VALPARAISO | Valparaiso will be the first in the area to offer municipal dark fiber optics to businesses when the network is in place later this year, Jim Mooney said.
"We're putting it in the ground so you can use those services. This will make Valparaiso a world-class city," Mooney said.
Mooney, who serves as executive director for Valparaiso's Redevelopment Commission, provided information and fielded questions Thursday regarding the Valpo Net Dark Fiber Project.
The project, an economic development initiative of the city and the Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission, will provide enhanced connectivity for data transmission as well as the internet, officials said.
The city, via the Redevelopment Commission, is undertaking the project to lay dark fiber in a loop around Valparaiso so businesses can connect to the fiber at a reasonable cost for connectivity, said Patrick Lyp, economic development director.
The fiber backbone will loop the city and provide direct access to Chicago. The primary areas of focus will include commercial corridors along Ind. 49 and U.S 30, as well as the north Calumet Avenue area.
Lyp said the genesis of the project started in March 2014 when the city's Redevelopment Commission hired Bryan Baker, of ComControl Inc., of South Bend, to investigate if a fiber network was feasible.
"This was not spur of the moment let's do the fiber process," Lyp said.
Baker confirmed a dark fiber network was feasible in Valparaiso and business leaders when questioned also confirmed it was needed, Lyp said.
Earlier this year the Redevelopment Commission selected Rohl Networks, of Jupiter, Florida, to install the backbone of its municipal fiber network.
"That's how we got to where we are today," Lyp said.
Mooney said the Redevelopment Commission signed a contract with Rohl Networks on March 10 and company officials were at the site on March 16.
Fiber is scheduled to be delivered by July with a targeted completion of the project by Christmas, Mooney said.
"We're out of the gate very, very strong," Mooney said.
Mooney encouraged those business representatives in attendance to sign a nonbinding letter of interest to help prioritize the construction allowable by the 2016-17 construction budget.
"The letters of interest will help us define the concentration," Mooney said.
Mooney said cost for the fiber is a one-time connection charge of $500 plus a circuit and drop charge of $1,200.
Businesses who opt for the service will still need to have a service provider.
"We will provide the infrastructure but you need someone to light it up for you," Mooney said.
Two Men and A Truck business representative Michael Shane said he came to the informational meeting to find out more about the fiber-optic project.
"We showed up to see if it would be a right fit for us. We may be one of the smaller businesses and it may be too big for us. I can definitely see the benefits for companies that use dark fiber optics," Shane said.