HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 1/10/2017 - Information From Darin Atteberry Re: Estes Park Trail-Gazette Article Dated December 28, 2016 Broadband Engineering Plan Due In Summer Of 2017Broadband engineering plan due in
summer of 2017
By David Persons
Trail-Gazette
POSTED: 12/28/2016 01:02:32 PM MST
Editor's note: This is one in a series of stories focusing on issues that the community will be
dealing with in 2017.
The plan to bring high-speed internet to the Estes Valley should begin to take shape and
pick up speed in 2017, experts say.
Manweiler Telecom Consulting began detailed design engineering for the potential
broadband network in November.
This design engineering project is funded by a Colorado Department of Local Affairs
(DOLA) grant for $1.37 million from the Energy Mineral Impact Assistance Fund. An
additional grant from the Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority (LETA) will allow
extension of the engineering study to Lyons, which could create a full and complete
redundant fiber path for the Estes Valley and emergency 9-1-1 services.
Other possible future redundant connections to Estes Park include routes from Loveland
and Grand Lake, under the oversight of partner agencies.
The current engineering work calls for a shovel-ready plan and cost estimate to provide
gigabit broadband capacity for the Estes Park Light and Power service area, which includes
Glen Haven and Allenspark.
"The broadband engineering work is planned to be completed in the summer of 2017," said
Estes Park IT Manager Alan Fraundorf recently. "That effort will include detail construction
plans and costs to construct a broadband network in the town's Light and Power service
area. It will also include constructions cost for a new fiber optic route from Estes Park to the
Lyons/Longmont area.
"During 2017, the town will seek interest from private investors and/or operators of the
potential network.
"With construction costs in hand, and with the results of the take-rate analysis (completed
in early 2016), and with potential partnership opportunities, we will develop the various
January 5, 2017
TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: Darin Atteberry
FYI /sek
investment, roll-out, and operational economic models, for consideration by our town
board."
The history of this project is fairly short, but support for it has been strong and unwavering.
It didn't take long after the concept was first floated a couple years ago for the public to get
behind it. When an advanced telecommunications initiative was put before voters in 2015,
92 percent approved of allowing the town to pursue making its fiber optic network available
for high-speed internet.
The Town of Estes Park and the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation then went
to work and hired internet consultant NEO Fiber to do a feasibility study and business
model options. NEO Fiber's work was paid for by a grant from the U.S. Economic
Development Administration.
NEO Fiber's work determined there was significant support for high-speed, affordable, and
reliable internet service. The town then confirmed NEO Fiber's cost estimates by consulting
with other communities and organizations with experience in installing fiber networks.
The town also consulted in 2015-2016 with CSU marketing expert Dr. Jill Mosteller to
examine the NEO Fiber "take rate" assumptions with market surveys. The results revealed
how many potential customers would subscribe to high-speed broadband and at what cost.
The most recent move forward on the project occurred in November when the town and
Manweiler Telecom Consulting began detailed design engineering for the potential
broadband network.
The Estes Park Town Board is now expected to use that information, when it's released in
the summer, to make an informed decision on how to proceed with providing high speed
broadband access in the service area.
If the town elects to proceed with an implementation plan, the next step would be to
establish an implementation timeline. Full implementation, experts agree, could take
several years.
For more information, visit www.estes.org/broadband. You also can call IT Manager Alan
Fraundorf at 577-3580 or email him at afraundorf@estes.org.
http://www.eptrail.com/ci_30687640/broadband-engineering-plan-due-summer-2017