Ocala City Council approved a $1.6 million contract earlier this month with a company that will install fiber-optic cables around the city to improve Ocala Fiber Network’s high-speed internet offering.
A two-year, $1.6 million contract with American Cable Electric, LLC, a Tallahassee-based company, was approved by the Ocala City Council during its regular meeting on January 7.
The company will now install underground conduits to support fiber construction and accommodate the growing demand in the area for fiber optic internet services.
Over the past several years, many residents in Ocala and Marion County have expressed an interest in purchasing fiber-optic internet if it were available in their neighborhood.
During a workshop with city officials, a consultant hired by the city last fall for $100,000 advised the city on several tactical and strategic recommendations, including freezing rates.
After that workshop, OFN announced a series of changes to help expand the network.
Several months before the workshop, city officials agreed to spend $300,000 on fiber optic cables and materials.
Fiber optic internet uses light to transfer data at a higher speed than electricity. The cables are comprised of glass fibers that transmit data as pulses of light. Those pulses transmit data much faster than traditional internet connections that use copper wires and electric signals.
Would you sign up for Ocala Fiber Network if it were made available in your neighborhood? Share your thoughts in a comment or a letter to the editor.
