In mid-2014, Vallejo’s City Council was discussing how the city could leverage its existing fiber network for economic development. Built in the 1990s through a grant of about $11 million, the network was underutilized.
Since then the city has brought in consultants and partnered with Inyo Networks Inc. to establish a network, provide retail services and save customers money. The pricing for 1 gigabit a month with the municipal fiber network is $1,500, which is about 75 percent less than the prices of AT&T or Comcast for the same service, according to Will Morat, an administrative analyst and project manager for the city.
On June 30, the city launched a soft opening of the municipal fiber network with no internal issues so far. This network was established to provide high-speed, reliable Internet to businesses in the city.
The network is more about economic development than simply providing Internet. Along with Vallejo’s relatively low rents, attractive architecture and the high-speed fiber network, the city expects to attract and retain new businesses.
Although the city receives $500 of every $1,500 contract sold, the City Council is primarily focused on the secondary effects and economic growth the network is expected to bring.
Vallejo’s Mare Island, in government use since 1850, has 157 acres of land available for development. RFQs for this area are expected to be released in the next four weeks, with RFPs following shortly.
To accommodate and incentivize any businesses moving to Mare Island, Vallejo is working on extending its fiber network to the island. A waterline is currently being put in, and the fiber network will be installed with it. This is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year.
A goal in the next 18 to 24 months is to extend the network to supply free Wi-Fi to all public school students in their homes. This network will be fast enough for any school research, but will also allow other members of the family to use it for additional purposes.
