Community-owned open-access network slated for Placerville

News Placerville, in the foothills of California’s Sierra Nevada, is set to break ground on a $20.2 million fiber-optic broadband project. By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities An effort to build a city-owned, open-access fiber broadband network in Placerville, California kicks off this week. Construction of the network, to be operated by Placerville Fiber, is backed by a $20.2 million grant from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). A news release, posted at the Mountain Democrat’s website, said the project will extend services to “more than 2,100 residents and businesses identified as currently unserved. The release reported the CPUC committed funds under the Last Mile Federal Funding Account. “Placerville Fiber is a vital component of California’s broader initiative to bring high-speed internet to rural and underserved communities,” the news release stated. Placerville, located in the Sacramento metro area, is also the county seat for El Dorado County. It had a population of a little over 10,000 residents, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. Meanwhile, Placerville Fiber’s website describes the coming open-access network as a city-owned utility offering choice through access to a marketplace of competitive internet service providers (ISPs). According to the August 12 release, Placerville designed its network to complement California’s Middle-Mile
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