City of Alexandria
City Council members Amy Jackson, Canek Aguirre and John Chapman with Mayor Justin Wilson break ground on the municipal fiber project in August 2021.
Alexandria residents are a step closer to having a broadband option other than Comcast.
Earlier this year, city officials broke ground on a new municipal fiber-optic communications network to increase Internet speed and reliability to city facilities. The benefit of this is that it gives the city an opportunity to create the network in such a way that a company could lease the excess capacity to provide service to residents.
"In addition to improving connectivity among City facilities and sites, the Municipal Fiber project will create potential partnership opportunities to expand consumer choice and increase available speeds for broadband services available in Alexandria," city officials explained. "With the construction of the new fiber optic network, the City is planning to seek new partners who could lease excess conduit space to provide broadband service to residents and businesses. This would allow all providers to compete fairly and would encourage providers to offer consumer services."
The Alexandria City Council is planning to open that excess condiut space for bidding during its Nov. 9 meeting, when council members will vote on whether to “solicit and eventually grant a broadband network franchise(s) to some residents and businesses in Alexandria.”
Comcast has had virtual monopoly on cable service since 2006 in the City of Alexandria, making it difficult for residents to use any other provider for hard-wired cable and Internet service.
Construction on the municipal fiber project started in August with a groundbreaking outside the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter on Eisenhower Avenue. Jones Utilities Construction Inc. is constructing the network. The estimated construction completion date is in February 2025.
