Cleveland, Ohio, Aug. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DigitalC, a nonprofit technology social enterprise headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, earned three national honors at the 2026 Broadband Communities Awards, receiving recognition for provider performance, customer experience and industry leadership at a pivotal moment in the organization’s growth.

DigitalC was named Broadband Provider of the Year and winner of the Customer Experience Award, while CEO Joshua Edmonds received the Broadband Visionary Award.

According to conference officials, Broadband Communities received more award entries than ever before, and winners were selected through an external, independent judging process. The winners were announced Aug. 26 at the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston.

“To be recognized across multiple areas and on this stage is incredibly meaningful,” said Joshua Edmonds, chief executive officer at DigitalC. “We set out to solve for affordability without compromising quality and to give residents the connectivity experience they deserve. We’ve moved from impossible to impactful, and this recognition shines a national spotlight on what this model can achieve when public, private and philanthropic partners come together around a shared vision.”

The recognition places DigitalC alongside leading broadband providers, technology companies and infrastructure organizations from across the country and reflects growing industry attention around the community-based model DigitalC is building and scaling.

DigitalC received the following honors:

  • Broadband Provider of the Year: Recognizing internet service providers demonstrating exceptional customer service, innovative offerings and partnerships that meaningfully advance connectivity in the communities they serve.
  • Customer Experience Award: Recognizing an outstanding end-to-end customer journey built around ease, transparency and trust. DigitalC’s approach combines high-speed service and straightforward pricing with local support, installation and digital skills resources.
  • Broadband Visionary Award — Joshua Edmonds: Recognizing an industry leader whose work is helping change the trajectory of broadband. Under Edmonds’ leadership, DigitalC has developed and scaled a community-based broadband model that combines advanced technology, affordability, customer experience and community partnership.

The 2026 honors add to a growing list of national industry recognition for DigitalC, including the 2024 Broadband Communities Community Improvement Award, the 2025 Fierce Network Innovation Award for Digital Divide Impact alongside Tarana Wireless, and recognition on the National Digital Inclusion Alliance Honor Roll of Low-Cost Internet Plans. Together, the honors reflect growing recognition of DigitalC’s technology, community impact and leadership in community-based broadband.

DigitalC launched its citywide initiative in 2024 in partnership with the City of Cleveland, Cleveland City Council, the state of Ohio and philanthropic partners, including the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation. The organization completed a next-generation citywide broadband network in less than 18 months. Since then, DigitalC has connected more than 12,500 households, representing more than 31,000 residents, to high-speed home internet; trained more than 30,000 residents in digital skills; and expanded its community-based broadband model to Detroit with support from Rocket Community Fund.

DigitalC’s work in Cleveland is now serving as the foundation for a replicable community-based broadband model that combines technology, affordability, trusted partnerships and local execution.

Attachment 


Valerie Jerome
DigitalC
440-665-5087
valerie.jerome@digitalc.org

Media gallery

About The Author
DigitalC