EWEB Helps Extend High-Speed Fiber to Businesses
November 30, 2016
Over the past two years, EWEB has partnered with the city of Eugene, the Lane Council of Governments and the Technology Association of Oregon to provide high-speed Internet fiber optic connections to 20 businesses in three downtown buildings.
The pilot project takes advantage of EWEB's 70-mile fiber optic loop installed in the late 1990s that connects EWEB's electric substations, water reservoirs and other facilities. Working with the city and LCOG, the utility helped fund "last mile" connections to the buildings along Willamette Street near Broadway Plaza. EWEB leases "dark fiber" it doesn't need for its own purposes to two Internet Service Providers, who in turn provide high-speed connectivity to the businesses.
The downtown network supports Internet speeds up to 1 gigabyte per second - fast enough to download an entire high-definition movie in less than 36 seconds. The speed and capacity of the network, at prices competitive with Portland and San Francisco, provides vital infrastructure that can attract and retain companies that offer high-paying jobs. EWEB will continue to work with its partners in 2017 to find affordable ways to further expand the downtown fiber network.
