October 2020 was a difficult time in America. The country was still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. Another hotly contested presidential election amplified the divide among Americans.

In Hillsboro, Oregon, the launch of HiLight Internet offered a reason for optimism: a high-speed internet service provided by the City of Hillsboro for the community’s benefit.

The HiLight team focused on accessibility, reliability, and outstanding customer service.

Hillsboro Dance Center owner Holly Derville-Teer was HiLight’s first business subscriber.

“We were right out of the pandemic and we had started to Zoom a lot of our classes because we were just starting to open back up," Derville-Teer recalls. "We didn’t have enough bandwidth to run our Zoom (meetings) very easily and it was very stressful. I called the different companies that were around. They said we should be fine, but we weren’t fine. I heard about HiLight. They came out and installed HiLight and we have not had a problem since.”

Five years later, Hillsboro Dance Center is among more than 2,000 business and residential subscribers who rely on HiLight for high-speed internet service 24/7/365.

HiLight has saved small businesses like Hillsboro Dance Center and Amelia's Restaurant more than $750,000 since 2020.

Derville-Teer's experience as a HiLight subscriber reflects the results of a recent survey showing very high customer satisfaction with HiLight. 

The HiLight team works hard to offer the level of customer service and reliability that caused one subscriber to comment, “It’s nice to have something that just works.”

HiLight’s service area continues to expand. As HiLight General Manager Paul Recanzone explains, HiLight now covers nearly 11,000 homes and businesses in Hillsboro, including the Shute Park, Downtown, and South Hillsboro neighborhoods.

Next up for HiLight service: the Jackson School/Glencoe area, where connections are starting in the neighborhoods around Patterson Elementary School.

• See the HiLight service area map

“I’m so proud of Hillsboro and how we chose to prioritize digital equity and build HiLight,” said Hillsboro Mayor Beach Pace.

What Sets HiLight Apart

Mayor Pace points to three reasons that HiLight is different from traditional internet service:

1. HiLight is community-driven. It’s not profit-driven.
2. HiLight is City-owned. It’s not owned by shareholders in an out-of-state corporation.
3. HiLight is City-operated to ensure reliability and great customer service.

To help ensure everyone in Hillsboro has access to critical internet resources, HiLight offers qualified households 1 Gbps internet service and Wi-Fi Management (a $65 value) for $10 per month through the HiLight Bridge program.

“HiLight exists to ensure everyone in Hillsboro has access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet connectivity. From getting a job to getting healthcare info to getting a great education, HiLight is the connection,” explains Mayor Pace.

• Learn more about HiLight service in Hillsboro