Thanks to David Russell of Calix for the head up on the progress in Powell, Wyoming. He is out west helping them celebrate.
The City of Powell has built a public-private partnership with network service provider TCT; and municipal-broadband- network facilitator U.S. MetroNets (USM) to build PowelLink – municipal Fiber-to-the-Home network.
The network will provide high-bandwidth advanced IP services to both residents and businesses, and will serve as a magnet for this community of 5,500 residents in northern Wyoming. USM is managing the service, the City is providing access to the network and TCT will be providing services.
It will be great to see how this works out. It sounds like a viable strategy to me. USM has been able to obtain private funding.
Thanks to David for sending me a link from the local media on the PowelLink: http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/05/29/news/wyoming/20-optic.txt
It gives some great examples of economic development spurred by broadband