Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr sees accessible, affordable, high-speed broadband as critical to the city's prosperity and future. Back in January, she announced the formation of a broadband task force. The City Council recently adopted a resolution drafted by the task force following several months of research.
Eric Trowbridge chaired the task force and directs the Array School of Technology and Design.
"We looked at all these different cities." In doing so, Trowbridge said the task force asked themselves: "What are some of the things that we could do that we've seen other cities do across the U.S. that made big impacts in their communities?'"
He said when startups and entrepreneurs are shopping around for new homes they want faster, more reliable and more affordable service than what's currently available in Cheyenne. Because two companies control the market, Trowbridge said the lack of competition is part of the problem.
"There isn't competition for faster speeds, better pricing, or better reliability," said Trowbridge. "So in some ways the resolution's whole goal was to create a competitive broadband market to give everyone the best price, speed and reliability."
The resolution is comprised of six recommendations, including reducing right of way fees to make it easier for small internet service providers to enter the market and offering public wifi downtown.
Only the Charter Communications representative on the task force opposed the recommendations.