We started yammering about the need for Northfield to belly up to the fiber optic bar back in April of 2006 on podcast #15. Since then, we’ve blogged it many times (do a LoGroNo fiber search), often in frustration.
But now, the City of Northfield has issued an Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Fiber to the Premise Feasibility Study (PDF). City IT Director Melissa Reeder is leading the charge. Background info in the April Nfld News: Study evaluates expanding city’s fiber optic network.
Big questions: who should build it, who should own it, and how will it be paid for.
I know the answers but I’m not telling.
6 Comments
I get my fiber from St. Olaf telephone, http://stolaftelephone.com/, service is top notch and the rates are better than qwest. Currently it is only available for businesses. I’m not sure about the availability area.
I also use St. Olaf’s system for Internet access, being fortunate enough to have my office on one of the streets that can access it. The speed and quality are far better than Qwest or Charter, the customer service is fantastic and the price is far less than from Qwest or Charter.
They have a map available that shows the route of the fiber, but I don’t know if it is online anywhere. Check with Craig Dunton.
Will St. Olaf be eligible or interested to bid on this RFP?
St. Olaf Telecom has already been contacted during the initial feasibility study. So has Jaguar Com.
I was present during the meeting of the fiber task force where both of those companies and also Qwest and Charter made presentations about what they could offer if the city chose to do a complete fiber-to-the-home project.
If I could make a personal observation both the Charter and Qwest reps couldn’t have looked any more nervous.
Jon (Councilor Denison!), thanks for that. Is there a place on the City’s web site where a citizen could find out who’s on the fiber task force, when they meet, minutes, documents, etc? If not, could you ask Melissa Reeder to create one?
In the Nfld News, Nfld IT Director Melissa Reader has this column: What are fiber’s benefits?
In last week’s Friday Memo, Melissa Reeder announced that a “public open house has been scheduled for the Fiber Optic Feasibility Study for Thursday evening, November 6th.”