Boulder outlines Allo partnership for city broadband; construction targeted to finish by 2029

City staff updated the advisory board on Oct. 20 about the City of Boulder—s community broadband program and a public‑private arrangement with Allo Communications to provide last‑mile fiber service.

Maria Rotunda, the city—s community broadband program manager, summarized the program goals: "citywide access to achieve near ubiquitous fiber optic coverage by 2030," create a competitive marketplace with at least one fiber option, ensure equity and inclusion for low‑income residents, preserve net neutrality and protect consumer privacy.

Background and deal terms: staff said the city invested about $20 million to build a 55‑mile city fiber backbone (phase 1, 2019–2024). In 2024 the city issued a request for proposals and selected Allo Communications; staff described a 20‑year lease whose net present value is presented as roughly $9 million and which included an Allo initial payment of $1.5 million. The lease requires Allo to include income‑qualified addresses in their build sequencing and to offer discounted service tiers, a "community connector" program providing three years of free service to up to 25 nonprofits, and complimentary service upgrades for higher‑education students living in Boulder.

Construction and operations: Allo has divided the city into build zones (passive optical networks, or PONs) and began construction in Chautauqua in September as part of coordinated utility and resurfacing work. The lease anticipates the Allo buildout will be largely complete by 2029; Allo will operate two local central offices and provide additional exchange fiber to the city for municipal use.

Competition and coverage: Staff said incumbent wired providers (Comcast, CenturyLink, Quantum Fiber) and wireless providers remain active in the market. Allo—s fiber offering will be an additional option; staff said Allo—s lowest current Colorado price point observed by the team is about $67 per month but that Allo has committed to pricing at or below other Colorado markets for a comparable service tier. The city expects near‑citywide coverage but noted some locations (for example, private mobile‑home parks) will require right‑of‑entry agreements with property owners.

Coordination: the utilities operations team is supporting construction oversight because of the department—s experience with underground projects; Maria Rotunda and construction manager Randy Reese are serving as the city—s points of contact for build coordination, permitting and right‑of‑entry discussions. Staff emphasized the project—s stated equity and consumer‑protection commitments and said the city will retain dark and lit fiber capacity for municipal and institutional uses.

No formal action was taken. Board members asked for follow‑up on lease details, affordability safeguards for low‑income residents, and whether Allo—s build schedule would be coordinated with other city capital projects.