Across the U.S., residents and businesses are demanding faster and more reliable broadband connections. After Google announced its plans to extend its fiber optic network to the cities of Provo, Utah and Austin, Texas, competitors immediately started to appear that also wanted a piece of the booming high-speed Internet market.
First Time Warner Cable announced plans to deploy free public Wifi for its customers in Austin. What began in larger, capital cities is now moving to smaller towns. As competition increases, there is no need to wait for Google fiber. Now local companies are bringing fiber-optic lines directly to the home or business. Unlike outdated copper lines, which were unable to grow with the technology, fiber-based services can grow as technology advances. Instead of needing to update infrastructure, if a customer demands faster speeds, then it is a simple program change. Additionally, fiber connections, as opposed to copper, provide low latency, which improves high-speed transmittal for voice and data services.
California’s San Luis Obispo (source: The Tribune) lobbied hard to be selected as a Google Fiber city, but were ultimately passed over for Kansas City. Quickly recognizing an opening in the market, Digital West, who actually started laying fiber optic lines back in 2011, repurposed it for residential customers. “The fiber has been a real attention getter and a deal sweetener, especially for our tech savvy renters,” said Andrew Fuller, developer with Fuller Apartment Homes and Presidio Capital Partners. “For those who aren’t as familiar with fiber optics, we tell them “it’s kind of like the Google Fiber project comes to San Luis Obispo” and then they get it.”
In the Greater Lafayette, Indiana area, MetroNet, who is working on a $60 million contract to update local infrastructure, started installing fiber-optic lines this spring and brought its first customers online last week. In Jamestown, New York, DFT Communications has started building a 7.2-mile fiber optic network for $200,000. Its first customers will be brought online some time in 2014.
At GeoTel Communications, we provide fiber optic maps and other telecom data products that give valuable insight into the competitive fiber optic landscape of a particular city or metro area. Metro fiber, long haul fiber, and fiber lit buildings can be used by service providers to ensure efficiency in planning new networks. GeoTel Communications offers custom-made fiber maps for client requests – give us a call at 407.788.8888 to learn more!
