Hobart officials have learned that it would cost about $2 million to build a 25-mile fiber optic network that would bring higher speed internet to the city’s businesses and residents.
The budget amount was part of the findings and recommended course of action presented to Mayor Brian Snedecor, the City Council and members of various other boards by representatives of NITCO and Yates Engineering Services, who conducted a Hobart Fiber Optic Pre-design Strategy for the city.
Bart Bretsch, of Yates, said it would cost about $1.188 million to build a 14.85-mile downtown municipal connector network and another $840,000 to build a 10.5-mile business corridor network that would serve Mississippi Street, 61st Avenue, Indiana 51, Colorado Street and 69th Street.
The report stated federal grants could provide some funding for this venture. Bretsch added that the project could be done in phases to ease the financial burden.
Thomas Carroll, senior vice president of NITCO, recommended the city then form a partnership with a third party provider, which would operate the network and share its revenues with the city.
“Your partner would buy the electronics, which is a great deal of the cost,” Bretsch said.
Carroll also projected that by switching to the NITCO services, the city would save about $4,700 a month on its phone, internet and TV bills. He said he made the comparison by using telecommunications bills provided by the clerk-treasurer.
As part of the study, NITCO also conducted a survey of residents and businesses. According to NITCO’s Ahnaliese Dunn, 82.8 percent of business owners surveyed said they would use faster internet if it became available.
“It’s clear businesses use the internet on a daily basis and this is something they would love to have,” Dunn said of higher speed internet.
She said the price for the internet service should remain affordable, however.
Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
