(TNS) \u2014 The City Council wants a promise from an internet fiber company that it will leave no neighborhood behind as it expands into Springfield.<\/p>\n
GoNetspeed has already brought fiber to parts of Indian Orchard and submitted 27 petitions for approvals to install fiber optic cable on poles and underground on tree belts on dozens of streets in the city.<\/p>\n
The council delayed granting approvals until it gets an assurance about the scope of the buildout.<\/p>\n
While some Western Massachusetts communities have negotiated with GoNetspeed to bring in competition, the company was not hired by the city and independently chose to come into Springfield, John Dullaghan, a strategist for the company, told councilors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe select different areas that we thought would benefit,\u201d he said. Once permits are approved, there are sections that can be activated within days reaching 10,000 people, Dullaghan said.<\/p>\n
The company is starting in areas that are easier because the majority of the cable can be installed on poles rather than laying fiber underground, Dullaghan said.<\/p>\n
The permit requests are on Boston Road, Breckwood Boulevard, North Branch Parkway and Parker Street and streets off those roads. If granted, it will provide connections mainly in the Sixteen Acres, Pine Point and Boston Road neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
Dullaghan said the company plans to install fiber in the entire city in multiple phases. The first phase is estimated to cost $50 million to complete.<\/p>\n
While the permits like this are generally routine approvals given to a utility company, city councilors said they wanted to look at the larger issue of ensuring there is digital equity in all neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
Because of that, and other issues, the council voted to continue the question of the permits to October to get more information about the long-term plans.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting fiber to the city of Springfield is super important for our future viability,\u201d said City Councilor Jose Delgado. \u201cThey don\u2019t have any legal requirements to do the whole city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Delgado has headed the City Council\u2019s working group on digital equity and internet access for nearly two years. He said he is concerned the company will complete a few phases and decide it is not profitable to go into the poorer neighborhoods. If that happened, he said it is unlikely other companies would be interested in coming in to provide access in those neighborhoods or the entire city.<\/p>\n