Joink pitches underground fiber-to-home build to Avon, offers symmetrical gig plans
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Tim McCombs of Joink told the Avon Town Council the company plans an underground fiber-to-the-home build focused on subdivisions (Sycamore Creek, Stratford, Oak Bend), offered speed tiers up to 1 Gbps symmetrical, described a local storefront and a tentative six-month build window subject to utility locates, and asked to discuss permit-fee relief in exchange for civic connections.
Tim McCombs, a representative of Joink LLC of Terre Haute, told the Avon Town Council that his company plans to build underground fiber-to-the-home service across portions of Avon and into nearby Danville.
McCombs said Joink will focus first on subdivision areas and can deliver symmetrical speeds — he listed standard packages of about 300/300 Mbps, 500/500 Mbps and 1 Gbps/1 Gbps. “All the way to the back of your router,” McCombs said, describing the company’s intention to deliver a fiber connection directly into homes rather than a neighborhood node.
Joink has begun work from a storefront on State Road 36 and, McCombs said, has roughly 7,000 feet of fiber already in the ground in the area. He described the build as all underground — a selling point the company highlights to reduce outages from pole damage during storms — and said the project will expand outward from Avon into Danville along County Road 100 and adjacent roads.
Council members asked about pricing and competition. McCombs acknowledged competitors advertise low introductory monthly fees, but he said those prices may be unsustainable and that Joink’s model emphasizes reliability and consistent speeds even with many users on the network. He said Joink’s basic service was “around $60” in his markets and that exact local pricing for Avon had not been finalized.
On permitting costs, McCombs said linear-foot permit fees can become a substantial line item and suggested Joink might negotiate with the town on permit charges or provide service to town facilities as part of a cost-sharing arrangement. He noted the town’s right-of-way permit structure is aimed at preventing past problems — when earlier installers tore up yards — and said Joink would welcome staff guidance to avoid conflicts with other buried utilities.
Ryan and several council members asked for more detail and maps. McCombs left a large map of the planned build and said he would follow up with staff; he also offered to work with Ryan and the CEO on a formal proposal prior to the council’s next work session. Neighborhoods the company identified for initial permits include Sycamore Creek, Stratford and Oak Bend along Avon Avenue.
Next steps: Joink will provide digital maps and staff will review permitting details; the council asked staff to continue discussions and bring any recommended agreements or fee proposals back to a future meeting.