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SilverStar briefs council on 2025 open-access fiber build; says weekly coordination with town engineering
Summary
SilverStar provided a construction update on its 2025 open-access fiber build in Jackson, reporting completed build areas, current work zones, subsurface cobble and tight utility corridors that have slowed progress, and an operational model that intends to enable multiple retail providers to deliver service over the same fiber network.
Representatives from SilverStar updated the Town Council during the public comment period on July 21 on the company’s 2025 fiber build in Jackson and nearby contract areas.
Eric Heath, area vice president for construction and operations, said the company has completed multiple build sections identified in the town’s posted map and is actively working on several additional areas. Heath told councilors and staff that crews encountered cobble and tight underground utility corridors in one area, which slowed construction. He said SilverStar holds weekly coordination meetings with the town’s engineering staff and has been sharing maps and status updates to minimize surprises during construction.
Jason Jacobs, who spoke alongside Heath, described SilverStar’s network as an open-access wholesale model designed to allow multiple retail internet providers to deliver services over the same underlying fiber infrastructure. Jacobs said the approach can reduce the need for future trenches and repeated street disruptions because the network is designed to meet long-term demand and to be shared by competing service providers.
SilverStar also said it uses software tools that map and track individual customer interest, enabling the company to identify and prioritize connections for people who have expressed interest and to provide the town with construction-visibility maps. Council members and staff asked the company to continue weekly coordination and to share technical details and maps with town engineering to help minimize field conflicts and scheduling surprises.
Why it matters: A major fiber build affects right-of-way work, temporary construction impacts and future broadband competition for residents and businesses. SilverStar’s open-access approach is intended to create wholesale access for multiple retail providers, which the company says will expand retail choices without repeated excavation.
Speakers from SilverStar on the record included Eric Heath, area vice president over construction and operations, and Jason Jacobs.
