Project Update: October 29, 2008
FiberNet Monticello’s full scale project is still planned for residential service for Internet, telephone and cable TV. The city has not abandoned the full scale project serving every home and business. The recent lawsuit by Bridgewater/ TDS Telecom has delayed the full scale project for this year in 2008.
FiberNet has been constructing a fiber loop that will connect important commercial, industrial and civic facilities thereby allowing business users to have access to high-speed fiber optics for data only services via 100% fiber optics. This contributes toward the achievement of economic development goals. This fiber loop will also connect City Hall, Community Center and Public Works facilities. The project is projected to be financially self-supporting and can be integrated into the FiberNet Monticello system both financially and physically once it is constructed. Finances for this smaller portion of the project came from reserve funds from the liquor store (no taxpayer reserve funds were used). The liquor store reserves will be paid back by the city with interest once the revenue bonds are released from escrow due to the lawsuit.
The voters* wanted a choice for service and the FiberNet Monticello network will deliver it!
*The City of Monticello citizens voiced their approval when 74% of those who voted said “yes” at the September 18, 2007 telephone referendum. As a community, we can celebrate the effectiveness of the competition FiberNet Monticello has already provided with the lower prices the community will see. FiberNet Monticello will bring new solutions for your
telecommunication needs with a community-owned and locally operated company including a local office for customer service. Choice and change are here!
FiberNet remains committed to these goals:
- Economic development opportunities for bringing new business and industry
to Monticello with better paying jobs.
- Competitive pricing for residential and business telephone, Internet and
cable TV and a choice for services.
- No long term contracts.
- A community-owned operation which makes local decision that benefit the community including local programming on cable TV channels for events such as little league sports, school activities, government access for citizens, parades, church service broadcasts for shut-ins and much more!
Sign-up for FiberNet’s e-contact list and be the first to know when residential
service
will be available in your neighborhood. Sign-up here for fiber e-contact!
FiberNet Monticello Update
Sept. 2, 2008
On July 28, the City Council approved to accept the bids and award the contract for the Fiber Loop project. This fiber build includes construction of 11.19 miles of fiber optics that is an important subset of the larger FiberNet Monticello project. The Fiber Loop will connect important commercial, industrial and civic facilities thereby allowing commercial and industrial users to have access to high-speed fiber optics for data only services via 100% fiber optics thus contributing toward the achievement of economic development goals. This fiber loop will also connect City Hall, Community Center and Public Works facilities to improve communication/data speeds and reduce Internet access expenses. The service provided at this time would include high-speed data only and no telephone or cable TV.
FiberNet Monticello broke ground the week of July 14, 2008 for site grading and the start of construction for the head end building. FiberNet will be a public fiber optic network serving Monticello City residents and businesses. The site is located near the new water tower just off Highway 25 south near the movie theatre complex just off School Boulevard.
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This projects includes the ability to connect up to 200 businesses that it will pass along the fiber route including the downtown area and most of the industrial park.
Construction is anticipated to commence on August 4, 2008 with a completion date on or before November 29, 2008. However, final completion will depend on the head-end building construction schedule which is proposed to be completed by December 12, 2008.
City Staff and the Fiber Optics Committee recommended moving forward on accomplishing the City’s goals of enhancing economic development and providing choice through development of this Fiber Loop. The project is projected to be financially self-supporting and can be integrated into the FiberNet Monticello system both financially and physically once it is constructed. The presence of this fiber network will assure choice and thus result in optimum ability to provide critical data transfer service to Monticello City businesses at a reasonable cost. Such a setting is important to achieving important economic development goals which include:
– Local business expansion and retention
– Relocation of business to Monticello
– Job creation
Additional FiberNet Monticello Project Updates:
