Davis Strategic Development and Simple Fiber are bringing the Eastern Shore up to date with fiber internet connections making their way into local government and business buildings, as well as residential areas. “We’re happy to be a part of updating the Eastern Shore when it comes to internet and infrastructure,” says Kristen Powell, director of sales for the real estate team with Davis Strategic Development.
An increasing commonality in many larger cities, fiber-optic (fiber) internet connections are a competitive option in contrast to other internet formats such as cable, radio, or satellite standards. Local Salisbury-based company, Simple Fiber, is bringing the choice of fiber internet to the shore, which often boasts higher speeds and lower lag time that doesn’t get slowed down at peak usage. Bret Davis, owner of Davis Strategic Development – an affiliate to Simple Fiber – explains how their methods go even further to provide reduced interruption in services:
“We are the only competitor in the municipalities to build the network underground and in conduit. It’s far, far more resilient. Many other providers use telephone poles instead,” which he explains can be damaged by nature or human accident.
Davis says, “it sounds too good to be true,” but emphasizes Simple Fiber is cheaper, faster, and more reliable than the leading major brand competitor, and many consumers are taking notice on the Eastern Shore. They already reportedly have over one hundred business consumers in Salisbury alone and are pleased to now be working with the city of Salisbury to get their structures connected.
Powell says it’s, “the security and strength of the network, making sure no one ever goes offline,” that will bring to the city of Salisbury faster and more reliable connectivity, leading to improved security and business.
While government entities and larger businesses are often able to kick-off the access to these connections, Davis and Simple Fiber work to extend this internet to small businesses and residential customers as they grow. In fact, Simple Fiber began this way. When Davis Strategic Development acquired buildings on the shore, it was common to find internet connection was poor and, finally, Davis decided they’d just begin supplying their own reliable internet themselves.
“At first, we’d supply the internet to our own buildings. Then once we’re in that area, now Simple Fiber is able to hook up around that,” Davis summarizes. They will be capable of running 96 strands, for instance, within Salisbury, but the city buildings and structures will only need between two and three of those. The rest will become available to provide options within the city.
Simple Fiber is also showing fast growth throughout the region as partnerships pick up and the company begins to find more opportunities for funding and expansion.
Davis reports that there is currently a grant underway in cooperation with Worcester County where Simple Fiber will begin development for Snow Hill, Pocomoke, and Berlin, all while they eye developments in Caroline and Somerset counties. To highlight, Davis states, “we’re hoping to double to triple our work force this year.”
Davis Strategic Development has grown in just a little under a decade’s time from working in residential housing to investing in commercial structures, now boasting over one million square feet of property. Simple Fiber is showing similar results, having only began in 2021 providing service. Perhaps that is because, as Powell says, “we look at it as more of a partnership rather than us just serving them,” and their desire to, “serve the community and all local businesses…we want to grow the infrastructure.”
