City Councilor Jose Delgado — pictured here at a previous council meeting — has proposed a request for proposals process for the build-out of a high-speed fiber network in Springfield.
Reminder Publishing file photo
SPRINGFIELD — With internet more essential than ever before, At Large City Councilor Jose Delgado is urging Springfield to embark on a request for proposals process that invites competition for a high-speed fiber option within the city.
In an interview, Delgado said high costs are preventing the city from building its own municipal fiber network, so why not allow companies to compete to build out a network within the entire city.
He explained that the process should be an “economic development priority.”
“I think competition will be better because you have fiber coming in, you’ll have competition with Comcast, and hopefully that will lower prices for residents,” Delgado said. “But competition among fiber companies would also bring better prices, better products and better customer service.”
Delgado chairs the Working Group on Digital Equity, which is currently partnering with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to prepare a final report that will delineate the city’s greatest needs when it comes to internet access and technology. Set to release later this month, the report is the result of many public meetings across the city where the group heard from residents about their experiences in the digital realm.
The working group has been key in emphasizing residents’ needs for better access, affordability and education, but Delgado shared that the idea for an RFP process actually came from a meeting with New Bedford officials.
According to the at large councilor, the gathering gave him an opportunity to learn about how the Bristol County community implemented its own RFP procedure to attract different companies looking to build a fiber network.
“They got different proposals [from their RFP process], and the company that they ended up going with is going to work with them to build out the whole city in phases,” Delgado said.
Springfield does not have anyone who is committed to building out a fiber network for the entire city, but there are proposals to get certain people connected to internet in the Indian Orchard neighborhood.
Right now, the City Council is looking at 20-plus installations of underground conduits between utility poles in the neighborhoods down the Boston Road and Parker Street corridors. The projects, spearheaded by GoNetspeed, would connect residents in those areas to the provider’s services.
On July 14, the council decided to delay the installations until its regular meeting in September so it could learn more about the projects.
During that meeting, Delgado said he was not against the idea of GoNetspeed bringing their services to Springfield, but he wants to make sure no resident in the city is left behind, and no one company is monopolizing the city’s resources without further scrutiny.
“If we make this decision now, there are no regulations that the state has that will keep [GoNetspeed] from building out the whole city,” Delgado said during the council meeting. “No other company will look at Springfield because the areas that have the higher median incomes have already been touched, and so that’s why I’m saying let’s not rush into a decision until we make sure that we do the best thing for the entire city.”
In the interview with Reminder Publishing, Delgado reaffirmed those sentiments, saying that he is excited about GoNetspeed’s investment in the city, but wants to make sure lower income residents are receiving the same type of internet access that more affluent neighborhoods are experiencing.
“Springfield cannot afford to be left behind. A citywide fiber network would make us more attractive to new businesses, remote workers, and families looking for a connected, forward-thinking place to live,” Delgado said. “But we must do it right, with competition, transparency, and a clear focus on closing the digital divide. No neighborhood should be left behind.”
