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Shorewood board authorizes MetroNet/T‑Mobile master licensing agreement for underground fiber
Summary
After a presentation from Metronet, the Shorewood Village Board approved a resolution authorizing a master licensing agreement with MetroNet (to deploy T‑Fiber) that will build underground fiber infrastructure, with staff oversight of permits, restoration and resident outreach.
The Shorewood Village Board voted Jan. 13 to authorize agreements with MetroNet that allow the company to install underground, fiber‑to‑the‑premise infrastructure in town under a master licensing agreement.
Metronet Vice President Ben Roosick told the board the company builds 100% fiber networks and that the project will be constructed and maintained by Metronet staff and identified contractors. "With fiber, we get rid of that," Roosick said, describing improved reliability and symmetrical upload and download speeds compared with older coaxial systems. He said Metronet will deliver resident notice through a sequence of mailings, postcards, yard‑guards and sandwich‑board signs, operate a U.S.‑based construction call center and respond to construction tickets within 24 hours.
Village staff said the agreement establishes a boilerplate master license and that detailed right‑of‑way and easement permits will be reviewed and approved by the village before work begins. Public works explained the build will be entirely underground in Shorewood, not pole‑mounted, and Roosick described typical hand‑digging construction, same‑day backfill and restoration and small, flush utility boxes (about 11 by 11 inches) to limit visual impact.
Trustees asked about customer access to the company, depth and size of boxes, and coordination with village permitting. Roosick said the company will put a field operations team in market, light services in the first completed local convergence point (LCP) area and hold monthly meetings with village staff to review tickets, response times and restoration quality.
The board approved a resolution authorizing the agreements. The motion was made by Trustee Selfridge and seconded by Trustee Babiak; roll call was recorded as all voting in favor. Next steps identified in the meeting packet include permit reviews, mapping of initial LCPs and coordination between Metronet construction teams and village permitting staff.
