Reso 2018-116 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Primary FPUAnet services are Dedicated Internet Access, Fiber Bandwidth Connections, E - Rate IP Links, and Dark Fiber Links. FPUAnet services also include Wireless Broadband Internet and Wireless Bandwidth Connections, which extend FPUA's fiber through wireless communications. The FPUAnet Communications mission statement is "To help promote economic development and meet the needs of our community with enhanced, reasonably priced communications alternatives." It all began around 1994, when FPUA began to build a fiber-optic network to replace leased data links between its buildings in Fort Pierce. The new optical fiber system proved more reliable and cost effective and was built with sufficient capacity for external customers. In 2000, FPUA allocated separate fibers through which it began to offer Dark Fiber Links to other institutions. This soon expanded to include businesses and more service types. RETAIL SERVICE PROVIDER - BUSINESS & RESIDENTIAL Municipalities that provide end user services to businesses and residential customers are considered retail service providers. Most commonly, municipalities provide voice, television, and Internet services to their businesses and residents through a municipally owned public utility or enterprise fund of the city. As a retail service provider that serves businesses and residents, the municipality is responsible for a significant number of operational functions, including management of its retail voice, television and Internet offerings, network operations, billing, provisioning, network construction, installation, general operations, and maintenance. The municipality competes with service providers in the business and residential markets and must be effective in its sales and marketing program to gain sufficient market share to support the operation. Many municipalities that have implemented these services are electric utilities that serve small to midsize markets. Many of these markets are rural or underserved in areas that have not received significant investments by broadband service providers. Retail service providers must comply with state and federal statutes for any regulated telecommunications services. These organizations must also comply with state statutes concerning municipal and public utility broadband providers; a set of rules has been developed in most states that govern the financing, provision, and deployment of these enterprises. Exarnple- Bris-tol Virginia Utilities (BVU OptiNet) BVU OptiNet is a nonprofit division of BVU, launched in 2001, that provides telecommunication services to approximately 11,500 customers in areas around Southwest Virginia. OptiNet is known for its pioneering work in the area of municipal broadband throughout the area. BVU is acknowledged as the first municipal utility in the United States to deploy an all fiber network offering the triple play of video, voice, and data services. Offering digital cable, telephone service, and high-speed Internet from a remote -area utility provider makes BVU exceptional, even on a global level. 203