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Timnath approves $5.5 million in funding to expand Pulse broadband network
Summary
Town council unanimously approved Resolution 46 to authorize $5.5 million in additional funding for the Timnath Pulse fiber build, covering construction of core routes, sites 13–24, project and construction management, and roughly 800 premise installs.
The Timnath Town Council on June 24 unanimously approved a $5,500,000 funding authorization to continue buildout of the town's Pulse broadband network, staff said.
The funding authorization, labeled Funding Authorization Number 3, covers project and construction management, site construction for a set of neighborhoods described as sites 13 through 24 and conduit/pull-box/fiber work, and up to $1,000,000 for premise installs to connect approximately 800 customers, according to staff presentation.
Pulse broadband was first supported by the council in August 2023 and previously received two funding commitments: an initial authorization “just under a million dollars” and a second authorization of $7,700,000 in April 2024. Staff said the cumulative authorizations including the newly approved $5.5 million bring the town close to $14.2 million in total project expenditures to date; staff and council discussed an overall project budget in the roughly $20,000,000 range.
Staff clarified how premise-install costs are handled: the town pays for premise installs until Pulse reaches a 40 percent take rate in a given area; once sites reach 40 percent, Pulse covers premise installs. "Once we reach 40%, we don't have to pay that cost anymore," Staff member Smith said. When asked for current take-rate numbers, Smith said the program must wait for Pulse's 90-day confirmation window before publishing exact figures but added, "We are doing quite well in the areas that we have started in. In fact, at least 1 site is already at 20% take rate." Council members said they expect a fuller dashboard with subscription and take-rate statistics in the monthly report to council.
Several council members who spoke in the debate described early customer reports as positive. "It's cheaper than what I was paying by a lot and way faster," Council member Jenkins said, speaking of his personal experience with Pulse in an eligible area. He and others also said Pulse had been responsive to repair requests and that most complaints had been minor and addressed.
Council asked about timing for northern neighborhoods; staff estimated later phases (Wild Wing, Saratoga, Kitchell) would likely be built in 2026 with potential go-live for the far north areas in late 2026 or early 2027. Staff also noted Old Town will be included in the current authorization: "This funding authorization would include Old Town," Staff member Smith said.
Council voted 5–0 to approve Resolution 46 authorizing the $5,500,000 funding authorization for 2025.
The council directed staff to include take-rate and customer-satisfaction data in upcoming monthly reports and to ask Pulse about its plans to survey customers on satisfaction and repair responsiveness.
