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Councilors press for RFP and equity protections as private fiber companies propose limited buildouts
Summary
City councilors and working-group members raised concerns that private fiber builders may prioritize higher‑income neighborhoods, and urged an RFP process or city requirements to ensure full-city coverage and affordability commitments from companies such as Go Net Speed.
Councilor K. Delgado (City Councilor) told the Digital Equity Working Group on Aug. 12 that private fiber providers seeking to build in Springfield could worsen digital inequities unless the city requires fuller commitments.
“These companies can come in essentially … they're here to make money so they can study a market. They can pick an area that they wanna build out, which is usually an area where that has a higher median income,” Councilor Delgado said. He urged an RFP process or contractual requirements to protect lower-income neighborhoods.
Why it matters: multiple members warned that permitting partial buildouts could lock in unequal access. If an ISP builds…
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