NEWS
’NET GAINS
Better internet could be coming soon, courtesy of Boulder’s new fiber backbone BY KAYLEE HARTER
B
oulder likes to think of itself as a tech hub. It’s home to giants of the internet age like Google, IBM and Apple. But there are few choices when it comes to internet providers. About two-thirds of Boulder residents have only one option — Xfinity through Comcast — and the other third also have the option of CenturyLink through Lumen. That could be changing as soon as 2026, thanks to the City’s community broadband project. In October, Boulder’s city council unanimously agreed to start pursuing negotiations with a private partner that will lease the City’s fiber backbone in a move the City hopes will provide fast, reliable internet service at an affordable rate to all of Boulder. “A lot of communities have realized that we’re not going to just continue to beg the national service providers to provide universal access to fast, reliable, affordable broadband. We’re gonna build it ourselves,” says Sean Gonsalves, a researcher and reporter for the Institute for Local SelfReliance’s Community Broadband Networks initiative. Boulder is set to complete construction on an underground 65-mile, 432-strand fiber backbone this year, which is the core infrastructure needed to deliver fiber-based connectivity. In
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addition to retail internet, the fiber can deliver 5G connectivity and SMART city applications using real-time data for things like intelligent traffic management, energy efficiency measures and more. “All of those types of applications need internet connections in order to function,” Giansanti says. “Our fiber can provide the most reliable internet connection for that.” Boulder will be joining the ranks of more than 900 communities across the country with some form of community broadband, according to the Institute for Local SelfReliance. “We’ve been delivered a broken broadband market Boulder’s underground 65-mile backbone is the core infrastructure to deliver fiber-based connectivity. Courtesy: where folks are beholden to City of Boulder monopoly internet service “We believe strongly that infusing providers, where folks don’t have much City explored a municipal network, additional competition into the market choice or there’s not much competition building out the project to be fully Cityin the market, which directly affects pric- will not only help with price stabilization owned and operated would have and affordability and competition on es, quality of service and reliability,” required another estimated $290 milrates, but it’ll also help on investment in Gonsalves says. lion, subsequently doubling the City’s Since more than 99% of Boulder resi- infrastructure from those incumbent pro- debt, requiring higher taxes and reducdents already have internet access, one viders,” Giansanti says. ing general fund services, according to of the project’s main goals is to increase projections in an Aug. 24 memo. competition, according to Mike By leasing the backbone to a thirdWHY A LEASE? Giansanti, Boulder’s innovation and party provider, the City anticipates no So far, Boulder has spent $20 million technology deputy director. additional costs to taxpayers. The Aug. on the 65-mile backbone. While the
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