Symmetrical Gigabit Internet Attracting Business, Municipalities Attest
Municipalities are raving about gigabit internet speeds as key to attracting businesses to their cities.
Jun 16, 2021—Municipalities have been attesting to the allure of symmetrical gigabit internet and voice-over internet protocol services to keeping businesses in cities across the United States.
Experts on a panel discussing municipal broadband on Tuesday discussed advanced technologies that have attracted businesses and, as a consequence, jobs to their cities.
Brittany Smith, a customer support manager and representative from Gig East Exchange, a hub for entrepreneurs, tech startups, and remote workers in Wilson, North Carolina, said the city has benefited from a smart city modeled on a cooperation between its innovation hub and the municipal government.
“We’re just here to provide a better level of support for everyone,” Smith said. “With our service, competitors around the region slashed their prices, giving residents more options.”
Gig East Exchange seeks to continue working on its services by further enhancing an online billing application for consumers to use.
Angela Hemming, a director of technology and innovation and general manager of Highland Communication Service, stated that her municipality, Highland, Illinois, is also working on providing better broadband for its residents.
Initiatives such as advance fiber optic services, including voice, data, and video, are the catalysts to enhancing the quality of life for its residents, she said.
With over 2380 customers, the municipal company has a subscription rate of 54 percent over its fellow competitors AT&T, Charter Spectrum, and Dish Networks, according to its website.
She said the municipality understood that to attract business in the region, it had to reach out to companies to develop superior technology services like symmetrical gigabit internet and voice over IP throughout the city.
Panelists agree that federal funding toward these huge service providers will not harm the business model of providing technical services throughout their respective areas.
“The reality of what we’re doing here is providing better access to everyone, and competition is a beautiful thing,” said Angela.
President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan includes $100 billion for broadband – currently under negotiation – that emphasizes the importance of municipal networks.
