Welcome to the project page. We will try to provide access to all available project information from this page.
What is being proposed?
- A state-of-the-art high-speed fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network.
- City-wide wireless Internet access (technology to be determined).
- The network will reach all homes and businesses in Syracuse.
- A community-owned broadband (cable) utility.
- Funded from subscriber revenue.
- Financed with a revenue bonds issue, and possibly federal broadband stimulus grants for some related community service (public computer clusters, computer training, etc.).
What does it get you?
- Significantly lower prices (at least 30%), and more flexible service options.
- Community control of prices, services, policies, and infrastructure investment.
- Affordable service options to provide true universal access (bridging the digital divide).
- Television – All the channels currently available and more, with a-la-carte selection options so you pay only for what you want.
- Internet – Very high-speed 100Mb/s–1Gb/s service.
- Telephone – local, national, and international calling.
- Well-equiped public access studio(s); generous funding for public access, education, and government (PEG) channel programming; and access to multiple additional local programming channels.
- Greatly reduced city and school district telecommunications related expenses through consolidation, and greatly increased service capabilities and flexibility.
Why Fiber?
- It actually costs less today to build and service a new fiber-optic network than a new copper-based network. A fiber-optic network has around 100 times the capacity of copper and continues to improve rapidly with the electronics. Fiber networks are "future proof".
- To view multiple HD programs (2+ TVs in home) simultaneously, for video phone, Net radio, telemedicine, tele-education, gaming, and other new services, the typical home will require the much higher bandwidth fiber can provide.
- Fiber is the fastest, most reliable technology available.
Why Community-Owned?
A community-owned network has no profit requirements; it can charge less and offer more services and greater public access. The decisions on prices, services, policies, and infrastructure investment are made to maximize the public good, not the profits of a private company.
ActivitiesComments to Syracuse Common Council James Kenny comments to Common Council |
Project Reports & AnalysisSyracuse Public Broadband Initiative Overview Syracuse Public Broadband Rationale & Proposal SMBI Petition What is Net Neutrality? In The News
Project Changes Name
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Jul 1, 2011
Clearwire Launches 4G Service in Rochester & Syracuse
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Jul 1, 2010
Clearwire to Offer WIMAX Service in Syracuse
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May 6, 2010
Verizon FiOS Says No To Syracuse
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Apr 6, 2010
Syracuse Gets Road Runner Speed Boost. Rochester? Not
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Mar 27, 2010
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