Fwd: Chicago announces city wide fiber network

[Gene Hastings <hastings@info-ren.org>]

>Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2000 11:00:56 -0500 (EST)
>From: CAnet-3-NEWS@canarie.ca
>Subject: Chicago announces city wide fiber network
>
>For more information on this item please visit the CANARIE CA*net 3 Optical
>Internet program web site at http://www.canet3.net/news/news.html
>-------------------------------------------
>
>
>[It is very exciting to see the CivicNet announcement.  The Alberta SuperNet
>and the Chicago CivicNet are classic examples of the model we have been
>advocating for accelerating the deployment of broadband infrastructure to
>homes and businesses. Joel Mambretti who chairs the infrastructure committee
>of CivicNet will be speaking at our workshop Nov 28,29 in Montreal - BSA]
>
>November 6, 2000
>
>Mayor=s Press Office
>(312) 744-3334
>
>
>MAYOR DALEY LAUNCHES CIVICNET: A PUBLIC-PRIVATE INITIATIVE
>TO WIRE CHICAGO FOR INTERNET, ADVANCED COMMUNICATIONS
>
>Mayor Richard M. Daley today took the first step toward building CivicNet, a
>public-private partnership to install the most extensive fiber optic
>infrastructure in the nation and bring high-speed communications to every
>neighborhood in the city.
>
>The Mayor issued a Request for Information, seeking private-sector partners
>to team up with the City and its sister agencies on the project, which has
>the potential to bridge the digital divide and bring the benefits of new
>technology to schools, businesses, hospitals, community organizations and
>average citizens.
>
>The Internet travels underneath the ocean and across the country on fiber
>optic cables, Daley said, but when it hits Chicago, or any other city, it
>has to slow down to ride on 90-year-old copper wiring. By building our own
>fiber optic network in the city, we can realize the full potential of the
>dramatic communications advances of the last decade and establish Chicagos
>leadership in the new economy.
>
>CivicNet will create the new infrastructure that Chicago needs to continue
>to compete for jobs, improve education, train the Internet work force and
>eliminate digital divide, the Mayor said.
>
>The Mayor said the City does not intend to go into the telecommunications
>business. Instead, it will combine the communications spending of the major
>local government agencies into a single contract that would be offered to
>telecommunications companies in exchange for installing fiber optic cable
>throughout the city.
>
>The government agencies -- the City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools,
>Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Housing Authority, City Colleges of
>Chicago and Chicago Park District spend $25 million a year on voice and data
>communications, giving them the ability to leverage $250 million on the
>project over 10 years.
>
>In addition, the local governments would provide right-of-way, such as
>tunnels, along rapid transit lines and inside conduits, that will
>dramatically lower the cost of bringing high-speed fiber to city
>neighborhoods.
>
>
>Using sewer pipes for fiber installation, for example, cuts in half the cost
>of digging up the streets and trenching, and has the added benefit of not
>disrupting traffic or diminishing the integrity of the street surface. The
>City also can lower installation costs by allowing conduit to be laid when
>streets are resurfaced or new water mains are installed.
>
>The City envisions a consortium of private sector companies -- large and
>small, fiber and wireless, cable and equipment -- working with each other
>and the City to make CivicNet happen.
>
>The consortium would build, manage and operate CivicNet and market it to
>other entities in the public and private sectors.  Fiber connections would
>be made available to businesses, universities, hospitals, other non-profit
>institutions and community organizations.
>
>Rather than build a network just for the government, CivicNet will build an
>infrastructure that everyone can use,Daley said.
>
>Schools will use CivicNet to help train the workers for the industries
>CivicNet will help to attract. Community organizations will use it to
>improve their access to information.  Businesses will have access to high
>speed services to engage in e-commerce.
>
>The Mayor said CivicNet will enable the fiber optic infrastructure to be
>built faster and more efficiently than if the job were left totally to the
>private sector. He compared it to government=s building highways, mass
>transit and water and sewer systems to enhance economic development.
>
>As the infrastructure is built, the City=s private sector partners will be
>able to offer improved services to every neighborhood, and eventually down
>every street. The government=s involvement would ensure that the fiber optic
>network extends to every community in the City and not just the affluent
>areas.
>
>In its role as anchor tenant, the City is offering other users of
>communications the opportunity to join together under the CivicNet banner
>and take advantage of improved services. For example, a bank might want to
>join CivicNet to extend fiber optic cable to its branches.
>
>The Request for Information contains detailed information on the combined
>voice and data needs at 1,600 locations of the City and its sister agencies,
>and also on the resources controlled by the City that can be made available
>to companies to build CivicNet.
>
>
>###
>
>
>
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>-------------------------------------
>
>These news items and comments are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect
>those  of the CANARIE board or management.
>
>
>Bill St. Arnaud
>Senior Director Network Projects
>CANARIE
>bill.st.arnaud@canarie.ca
>+1 613 785-0426