Vidalia Embarking on Bold Broadband Initiative

 

Vidalia, one of LEPA’s member municipalities, is embarking on a broadband initiative intended to bring fiber-optic cable to every home and business in the city.

The effort is particularly noteworthy because of the large bandwidth proposed, the business plan envisioned, and the fact that Vidalia has a population of only 4,300.

Vidalia’s present Internet connectivity is slow and unpredictable, according to city officials, and the local service providers have no plans to increase their current offerings. In addition to its small population, the city is about 100 miles from the nearest metro area.

The Vidalia Broadband Initiative calls for the city to upgrade its utility system, providing a fiber-optic path that will allow service providers to offer up to 1 gigabyte of bandwidth to every home and up to 10 gigabytes to every business. Bob Buseck, Information Technology Administrator for the city, says these extremely high bandwidth levels are “unheard of” in the South and rare anywhere else nationwide.

“This will make the City of Vidalia the smallest city in the United States to provide this level of broadband service, thus opening the door to tremendous economic development, high-value jobs, higher quality of life for residents, and the ability to educate, attract, and retain talented young people,” according to an online presentation the city has produced. You can view the presentation by going to this web address online:

http://prezi.com/1an1z0h8mpqo/one-audacious-goal/

Buseck explains that having a municipally owned electric system makes the broadband project feasible because the city will run the fiber-optic lines on its existing power poles.

The city will not be in the business of providing Internet, phone, or cable TV service. Instead, it will charge a subscription fee to service providers for use of the broadband network.

Buseck states that inadequate Internet service threatens to make Vidalia unappealing to young people, who want to live in a progressive community. He notes that approximately 26% of the city’s population is in the 10-to-29 age range.

“Vidalia’s project to bring fiber-optic to the city has already drawn the interest of companies looking to locate both Internet server operations and cloud operations in the city because of the bandwidth that will be available,” according to the city’s online presentation. “These companies will bring high-paying jobs in the technical field and will provide sought-after jobs for young people, along with future growth.”

The area’s unemployment rate currently stands at 10.2%.

Mayor Hyram Copeland notes that Vidalia also has other economic inducements for growth: an industrial park with low tax rates that are appealing to corporations—and available land and labor.

“Fiber optics will bring competition in allowing more phone, Internet, and cable service in Vidalia, which will significantly reduce phone, Internet, and cable costs for the city and its residents,” says Buseck.

“Fiber optics will also allow the city to establish a business incubation center focused on technology and job creation,” Mayor Copeland says. “These centers have a track record of creating hundreds of jobs within just a few years.”

Vidalia’s online presentation cites the example of Moncton, Canada, which not only added technology through the installation of fiber, but also attracted the operations of major international corporations. The community with an uncertain future was transformed into one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, providing 25,000 jobs in 15 years.

Mayor Copeland says he hopes to have the Vidalia broadband network implemented over a three-year period. The city is actively seeking broadband development grants to help fund the project.

To view a promotional video about the Vidalia Broadband Initiative, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJmXED--0-A