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High-speed Internet, anyone? |
Verizon takes its nationwide effort
to wire homes for fiber-optic Internet to Newberg, Dundee |
By Gunnar
Olson, Newberg Graphic reporter
E-mail Gunnar at
golson@eaglenewspapers.com |
Verizon is
looking to bring high-speed Internet to the homes of Newberg and
Dundee.
A representative from the telephone company said last week that
Verizon has been working with the cities for the past couple months
on plans for installing fiber-optic cable within the cities’
residential areas.
The rep, external affairs manager Bob Wayt, cautioned that the
project hinged on the cities’ approvals. But he seemed optimistic.
“The response from the cities has been positive,” Wayt said. “But
it still requires the approval of the cities for us to do this
work.”
What approval Verizon needs are building permits. Neither city
holds a veto over the entire project.
Not that either city would want to kill the project. As Wayt
pointed out, high-speed Internet can be a selling point for cities —
for attracting residents, as well as for attracting businesses.
“There are some real benefits to a city, to an area, to having
fiber optics,” he said.
Wayt said Verizon could get started on the project as early as next
year.
Verizon’s plan is not related to the proposal to bring fiber-optic
line from the city of Sherwood into downtown Newberg. That project
took a step forward this week, as Providence Health Systems entered
into an agreement to have the fiber-optic run from Sherwood to the
new medical center in Newberg. (See adjacent story for details.)
Laying fiber-optic in Newberg and Dundee is part of a nationwide
effort for Verizon. Verizon ran fiber-optic to 1 million homes
across the nation in its first year of the program, in 2004, Wayt
said.
This year, Verizon has run fiber optic to an additional 2 million
homes, he said. The project first touched the Northwest this year,
as well, with 57,000 homes in Washington County — in Hillsboro,
Aloha, Beaverton, Tigard, Bethany, Rock Creek and Oak Hills —
getting fiber-optic.
Verizon will continue its project in 2006, including in Newberg and
Dundee.
He said it’s not certain exactly where in Newberg and Dundee the
fiber-optic lines will run. He did say that the lines will go to
most residential areas inside the city limits. The lines will be
laid over existing telephone lines.
Whether residents use the service is optional. He said Verizon will
offer three service packages. The slowest option — five megabits
“downstream” (bringing in information) and two megabits “upstream”
(sending information out) — will be roughly three times faster than
DSL service.
Customers can also opt for 15 megabits of downstream with two
megabits of upstream, or for 30 megabits of downstream with five
megabits of upstream.
Newberg City Manager Jim Bennett said Verizon representatives,
including Wayt, first met with city officials one year ago. He said
Verizon started to meet more regularly with the city about two
months ago.
“They’re gearing up, getting everything ready to go, getting their
contractors lined up,” Bennett said.
Bennett said the city needed to work closely with Verizon in
planning the laying of the lines, as the construction will require
closing roads.
“It’s going to create some disruption,” Bennett said. |
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From
Nov. 30,
2005, Newberg Graphic
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