Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Broadband topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Connect Superior construction on schedule; council approves monitoring savings and public Wi‑Fi MOU
Summary
Council heard that Connect Superior construction is on schedule for Sept. 30 completion, with 145 active customers and plans for multi‑phase expansion; the council approved a rightsizing of monitoring services (estimated $33,000 annual savings) and an MOU with Duluthian Networks for free public Wi‑Fi at Connect Superior infrastructure parks.
The council's Communications & Information Technology committee reported that Connect Superior construction remains on schedule and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30. "Construction's on schedule, expected to be completed, September 30," the committee chair said, noting 145 active customers and nine installs in progress and reporting strong reliability and virtually no outages.
Committee materials described a potential phase‑3 expansion that would add about 5,000 passings in 2027 and roughly 1,800 in 2028, which the committee said would extend service to roughly 70–80% of the city. The council approved two committee recommendations by voice vote: a rightsized monitoring services agreement with Wynn LLC that the committee says will save the city approximately $33,000 annually while maintaining 24/7 monitoring, and a memorandum of understanding with Duluthian Networks to provide free public Wi‑Fi at Connect Superior infrastructure parks, with Duluthian to supply and maintain equipment at no cost and the city providing connection, power, and signage.
The committee said the existing backbone equipment can support expansion and that additional staffing likely won't be needed until the customer base reaches about 1,000–1,200 subscribers. A request for proposals for later expansion is expected this summer with bids anticipated in the fall before any bonding decisions.
