Broadband Partnership RFI
The City of Tipton is currently seeking proposals from private broadband providers who are interested in bringing fiber broadband to every home and business in Tipton. Proposals are due on October 9, 2020 at 5pm Central Time.
Broadband Partnership RFI (issued 8/6/2020)
Broadband Partnership RFI ADDENDUM (issued 8/18/2020)
January 9, 2020 Informational Meeting
Background
In 1997, voters in Tipton approved the formation of a municipal telecommunications utility by a vote of 86% in favor and 14% against. Like many other Iowa communities in the late 1990’s, Tipton leaders were worried about being left behind on the “information superhighway” as internet access was coming into widespread-adoption. Although voters authorized a telecom utility, thus establishing it legally, a telecommunications system was not built. Instead, the community continued to rely on the incumbent cable TV and telephone companies to provide access and satisfy Tipton’s needs.
Twenty-two years later, the telecommunications world has changed drastically. Fast, reliable internet access has become essential for entertainment, education, health care, and economic development in the 21st century. Tipton citizens have provided feedback to city leaders that incumbent providers are not meeting their needs, especially in terms of reliability, affordability, and customer service excellence.
In order to identify possible pathways to better broadband, the City of Tipton has asked SmartSource Consulting and collaborative partners Kielkopf Advisory Services and BigGig Iowa to help the city examine its options. Are there broadband providers in the region that would be interested in serving Tipton? Is a municipal telecommunications system a feasible option? Are there public-private partnerships that might achieve your goals?
In order to identify possible pathways to better broadband, the City of Tipton has asked SmartSource Consulting and collaborative partners Kielkopf Advisory Services and BigGig Iowa to help the city examine its options. Are there broadband providers in the region that would be interested in serving Tipton? Is a municipal telecommunications system a feasible option? Are there public-private partnerships that might achieve your goals?
Phase 1: Provider Research
The goal of the first phase of the pre-feasibility study was to identify which providers have a presence in Tipton today, and what other providers in the region might have an interest in serving the community in the future.
The Phase 1 report was delivered to the Tipton City Council on November 6, 2019. CLICK HERE to download and read the report (PDF, 418 KB)
The Phase 1 report was delivered to the Tipton City Council on November 6, 2019. CLICK HERE to download and read the report (PDF, 418 KB)
Phase 2: Community Broadband Study
The goal of Phase 2 (currently underway) is to provide the City of Tipton with feedback from the community about current broadband providers and show what a municipal broadband utility might look like in terms of technology, structure, and cost.
- Community Broadband Survey: The survey contains questions about consumer broadband usage and attitudes about incumbent providers. The survey is also designed to measure the public’s interest in switching to a new provider if one were present in Tipton in order to determine the ability to capture market share from existing providers. This evaluation of the market opportunity will be of value to either Tipton or another potential provider in determining take rates and financial performance.
- Broadband Assessment: Utilizing an online platform, CrowdFiber, the broadband assessment identifies the addresses of consumers interested in switching to a new provider and will collect internet speed test data at this location. This adds value for business modeling and the Phase Three RFI process as having locational information may drive interest in phased solutions by reducing uncertainty arising from only having aggregated data.
- High-Level Cost Estimates: BigGig Iowa will develop a high-level design and cost estimate for a broadband network in Tipton. Two options will be developed: a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network and a hybrid fiber-fixed wireless (HFW) network.
- High-level Business Model: Utilizing cost estimates prepared in Phase 2 above, SmartSource Consulting and Kielkopf Advisory Services will develop a high-level business model for a city-owned and operated broadband utility using either a FTTH or HFW network topology. This provides the City with a base business case for a municipal utility that can be compared to proposals received by other providers during the Phase Three RFI process.
Additional Steps
Following the Community Broadband Study, the City of Tipton may decide to seek formal proposals from providers outlining how they could provide improved telecommunications services to the community. Another option that could be considered is the creation of a municipal telecommunications utility which would allow for community ownership and control of telecom services.
Resources for Tipton Residents
Click the Facebook icon above to visit the Tipton Broadband Facebook page. LIKE the page and follow the discussion with fellow citizens!
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FAQ'sYou may have a lot of questions about the what access to fiber broadband services would mean. On this page we'll keep an updated list of questions we receive and answers to those questions.
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ScheduleCheck this page for the latest schedule of informational meetings for the Tipton Pre-Feasibility Study.
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