Fiber Optic Solutions
Successful Cities Benefit From Fiber Optic Technology
They don’t just happen. Successful cities make themselves attractive to individuals, families and businesses. Businesses are especially important because they provide jobs and pay the most taxes. Each one needs an effective telecommunication system. The best systems utilize a variety of fiber optic solutions.
Businesses find cities that offer an attractive system. The days of the phone, fax, U.S. Mail and parcel deliveries are fading into the past. Today, it’s all about email, downloads, data interchange, collaboration and video conferencing. Companies operate and support their websites. Employees, such as outside sales reps, who are out of the office and traveling a great deal, stay connected through their laptops and smartphones. The internet also permits businesses to hire employees who work from home or another remote location. Digital signing of documents is quickly becoming an acceptable practice. It is fiber optic solutions that make all of this possible. Because the network belongs to the Internet Service Provider (ISP), only the ISP can change it.
Cities Must Be Proactive About Telecommunications
Profitability is important to all successful businesses. ISPs are not an exception. If upgrading a network infrastructure improves their bottom line, that upgrade usually happens.
What happens if the city feels that a telecommunication upgrade is in order? What if it feels that more robust fiber optic solutions might attract new businesses and help existing businesses grow? The city might find that their ISP is resistant to that idea. The ISP might suggest that it would make the upgrade in exchange for some type of compensation. Most cities would find that proposition unattractive and refuse. At this point, the city should become proactive and go shopping.
Cities Can Shop for Internet Service Providers
If your city has an ISP that is not responsive to the city’s needs, it’s time to explore other options. There are more choices than you might imagine. Shopping might require the city to obtain the services of a fiber optic solutions specialist who will help prepare a Request For Proposal (RFP). This is the document upon which each prospective ISP would bid. With the RFP in hand, reach out to potential vendors to see if they are interested. Here are some of the possible options.
- Shop for Another ISP. Before you do anything else, it would be a good idea to make your current ISP aware that you are unhappy enough to replace them. When you are shopping, there are plenty of places to look. From large and national to small and local there are many ISP companies that can help. You might also find a local investor who is willing to build a fiber optic system and become the ISP for your city.
- Become Your Own ISP. Many municipalities around the country handle their own internet and cable. The beauty of this is that the entire operation falls under city control. It would be easy to find people who have been down this road before. They could help you understand what is involved. They could also help you avoid the regulatory pitfalls. Using the RFP as a guide, prepare a bid for comparison purposes. A bond might fund this solution.
- Wire the City and Let Someone Else be the ISP. The cost of wiring the city is the biggest roadblock to getting or replacing an ISP. Fiber optic solutions are a significant expense. An ISP that operates on a pre-built network has less overhead and can pay the city a portion of the revenue it receives. A city-owned network lets the city change providers, or take over when appropriate.
A Great City-Wide Telecommunication Network Keeps Everyone Happy
Nobody likes a slow internet connection, downtime, or missing their favorite TV show. Most of the time, these are not catastrophic events, but they can be annoying. The businesses and residents of your city deserve fast and reliable fiber optic solutions.
Check out our last post: Fiber Optic Networks for Business
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