August 1, 2000

For More Information, Contact:
EWEB's External Communications Coordinator

 

EWEB Commissioners Approve Contract for Telecom Feasibility Study and System Design

Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) Commissioners approved a contract between the community-owned utility and SIGCORP Communications at Tuesday night’s Board meeting. The contract enlists the assistance and expertise of Evansville, Indiana-based SIGCORP in the completion of the feasibility study and business plan for EWEB’s proposed telecom expansion.

The Board also approved a Letter of Understanding providing that if EWEB and its customers choose to proceed with the telecom system expansion, the utility will consider using SIGCORP as its development partner. If this partnership were to proceed, SIGCORP would provide up to 49 percent of the system funding.

Under the contract, SIGCORP will assist EWEB with the following elements of the utility’s telecom planning:

  • Assessment of the current situation of telecom infrastructure and services in Eugene.
  • Additional marketing analysis.
  • Collaboration with EWEB to prepare a summary of legal and regulatory issues.
  • Research, assessment and recommendations on potential service/content providers and service strategies
  • Assessment and recommendation on system technology and configurations, including detailed design for approximately 100 miles of the system.
  • Completion of the business plan.
  • Assistance with development of a financing strategy, including recommendation on strategy, potential investors and more.

The feasibility study and business plan will be used to help the EWEB Board in its final decision on development of the telecom system. The plan will also be used in discussions with the financing community, City Council and EWEB customers. Any final decision on system financing will be taken to the Eugene voters.

Again, EWEB has specified that in order to proceed with a system expansion, the following would need to be confirmed:

  • The system would be self-supporting and would not increase electric or water rates.
  • Multiple service providers could use the system.
  • All EWEB customers would have access to the system.
  • The expansion would have minimal impact on neighbors or the environment.
  • The system would provide capacity for various electric and water utility system and business applications.
  • The system would be capable of switched, digital and broadband services and be technically and physically capable of supporting voice, video, data and Internet applications and services.
  • Final development and operating structure would be handled locally. This includes service policies, procedures and rates.

For more background about SIGCORP Communications, visit www.sigcomsrv.com. For more about EWEB’s telecom project, visit www.eweb.org/telecom.

 

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