Hartford Business Journal

16 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | NOVEMBER 1, 2021 By Zachary Vasile zvasile@hartfordbusiness.com State and local officials say they're optimistic that a new fiber optic broadband system planned for East Hartford, which promises to deliver the fastest internet speeds now available in the U.S., will not only improve connectivity for residents but attract new employers to town and help existing businesses there grow. "We needed a new calling card for East Hartford," said Mayor Marcia Leclerc. "We believe this will be a great asset." Fiber optic infrastructure developer SiFi Networks plans to install in town the state's first open access network, meaning the cables it lays will be shared by multiple internet service providers. The $40 million project is privately supported with no cost to taxpayers. Internet service speeds of up to 1,000 megabytes per second will initially be offered, increasing to 10 gigabytes per second over time. According to SiFi, those speeds are fast enough to eliminate common internet-related issues, such as buffering and slowdowns. Leclerc said the new system — which is expected to be completed no later than 2024 — will offer hard-to-match advantages to companies looking to relocate or expand into East Hartford and benefit longtime employers such as jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney, the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. and the huge ecosystem of local manufacturing contractors that support the state's aerospace industry. "We have a large manufacturing base that is becoming more automated and reliant on tech," she said. "And with the pandemic, the need for that internet infrastructure is even greater now." Alexandra Daum, a deputy commissioner at the state Department of Economic and Community Development, said the topic of broadband in general comes up in discussions with companies that are looking to relocate to Connecticut, or at least considering it. "When they're 'interviewing' Connecticut, so to speak, broadband is definitely a top priority," Daum said. "It's important for them to know they'll have the speed and reliability they need." And if the East Hartford implementation goes smoothly and bears fruit, Daum added, it could serve as a template for other towns and cities looking to spur new economic growth. A long road Leclerc began looking into the advantages of a fiber optic system around 2014 through the Connecticut Gig Project, a coalition of municipalities and state officials that was intended to foster the development of high-speed, low-cost internet service. Discussions with that group didn't move forward, the mayor said, but the town continued to look into the technology and issued requests for proposals. "We got excited about the potential," she said. "East Hartford has stumbled in the past in trying to find a way to mitigate tax increases and grow our grand list. This was a new avenue to look at." The town began communications with SiFi in 2017. The company was interested in East Hartford for a number of reasons, including its population density, which would make a fiber optic project there worth the investment. Leclerc's advocacy was another important factor, according to Bob Knight, a SiFi spokesperson. "I give a lot of credit to the mayor," Knight said. "She was on a mission to make sure that broadband would be available throughout the community." East Hartford ultimately signed an agreement for SiFi to build its network, but it took time to line up investors. "It's intricate, somewhat like a real estate deal," Knight said. SiFi's projects are backed by private investors, most often pension funds. The company needs to work with "patient capital," or investors who can wait for a return on their money when the network is up and running and internet service providers are renting access to use it. The pandemic threw a wrench into the process, temporarily slowing down planning, but the effort gradually came together, and early last month town officials announced that work would soon begin on the "East Hartford FiberCity" network. Gov. Ned Lamont and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, among others, were on hand for the launch ceremony, and the public got its first look at the large "micro-trenching" 'New Calling Card' Hopes high that $40M fiber optic internet project will boost East Hartford's economic growth Alexandra Daum PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED East Hartford Mayor Marcia Leclerc speaks at an event announcing the formal launch of "East Hartford FiberCity," an in-town broadband network that aims to deliver the fastest internet speeds available in the U.S.

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