Neteo, a Morrison internet service provider, is the latest to test customer demand for gigabit internet in the city of Centennial.
That makes at least two companies publicly considering Centennial’s plan to build its own internet backbone for city services but let private firms connect and then offer service to residents. The other, Ting Internet, began although the Canadian ISP has not signed an official agreement yet with the city.
But at least 10 companies have met with the city and expressed interest, said Allison Wittern, a city spokeswoman.
“All along we’ve said we wanted to increase competition and generate interest,” Wittern said. “This is great because that was our goal from the beginning.”
In 2013, Centennial became one of the first cities to opt out SB-152, a state law preventing municipalities from using taxpayer money to build broadband networks. Last spring, the to build a fiber-optic backbone for law enforcement and city partners. The city then opened the project to private firms interested in connecting residents to the city’s fiber.
Officials from Ting Internet, whose a month excluding startup costs, were in town this week to meet with residents, said Adam Eisner, Ting’s vice president of networks.
“The response so far has been very positive,” Eisner said. “Alongside that, we are undertaking a lot of planning right now, from how much of Centennial’s fiber network we will leverage via lease to exactly where we will build, and the specifics behind that. We’re hoping to announce more details in the coming weeks.”
Centennial began constructing the backbone near its office in December on Peakview Ave., Wittern said.
Two-year-old Neteo, meanwhile, currently offers wireless internet in Morrison, Conifer, Evergreen and other cities. But faster internet has been challenging for a small startup, which doesn’t have the resources to tear up roads to run fiber cables, said Ryan Smith, Neteo’s co-founder.
“The city is doing two things I like: They’re putting in a backbone but they’re not becoming an ISP,” Smith said.
Neteo is just exploring the possibility of offering fiber-based internet to homeowners, apartment dwellers and businesses in Centennial, he said. It’s taking sign-ups at .
In 2014, the city of Longmont municipality to offer gigabit service after opting out of SB-152 years before. About .
Earlier this month, state Sens. Kerry Donovan and Lucia Guzman SB-152. Guzman said she expects the bill to be heard Feb. 13 by the Senate Business, Labor & Technology committee.