The City wants to hear from you. The Lakeland Commission is currently exploring the idea of launching a City-operated broadband utility. (Read: High-speed internet provided by the City.)
They’re holding a public forum on Tuesday (Oct. 1) and asking Lakelanders to take their public survey to gauge community interest.
But first, some background info:
DYK? The City of Lakeland currently owns + operates 330+ miles of existing fiber-optics. This network has been used to provide high-speed internet connectivity to the Polk County School District, local libraries, public safety entities + Lakeland Electric. Now, the City wants to know: Should they develop a plan to offer broadband services to residents?
The plan would cost an estimated $97.5 million to connect customers to the existing fiber-optic network. This is clearly a big undertaking, so the City hired Magellan Advisors to create a Lakeland Broadband Business Plan, which outlines risks, infrastructure needs, costs, pricing + more.
Have your say:
To voice your opinion,
✔️ Learn more about the proposed plan
✔️ Attend the public forum on Tuesday, 6 p.m. at the RP Funding Center. Ⓟ
