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Fast, affordable Internet access for all.
Davenport Stepping Closer To Muni
By
on
Davenport, Iowa, is more committed than ever to bringing Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to its residents and businesses.
At a January City Council public work session, current members detailed the city's plans for new members. Alderman Bill Boom noted that the community already has approximately 100 miles of fiber in place and by serving its own telecommunications needs, Davenport has saved $600,000 per year.
Connectivity As It Is Davenport
In January 2015, Davenport received the results of a feasibility study that documented lack of redundancy, inconsistent distribution of fiber, and complaints from businesses about speeds and costs. Incumbents are just not keeping pace with Internet access needs of Davenport's small business growth or the residential demand. Education and healthcare were two other areas where a fiber network could offer a long list of benefits to the community. The school district uses multiple providers because reliability is such a common issue.
People who live in Davenport also want better connectivity:
Residents, like retired University of Iowa Professor and resident of Davenport, Ezra Sidran also weighed in, saying they support a broadband infrastructure increase..
“I’m just for this, I don’t know the details all I can say [is] fiber optics are where it’s at,” Sidran said.
A Changing Community
Davenport, population 102,000, is part of the "Quad Cities" metropolitan area. The region includes four counties in northwest Illinois and southeastern Iowa and also encompasses Bettendorf, Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline in Illinois. The population of the entire area is approximately 384,000.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the region endured some difficult economic times as the community shifted from agriculture and related manufacturing. International Harvester, John Deere, and Caterpillar factories all closed; the community has had to attract other employers. Hy-Vee, Tyson Fresh Meats, and Genesis Health System, are only a few of the major job located in the Quad Cities today.
Looking For A Partner
Davenport is seeking a private partner and even incumbent Mediacom has expressed interest in working with "Iowa's Front Porch." At a recent public meeting, a company representative stated that Mediacom "absolutely" will be a interested in a partnership. The city wants a partner to build and manage a network that Davenport will own. The consultants who completed the feasibility study recommend the city move forward with a Request for Quotation (RFQ).
At the next City Council meeting, members will dig deeper into the details and share their findings with the public:
“You will see what the proposals look like, what the monthly payments would look like and how the internet service providers that are going to ride on the network will make those payments,” Boom said.
Boom and Klipsch say it will be two years before this project is complete.
“We are committed to making this happen, it’s just going to be what’s the time period it’s going to take, to make it all come to fruition,” [Mayor Frank] Klipsch said.
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