Lake Cities in Texas Seek Partnership to Build Broadband Network

Cities Corinth and Lake Dallas as well as towns Hickory Creek and Shady Shores (TX), collectively known as the Lake Cities, are seeking a public-private partnership to deploy a fiber network to households and businesses in the area. The project, with the help of $4 million in American Rescue Plan funds, would include building a middle-mile fiber ring to support government services around the four cities, connecting public buildings and facilities. Their Request for Proposals (RFP) seeks a financially sustainable public-private partnership where the local governments of the four cities make the initial capital investment and jointly own the network with a private Internet Service Provider (ISP). The ISP would operate and maintain the network primarily with little to no additional government funding needed after the network is up and running. In the RFP, the Cities stated a preference for fiber, but they are open to wireless and mixed solutions as well. The minimum speed they are requesting is 100/20 Mbps with reliability and affordability being key considerations for a future partnership. All four cities plan to grant right-of-way access to whichever private provider they decide to proceed with, and the four communities are currently working on leasing space on light poles which are owned by Oncor Electric.