Elorza proposes citywide fiber-optics for Providence

PROVIDENCE – Mayoral candidate Jorge Elorza has proposed a citywide fiber-optic network capable of delivering Internet speeds up to 100 times faster than the current network.
The Providence Digital Rivers Project could cost anywhere between $20,000 and $400,000 per mile of fiber-optic cabling, depending on the method of installation, Elorza said, but the investment would serve to expand Rhode Island’s capacity for innovation in the private and public sectors and lay down critical infrastructure for the economy of the future.
“Right now this would be a bold step forward for Providence,” Elorza said in a statement. “But several cities of comparable size have done this, and it’s quickly becoming the basic standard for any city hoping to truly foster a strong Knowledge Economy. We’ve got to build for the future now.”
In proposing the Digital Rivers Project, Elorza pointed to existing models around the country, such as Chattanooga, Tenn., which developed its own municipal broadband network, as well as to the Beacon 2.0 fiber-optic network completed in Rhode Island last year that connects more than 100 local institutions, including Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, Rhode Island Hospital, the R.I. Department of Health and the R.I. Emergency Management Agency.
The success of such networks offers evidence that the Providence Digital Rivers Project can succeed, Elorza said. The Beacon 2.0 network was financed through $21.7 million in federal grants and $10.7 million in private investment.
“The lesson we can take from other cities that have done this is that no municipal government can achieve this on its own, but by establishing innovative public-private partnerships and seeking creative sources of funding, it can be done,” said Elorza. “As mayor, I will see to it that Providence is the next city to do this.”
To view Elorza’s entire proposal, visit www.elorzaformayor.com.

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