Direct Communications asks Fairfield for letter of amiability to pursue federal BEAD broadband funding

Representatives from Direct Communications — Ben Hayes and Diane Bradshaw — asked the Fairfield Town Council on March 19 for a nonexclusive letter of amiability so the company can apply for federal BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment) grant funding to build fiber service in Fairfield and nearby Cedar Fort.

Hayes described the BEAD program as a large federal funding opportunity administered through the state that targets underserved rural communities. "One of those is to make sure that the community would be amiable working with us should we receive the grant," Hayes said. He asked the council for a simple, nonexclusive letter that would indicate the town is open to working with the provider if the company receives BEAD funding.

Key points presented by Direct Communications - Program and scope: Hayes said BEAD has large national funding and that recent state mapping shows Fairfield and Cedar Fort qualify as underserved areas for the purposes of the grant. - Cost assumptions: Hayes described a historical construction cost of about $9,000 per household served by terrestrial fiber in retrofit conditions and said the grant would typically eliminate that upfront construction cost to residents. He said the program requires the provider to offer a gigabit symmetrical service at under $70 per month, and that a symmetrical 500 Mbps offering could be priced nearer $50 per month, with a typical new-account setup fee. - Nonexclusive request: Council members requested the letter be nonexclusive and not restrict other providers. Hayes said Cedar Fort’s mayor had already signed a similar letter and confirmed Direct Communications is asking only for a town amenability letter, not an exclusive franchise.

Council discussion and staff follow-up - Council members asked that any sample letter be explicitly nonexclusive. Town staff agreed to receive an emailed draft from Direct Communications for review; staff said they would circulate it to the mayor and council for any edits. - Council members asked for clarification about competition and whether other providers could use the same fiber; Hayes replied that other providers can and do operate on separate fiber networks in some neighborhoods and that multiple networks can coexist.

No formal action was taken at the March 19 meeting; councilors directed staff to review the emailed draft and return it for consideration. If the council approves an amiability letter it would be nonbinding and limited to expressing the town’s willingness to work with a successful BEAD awardee on planning and permitting.