Can fiber optic broadband help Benicia business park?

Should Benicia (CA) launch itself into cyberspace to recharge its economic engine? The city is pondering such a possibility as it weighs options for its aging business park.

Although dozens of US cities have built municipal fiber networks, these deployments have potential downsides. Among them are political risks entwined in operating a telecom business. There's also the cost. But a recent city-commissioned report suggests the city can't afford inaction. Released Sept. 15, it finds many Benicia Industrial Park businesses have unmet broadband needs. The report finds the city should facilitate bringing lightning-fast Internet -- hundreds of times faster than basic broadband -- to industrial park tenants. The study also concludes that a fiber network -- municipal or not -- would be the surest bet to meet the sprawling park's future technology needs. The report's main conclusion is that the industrial park's broadband needs ultimately will be met best through a fiber network. The city doesn't need to own and operate a municipal network within the park to achieve success, but it should ensure that any high-speed broadband is viable, the report found. The report also presents several possible broadband business models, including municipal ownership and operation, public-private partnerships and nonprofit ownership. Benicia's best option may be a city-owned network operated by one or more outside contractors, the report indicated.