Greenwood approves Dobson Fiber right‑of‑way agreement to build fiber to about 1,850 addresses

Heather Durham, a senior representative of Dobson Fiber, told the Greenwood City Council on April 6 that the Oklahoma‑based company plans a phased fiber build that would initially pass roughly 1,850 addresses in a designated yellow service area. “My name is Heather Durham. I’m with Dobson Fiber and we’re an Oklahoma based fiber company,” she said, describing a regional backbone of “roughly a little over 6,500 route miles” and network features such as dual diverse routes and symmetrical residential speeds up to 10 gigabits per second.

Durham said the company’s right‑of‑way template includes a municipal fee set at a maximum of 5 percent and that Dobson would match lower franchise rates if the city already has a lesser fee in place. She told the council the initial design shown to the city is “initial” and that Dobson would return with low‑level designs so city utility and street staff can identify conflicts before construction.

Council members sought details on where the fiber would be located and how Dobson would coordinate with utilities. Durham said most of the initial placement would be within public rights‑of‑way, that easements would be negotiated where necessary, and that Dobson would provide a construction manager to work with the city on sequencing and avoidance of existing infrastructure. She also said aerial permits were pending and estimated a potential late‑summer start if permits are granted.

After discussion, a council member moved to approve the right‑of‑way agreement permitting Dobson to begin work under the terms presented; a second was called and the motion passed on unanimous recorded votes (Ralph Maker, Mayor Kinslow, Roger Rainwater and Steve Tedford recorded as “yes”). The council did not assign a firm start date; Dobson will return to the city to present detailed plans and construction sequencing before any ground‑disturbing work begins.

Why it matters: The agreement paves the way for a private fiber provider to deploy high‑capacity internet infrastructure in Greenwood. Officials said the build could expand over time beyond the initial 1,850 addresses if market demand and permitting permit further expansion. Next steps are low‑level design review, permit approvals and municipal coordination on rights‑of‑way and easements.

What to watch for next: Dobson’s low‑level design presentation to city staff and public, permit milestones, and any final construction schedule setting a firm start date for physical work.