“When we talk about the universal fiber optic telecom network we’re discussing today, we’re talking about an economic multiplier to end all multipliers,” said Austin Davis, senior policy adviser to Mayor Justin Bibb. “This is the infrastructure, the foundational communication medium from which all jobs of the future will, at some level, derive.”
Construction of the underground network, which would require trenching to install and restoration of lawns and sidewalks, is estimated to cost roughly $500 million, according to SiFi President Scott Bradshaw. But the city won’t foot the bill.
“What attracted us to Cleveland is the lack of investment,” said Bradshaw at the meeting. “We cannot put our finger on why, what we can do though is help you and we want to help you at no cost to you.”
If the partnership gets approval, SiFi says it will offer data speeds of at least 1 gigabit per second, possibly much higher—city council communications noted, “The company says they will be able to offer 1 Gigabit to 100 Gigabit data speeds.”
SiFi, which has installed nearly 40 city-wide fiber networks around the country, would only build the network. After installation, it sells wholesale access to internet service providers and cable companies that then sell fiber broadband to residents and businesses.
“The key thing about SiFi as a developer is that what we are looking to identify is underserved communities,” Bradshaw said. “And when SiFi says ‘underserved,’ it really is about that digital divide where … various internet service providers are segmenting the community with the infrastructure they’re putting in.”
An estimated 35 percent of Cleveland households lack home broadband internet, and 17 percent lack any broadband connection at all. Closing this “digital divide” has been a priority in Council, which passed legislation this week to use $20 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds partner with nonprofit DigitalC to offer city residents high-speed internet for $18 a month. The initiative is the first of its kind in the nation and is expected to start connecting residents in Cleveland’s east side early next year. “You have significant segmentations of how the private industry is currently putting infrastructure into your community where they are choosing where they wish to put it, they are really segmenting your neighborhoods,” said Bradshaw.
The ordinance to partner with SiFi will need to pass in the Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee before it can be brought for a vote in Council.
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This article appears in Best of Cleveland 2023.