Joining a growing roster of municipalities nationwide that are building out their own broadband networks, Fort Collins, CO plans to have its entire network deployed throughout the city by 2022, thanks to an agreement with the Platte River Power Authority (PRPA). The Fort Collins Coloradoan reported that City Council approved an agreement that will allow the city 20 years of access to the utility’s existing fiber optic network.
Erin Shanley, marketing manager for the broadband utility, said, “Making use of the existing fiber optic network will play an important part of the build out.”
The Coloradoan reported that, “because the network is vital to PRPA’s operations, its exact location won’t be released and the network’s location won’t determine which neighborhoods will be able to sign into the internet service first.”
According to FCgov.com, Fort Collins Connexion, the new community-owned fiber network, was approved in 2018, by a 7 – 0 vote, to offer residents net neutral broadband as an alternative to current service providers Comcast and CenturyLink.
While service is currently live in some portions of the community, the city website offers residents an opportunity to add their home and work locations to a map that will determine broadband access locations during the build-out.
December 19, 2019
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