Bluffton is one step closer to being a Gigabit City.
AdamsWells Telecom TV was notified Friday that its application for an expanded bandwidth capacity within the Indiana Fiber Network had been approved. This is a significant step forward and a “key element” in the plan to providing the highest bandwidth service available, AdamsWells general manager Lee VonGunten said.
“We have to make sure that our pipeline to the world is big enough to handle the bigger pipeline we will provide,” he explained.
Currently, AdamsWells has about 75 percent of the city covered with what he called a “10 gigabit ring.”
“We need to get the remainder connected to that and then develop a rate structure,” he said, adding that he will also be meeting with city officials.
Bluffton Mayor Ted Ellis said Friday that in light of “what is initially a slow market demand for this level of bandwidth,” the city would be open to using County Economic Development Income Tax funds to “prime the pump, so to speak,” Ellis said.
“Anything we can do to help get out in front of this, I think is a good investment for the city,” he added.
VonGunten noted that currently, few people and businesses have a real need for that much bandwidth, but the growing demand for video streaming services will likely change that.
“There is so much potential out there for tremendous levels of bandwidth,” VonGunten said.
Both men acknowledged confidence in getting the pieces in place yet in 2015 to be able to label Bluffton as a “Gigabit City.”
Ellis had unveiled his goal to make Bluffton Indiana’s first city to gain that recognition in his state-of-the-city address in March.
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