The City of Boulder has sealed a deal with ALLO Communications, a strategic move that's positioned to deliver internet connectivity with the promise of speed, affordability, and reliability, a trifecta of digital service aspirations for many a city dweller and business alike. Pushing for a more digitally equitable landscape, the partnership is a leap toward cutting across the economic divides often seen in cyberspace provisioning, according to the City of Boulder.
Initiated by a 2018 City Council resolution, this plan hatched with Boulder's fiber-optic infrastructure at heart, meant to empower the city's digital enabling capabilities, now and in the future and the city has been laying down the tracks for this eventuality, constructing a robust citywide fiber backbone to hold up the promises of a connected tomorrow, it's clear, Boulder had its digital sights set well beyond the horizon. Boulder insists on a future where the community is not split along the fissures of connectivity, but rather whole and forward-facing.
City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde captured the enthusiasm, "We’re thrilled to work with ALLO Communications to bring affordable and reliable high-speed internet to every corner of Boulder," as obtained by the City of Boulder. Considering the scope of ALLO's undertaking, aiming to enmesh 80% of Boulder in its high-speed internet network by 2028 and nudging that figure to 97% by 2030, the city's connectivity aspirations do not seem far-fetched.
The contours of the agreement delineate more than just access, diving deep into the waters of price equitability, discounted rates for Boulder’s less privileged households, and pledges by ALLO to keep its savviness on the same page with net neutrality and consumer privacy standards, juggling these elements all while ensuring compliance with the Colorado Privacy Act, a balancing act that Boulder and ALLO seem equally committed to. With ALLO's commitment to a future-proof, scalable network, using sustainable materials, the city’s goals of environmental stewardship are concurrently addressed.
Financially, the deal is a boon for both entities. Boulder will pocket a $1.5 million upfront lease payment while relishing in the ongoing revenues from success-based fees and a slice of ALLO’s wholesale revenue, the collective net present value of the agreement summing up to an estimated $9 million. These influxes of funds are predestined, and earmarked for future community initiatives, with service phases kicking off with initial installations scheduled for late 2025.
