The City of Victoria, TX, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a partner to help them deliver affordable broadband for more of its citizens. The project could be extended to include other part of the state’s Golden Crescent region. Proposals must be received by 1 p.m. CST February 18, 2021.
Victoria is located southwest of Houston, near the Gulf of Mexico, with a population of 67,015 according to the 2018 census. The Victoria Broadband Commission, a city-led group of local stakeholders, developed the proposal to meet the broadband needs of diverse sectors. The project described in the RFP has three phases:
- Address connectivity needs as much as possible via existing infrastructure. The city notes that nearly 30% of its households don’t have a broadband connection, according to 2018 U.S. census data. The winning bidder will identify the factors behind this broadband shortcoming and evaluate the existing infrastructure among these factors.
- Conduct a feasibility study of network enhancements. The commission wants citizens to receive least 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream services, although it has a preference for more advanced options. The study will include a project timeline, technology recommendations, and engagement of potential service providers to create an environment of competition and consumer choice toward this goal.
- Develop an implementation strategy for an enhanced network. The strategy will include the identification of funding and revenue opportunities as well as division of responsibilities between the city and its development partner or partners. Developers are encouraged to include a digital literacy component or other remedies to the lack of internet adoption in Victoria. Preference will be given to responses that include the ability to construct any proposed improvements.
“Attracting internet providers is a challenge in rural areas, so we need to work proactively to improve the quality of internet service in our region,” said Assistant City Manager Darrek Ferrell. “Partnering with a third-party developer will be an important step toward improving our infrastructure and bringing internet access to more households, businesses and organizations.”
The full request for proposals and information on submitting a proposal is available at www.bidnetdirect.com/texas/city-of-victoria. More information on the Victoria Broadband Commission can be found at www.victoriatx.gov/broadband.
For related articles, visit the FTTx Topic Center.
For more information on FTTx technology and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.
To stay abreast of fiber network deployments, subscribe to Lightwave’s Service Providers and Datacom/Data Center newsletters.
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.