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Alabama Fiber Network representative presents plan to place underground fiber in Decatur, seeks franchise agreement
Summary
A representative of a statewide fiber network described plans to install underground fiber to connect municipal sites in Decatur and requested a franchise agreement; no formal council vote was recorded during the presentation.
The Decatur City Council heard a presentation from a representative of Alabama Fiber Network about a planned statewide fiber backbone and a requested municipal franchise to place conduit and fiber in Decatur—yways.
The presenter, identified in the meeting as Chris, described the company as a private entity created by a coalition of electric cooperatives (Tom Beebe Electric, Coleman Electric and Joe Wheeler Electric) and said the network was funded through grants from state-level economic development resources and the governor—ffort to speed connectivity. He said the company oes not intend to offer residential service but aims to connect public and institutional sites, including the Innovation Center operated by the Alabama Community College System.
Chris said the network emphasizes resiliency and multiple physical paths into sites: "we don't have a single path into any site. We have 2, 3, 4, 5 paths into some of our sites...and we have the ability to route traffic around any of those paths," he told the council, adding that municipalities he had briefed showed interest in connecting municipal buildings and college sites.
Dane Shaw, director of development, introduced the annexation and pre-zoning items discussed earlier on the agenda and facilitated the introduction of the fiber presentation. When asked about construction methods, Chris said the company would use directional boring in urban environments and open trench where appropriate, and that the company has working relationships with state permitting agencies including the Department of Transportation.
No formal franchise ordinance vote was recorded in the work session transcript. The item was introduced as "pre Alabama Fiber Network franchise agreement" (Ordinance 25-4607) and a company representative provided handouts and maps to council members.
Why this matters: The proposed network would add resilient fiber infrastructure for municipal and institutional connectivity, potentially improving redundancy and public-sector broadband options. The company—haracterized itself as a wholesale network built by electric cooperative members and funded through state grant programs.
What happens next: The presentation provided information to the council and staff; no vote was recorded in the transcript. Staff or the council may return the item for formal consideration and ordinance introduction, or schedule follow-up technical briefings with IT and public-works staff.
