans and costs. They can browse without making any commitment.

Dickens said Empire stands apart from many competitors by not offering introductory rates that spike after 12 or 24 months, charging hidden fees, or requiring long-term contracts.

Customers who want to cancel can do so at any time through the company’s 24/7 customer service line, with no penalties as long as the account is in good standing.

“None of those strategies are part of how Empire does business,” he said.

A proven track record, not a newcomer to the industry

While Empire may be a new name in the Lehigh Valley, Dickens pushed back on the idea that the company is unknown.

“We are not a startup company,” Dickens said, adding that the company brings nearly 130 years of telecommunications experience to the Lehigh Valley market.

Dickens said customer service teams operate either in Pennsylvania or central New York, ensuring locally available support.

Dickens said Empire’s net promoter score — a widely used industry metric that gauges how likely customers are to recommend a company — measured at 73 about 12 months ago.

Scores above 60 are generally considered world-class, and 73 puts Empire in the same tier as Amazon and other world-class consumer brands.

According to industry benchmarks, the telecom industry as a whole scores significantly lower.

PCMag named Empire the fastest internet provider in the United States in 2021, outscoring Google Fiber and every other provider nationally. Empire continued to earn the same recognition for the Northeast in 2022.

Dickens also noted that neither of the valley’s existing providers has extended 100% fiber infrastructure directly into the home. He said Empire is built to fill that gap, and that will become increasingly important as remote work, education, and connected devices continue to grow.

Community ties

Empire has joined the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and plans to use that relationship to identify local businesses and community organizations it can support as it builds out its presence.

“Continued investment in high-speed internet infrastructure across the Lehigh Valley is a positive step for both our residents and our growing business community,” said Jessica O’Donnell, executive vice president of the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. “Strong, reliable connectivity is essential to economic growth, and efforts like these help ensure our region remains competitive, connected, and positioned for the future.”

The company also plans to be visible at community events throughout the summer, including the Northampton Street Fair.

Empire said it employs residents in the Lehigh Valley and intends to become a long-term part of the community — sponsoring local events and supporting organizations that make a positive impact in the region.

Residents and businesses can sign up for priority access and construction updates on Empire Fiber Internet’s Lehigh Valley page.

They can also reach the company by phone using the number listed at empirefiber.com.