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HEB Fiber goes live in Harriman; utility details rollout, waitlist
Summary
Harriman’s utility director announced HEB Fiber is now offering paid service to customers in five initial design areas, said about 950 addresses are on the interest list, and outlined expected timing for additional neighborhoods and the upcoming addition of telephone service.
Candace, a Department of Utilities official, told the council that HEB Fiber has moved out of pilot and is “live and ready for new customers,” with about 60 test accounts already transitioned to paying customers and five design areas ready to accept applications.
The utility official said the signup process begins with an online application from the city’s interest list; the contractor then contacts applicants to schedule installation. Candace said roughly 950 addresses are on the list and the city is contacting people in ready areas first. She said some neighborhoods — Midtown and West Hills — are likely to see service by summer but the utility is conservatively telling new customers to expect availability in the fall.
“ The big news tonight is that we’re alive,” Candace said. “We’re very excited about that.”
Candace told the council the utility has also signed a contract with a phone provider and plans to offer telephone service after the initial internet rollout, noting the sequencing (internet, then phone, then business rollout) explains some delay in business availability.
The utilities report also covered smaller infrastructure items: staff said recent work has identified and scheduled replacement of several burned-out streetlights and described a complex recent repair to a major water-transmission line that required a specialty contractor and took longer than typical hydrant work.
Why it matters: municipal fiber affects service competition and local economic development, and the utility said revenue from subscriptions will remain in the community rather than going to outside shareholders. The council was told the city will continue outreach and update a public map on the utilities website where residents can type an address for an estimated availability date.
The utilities official encouraged residents to add their address to the interest list to be contacted as soon as service is possible. The council did not take further formal action; staff said they will continue outreach and installation scheduling under the existing rollout plan.
