coming soon!
Trico fiber is on the way
Trico is bringing cooperative values to high-speed internet service. Trico received over 10,000 pre-subscriptions, allowing us to start offering fiber-to-the-home internet service.
Over the next few months there will be a lot more to come on the neighborhoods that will be connected first, the internet packages that will be available to choose from, and the timeline for the build.
We expect to begin connecting our first Members later this year, and there will be plenty more news coming your way before then. We’ll keep everyone informed on which zones have qualified and where we’ll be building over the next year.
Why is Trico offering fiber internet?
Today, fast and reliable internet service is as important to education, healthcare, community connection, and economic growth
as electricity. Trico sees fiber internet as a way to serve, connect, and empower communities throughout Southern Arizona.
Trico has asked its Members, and there is strong demand for reliable, affordable fiber internet that comes with Trico’s excellent service. Surveys and focus groups were conducted and there was strong support for offering fiber internet.
About 5,000 Members registered their interest in fiber internet. More than 10,000 Members then pre-subscribed in our Member-driven fiber internet program. As a cooperative, we respond to our Members’ needs and our focus is on serving our local community.
We see this as an opportunity to provide a vital service and help the communities we serve.
Where will Trico Be Building fiber first?
We are excited to announce that 34 neighborhoods met their pre- subscription targets to receive Trico Fiber in the first 12 months of our build. We will have a list of these neighborhoods posted soon; for now, you can go to fiber.trico.coop to see if your neighborhood met its target. Thanks to the 10,000 plus Members who pre-subscribed!
We will be starting our fiber-to-the-home build in the northern section of our service territory in Districts 1 and 7. Work will then progress west of Trico’s headquarters and counterclockwise around Trico’s service territory through Avra Valley, Three Points, Sahuarita, New Tucson, and Green Valley. During the first 12 months, only the 34 neighborhoods that qualified will be connected, but we will continue to collect pre-subscriptions and expect to build to other neighborhoods in the coming years.
Why Build There First?
The order of the build for Trico Fiber broadband internet is based on proximity to the completed portions of the Trico SmartGrid Fiber backbone, the loca-tion of our internet central office at Trico’s headquarters at Tangerine Road and I-10, and our access point for connection to the internet (north of Trico’s service territory).
When will fiber internet be available?
Depending on the construction process, fiber-to-the-home internet service could begin as early as Summer 2026 in some areas.
The order of construction will not match exactly with the order that zones meet their take-rate. However, a zone that achieves its take-rate within the first 10,000 homes passed will be included in the first 12 months of Trico’s build.
how much will it cost?
We are developing pricing and packages designed to meet our Members’ need for reliable and affordable internet combined with excellent Trico service. Packages will include:
- “Browsing Essentials” A 500 Mbps at $60 per month
- “Family Streaming” A 1 Gbps package at $70 per month
- “Digital Household” A 2 Gbps package at $85 per month
- “Business Connect” An 8 Gbps package at $145 per month
- “Snowbird” A reduced speed package at $20 per month (intended for limited-use properties during the months of May-August)
The price will include the equipment necessary to connect to the internet.
What was the Member-Driven Fiber Internet Program?
Trico used a pre-subscription model to determine whether to offer FTTH internet service, where to offer that service, and when to start offering service. This puts the power in our Members’ hands to help guide Trico’s next steps.
Trico split its service territory into about 170 zones. Each zone contains around 300 Members. Trico calculated a target “take-rate” in each zone that is based on the number of Members in the zone who would need to pre-subscribe to make building the required fiber-to-the-home system and offering internet service financially viable.
Trico met the following goals:
- Achieve the required take-rate in a sufficient number of zones where the total number of homes passed (passings) in those zones adds up to at least 10,000
- At least 30% of the zones that achieve their take-rate must be high-density zones
Why is fiber internet better?
Fiber provides faster, more reliable internet speeds, with high bandwidth (the maximum amount of data that can be transferred at a given time). It also offers symmetrical service (same speed upload and download), so you can upload photos, videos, and large files just as efficiently as you can download files and stream your favorite movies and content. Other technologies have slower upload speeds and symmetrical service is increasingly important because many files created on our phones, computers, and devices are uploaded to cloud storage.
Fiber provides consistent performance because it is less susceptible than other technologies to the impact of electromagnetic interference and weather. It is also a future-proof, sustainable option because it is designed to meet future increases in data demand.
What does pre-subscribing mean?
It means you are confirming to Trico that you want to receive fiber internet service if and when it becomes available. While there is no financial commitment required, we hope that you will stick with Trico through this process and subscribe for service when we hit the targets to proceed.
You can pre-subscribe online at:
or by visiting
www.trico.coop or the
SmartHub app
Is there a cost to pre-subscribe?
No. Pre-subscription is free. There’s no deposit required.
How would the installation process work at my home?
Connections can be made from overhead or under-ground fiber lines, depending on what is most practical in your neighborhood. Our technicians would bring fiber from the Fiber Backbone to a nearby pole or underground conduit. We would then install what is called a “service drop” to your home. This “service drop” will connect a reliable, resilient fiber line into your house.
Then, a Trico installer would assist you with installing a router and ensuring your devices are connected to the internet.
What is the Trico SmartGrid Fiber Backbone?
The Trico SmartGrid Fiber Backbone is a network
of fiber-optic cables and devices that will connect Trico’s electric substations with high-speed fiber communica-tions capabilities. This will allow Trico to start connecting electric grid coordination and control devices that will improve grid reliability and resilience. We chose to invest in fiber for our SmartGrid because it offers the highest speeds, excellent reliability, and secure communications.
There is extra bandwidth in the fiber-optic cables that will connect Trico’s electric substations and devices, and this offers an opportunity to use this bandwidth to help make an FTTH internet system more affordable. If Trico proceeds with offering FTTH internet, the Trico Fiber di-vision would pay the Trico Electric division for use of this fiber. This will reduce the cost of offering fiber internet and produce an income stream for Trico Electric, which will help to control electric costs. It is a win-win solution.
Construction of the Trico SmartGrid Fiber Backbone started in 2025 and should be complete by fall 2026. This project will be built regardless of whether Trico goes forward with offering fiber internet service.
Key terms defined
- Zone: A local area with about 300 members.
- Passing: A home or business that could be connected to fiber.
- Take-Rate: The % of members in a zone who pre-subscribe.
- Low-Density Zone: 0-8 homes per linear mile. Density is based on linear mile (essentially the distance of fiber line that is needed to be built), not square mile.
- Medium-Density Zone: 9-20 homes per linear mile.
- High-Density Zone: 20+ homes per linear mile.
- Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH): A reliable fiber connection directly to your house, offering fast, reliable, symmetrical internet (same upload/download speeds).
- Pre-Subscription: A free way to show interest in fiber service and help decide where Trico will build its fiber internet network.
Will installing fiber cause damage to my yard or neighborhood?
Trico is committed to minimizing impacts on our Members’ properties and neighborhoods during installation of fiber lines.
Every neighborhood has unique characteristics that will affect the installation. Because of these differences, Trico will use a variety of techniques to install fiber lines. This may include installing line in existing open conduit, installing new conduit, micro-ducting in existing electric conduit, boring, direct bury, and plowing. Trico will strive to minimize impact and disturbance by tailoring practical solutions for each location and performing work (and any clean-up or restoration) promptly.
We have local crews that can respond quickly and, as always, we will prioritize our Members’ satisfaction and well-being.
Summary techniques that may be used to install fiber lines in your neighborhood:
- Use of Existing Conduit: Crews will dig small holes into the ground to locate existing, available conduit, and then install the fiber line in that conduit. Holes are typically small and will be filled in after the work is complete. The impact to the surface level ground is minimal.
- Installation of New Conduit and Fiber: A trench is dug, and conduit is installed. A fiber line is then installed in the conduit. The trench is filled in, and the area is cleaned and restored.
- Micro-Ducting: Crews will dig small holes into the ground to locate conduit that contains electric lines and then run small, flexible plastic micro-conduits that contain fiber lines inside the existing electric conduit. Holes are typically small and will be filled in after the work is complete. The impact to the surface level ground is minimal.
- Boring: A small hole is drilled horizontally at the installation location, conduit is pulled into the hole, and then a fiber line is pulled (or in some cases “blown”) into the conduit. Any surface disturbance is minimal and is restored when work is complete. This is typically the most expensive option, and will likely only be used where crossing major streets or where other circumstances require.
- Direct Bury: A trench is dug and the fiber line is placed directly in the trench without conduit installed, then backfilled. The fiber line itself is wrapped in strong, multi-layered protection and designed to resist damage. The work area is then cleaned and restored.
- Plowing: Is a method of installing underground fiber line or conduit by cutting a narrow groove in the soil with a blade (plow) and feeding the line or duct directly into the ground behind the blade — without excavating an open trench.
NOTICE under A.R.S. 10-2085
Trico continues to work on the Trico Fiber SmartGrid Backbone and distribution fiber network that will enhance communications between Trico’s headquarters and electric facilities. In the coming months Trico will start work on facilities to bring fast, affordable fiber internet to Members through Trico Fiber. Arizona statutes (A.R.S. 10-2057(A)(17) and 10-2085) authorize Trico to expand its use of existing easements and property rights to provide broadband internet service. This notice is being provided to let Members know that Trico will be expanding its use of existing electric easements and property rights to provide broadband internet service. As we finalize designs and paths for construction we will be updating Members via our website, social media, and emails. For more information, please visit www.trico.coop or www.trico.coop/trico-fiber.