Tag Archive for: ConnectingLoveland

Town of Timnath selects Pulse as provider of broadband services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Town of Timnath selects Pulse as provider of broadband services

TIMNATH, Colo. (August 15, 2023) – Pulse, a community-owned communications utility providing high-speed internet, Wi-Fi, phone, and television services throughout northern Colorado, has been selected by the Town of Timnath as the provider of broadband services. The decision to move forward was officially presented as an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) during the August 8, 2023, Timnath Town Council meeting and at Tuesday’s Loveland City Council meeting.

“Communities across the country are struggling to ensure that their residents and businesses have access to affordable, high-quality internet,” Brieana Reed-Harmel, Pulse broadband manager, said. “Pulse exists to address this need in northern Colorado, and we are proud to make this critical resource available to the growing Timnath community.”

The decision to move forward with Pulse comes after the Town’s completion of a detailed broadband feasibility study and Broadband Letter of Intent process. Timnath’s Town Planner, Brian Williamson, said, “The selection of Pulse as our broadband service provider reflects a thorough process of assessment and consideration. We are excited to work together, leveraging their expertise to ensure our residents have access to reliable, high-speed internet that will contribute to the growth and prosperity of Timnath.”

As part of the IGA, Pulse will provide a 25% share of gross income on wireline internet service to the Town. That translates to a 2% to 6% return on the town’s capital investment over 20 to 30 years. Full payback is estimated to take about 26 years. The initial phase of capital construction will be funded by existing Town Capital Improvement Funds in the amount of $20 million. Aaron Adams, Timnath Town Manager, said, “The decision to partner with Pulse is more than a broadband agreement; it’s an investment strategy that positions Timnath for long-term success. Our choice to share in the revenue generated underscores our dedication to public benefit and strategic community development.”

The initial planning phase to focus on design, pre-construction preparations, and the permitting process will begin immediately, followed by the network construction phase to include service installation and testing. The construction phase is anticipated to begin this year and will be executed by Pulse’s locally owned and operated construction partners in collaboration with Pulse’s national award-winning communications division. Together, this cohesive team will implement a solid process to communicate with community members, execute work that is as minimally disruptive as possible and respond to community queries quickly and easily. From construction kick-off to service light-up in an area, the timeline is expected to be between six to nine months. Construction of the entire Timnath community is anticipated to take four to five years.

Pulse will provide the following for the Town of Timnath subscribers:

  • Internet: With fiber to the premise, Pulse subscribers will receive individualized bandwidth with multi-gigabit, symmetrical options so upload and download speeds are the same as well as unlimited data, no speed throttling and no long-term contracts.
  • Wi-Fi: Pulse offers a range of options to enhance the Wi-Fi experience. These options include the flexibility to bring your own device, utilize Pulse base Wi-Fi, and set up an adaptive mesh network.
  • Voice: Residential subscribers will enjoy unlimited local and long-distance calling as well as secure 911 access in case of emergency. Business subscribers will have a suite of products to choose from – from a single line to an enterprise-level call center.
  • PulseTV: Viewing favorites across 170+ channels (including local and regional channels) are delivered over a modern app-based platform that offers the comforts of a traditional TV experience with 100 hours of Cloud DVR standard.

Pulse is available throughout Loveland and surrounding areas. Interested subscribers can check current availability in their area here at pulsefiber.org/check-availability. For more information about Pulse visit pulsefiber.org.

About Loveland Pulse

Pulse delivers multi-gigabit internet, whole-home managed Wi-Fi, streaming TV, and voice services to Loveland, Colo. and surrounding areas. Established in 2018 with a mission to make high-speed internet available to every home and business in Loveland, Pulse has built the fastest, most reliable fiber network available locally. As a community-owned utility focused on service and technology, Pulse excels in providing exceptional customer experiences. Visit pulsefiber.org to learn more.

 

Larimer County secures DOLA grant to speed up Wellington, Masonville middle-fiber projects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Larimer County has been awarded a grant of $995,429 from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to bolster the development of middle-mile fiber to Wellington Colorado, and Masonville Colorado.

The grant will be pivotal in bridging the digital divide to improve broadband access for both unserved and underserved rural residents in Larimer County.

Larimer County is a vibrant and well-connected region. Still, some parts of the county have long suffered from inadequate broadband infrastructure and unreliable service, particularly in rural communities outside the main population centers.

The county’s strategic assessment revealed that approximately 1,075 unserved premises within a roughly 3-mile radius around the Wellington area and 596 unserved locations along the Masonville route could benefit significantly from improved connectivity.

These middle-mile fiber projects play a pivotal role in preparing for future connections, although direct service drops to individual premises are not included in this stage. The scope of the projects includes the construction of 107,168 feet of above-ground fiber on existing Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) poles, interconnecting with existing community-owned middle-mile fiber.

While also increasing resiliency for PVREA’s power infrastructure, the Wellington section of the project includes the Town of Wellington and surrounding rural residents and connects with Fort Collins Connexion.

The Masonville route, on the other hand, will focus primarily unserved premises along Larimer County Road 27 between State Hwy 34 and Masonville. This extension will create opportunities for future last-mile expansion projects with Loveland Pulse

Each municipal fiber internet service provider (ISP) will own and be responsible for constructing, operating, and maintaining the respective middle-mile fiber. As community-owned assets, the projects will be sustainable and provide a permanent long-term solution to area connectivity.

“This grant is a critical piece of our strategic plan to bring improved internet access to underserved areas of our community,” said Mark Pfaffinger, Support Services Director and CIO for Larimer County. “The middle mile connection is the foundation to connecting homes and positions the community to compete for future grant funds to help build out this critical infrastructure to bring fiber to homes with dramatically improved quality and speeds. Our NOCO Community Fiber partners have made this possible with the collaboration and regional planning that is necessary to solve complex connectivity problems in our region.”

Brieana Reed-Harmel, Pulse Fiber Manager, expressed, “This DOLA grant empowers us to address the urgent need for better broadband connectivity in underserved areas of our county community. The Wellington and Masonville Middle-Mile Fiber project is a crucial step towards achieving a long-term solution to the goal of connecting every urban, suburban, and rural resident to high-speed internet and bridging the digital divide.”

Northern Colorado Community Fiber LogoA key element of these middle-mile projects is the partnership with NOCO Community Fiber (www.NOCOCommunityfiber.com). It’s a collaboration between Larimer County, the municipal fiber ISP providers of Loveland Pulse, Fort Collins Connexion, and Estes Park Trail Blazer, and the electric utilities of PVREA and Platte River Power Authority. “Connexion is excited to continue our collaboration with Larimer County and Loveland Pulse to provide lightning-fast, reliable internet speeds with amazing customer service to all of those in Larimer County. We believe that a great internet experience is the foundation for the future of innovation and collaboration in this region,” said Connexion Broadband Executive Director Chad Crager.

The collaboration has already spurred the extension of community-owned fiber from Livermore to Red Feather Lakes by Connexion, extensions from Drake to Sylvan Dale by Pulse, and more, creating mutually beneficial projects and elevating broadband services for underserved rural regions in the County.

The DOLA grant comes as a critical financial boost and allows Larimer County to pursue its ambitious broadband goals while remaining sustainable. Without grant funding, the project’s costs would have exceeded available local funding. The county’s general fund has allocated funds to match the grant, highlighting its commitment to serving its underserved residents with equitable high-speed broadband access.

Larimer County Logo

About Larimer County:

Larimer County serves all residents and businesses through stewardship of numerous community resources, infrastructure improvement and maintenance, planning services, transparent public records, human and economic health initiatives, and broad community-wide public safety services. The County has a rich agricultural and western heritage that is reflected in our commitment to a high quality of life and preservation of our natural areas.

About Loveland Pulse:

Pulse delivers multi-gigabit internet, whole-home managed WiFi, streaming TV, and voice services to Loveland, Colorado, and surrounding areas. Established in 2018 with a mission to make high-speed internet available to every home and business in Loveland, Pulse has built the fastest, most reliable fiber network available locally. As a community-owned utility focused on service and technology, Pulse has quickly become an award-winning offering with a Net Promoter Score (NPS) 17 times higher than the national average and any other provider in northern Colorado. Visit pulsefiber.org to learn more.

Fort Collins Connexion LogoAbout Fort Collins Connexion:

Fort Collins Connexion is a municipal broadband utility that was created in 2017 by and for the Fort Collins community with the  sole purpose of improving life and business in Fort Collins through better, more affordable internet.

Connexion offers the fastest internet speeds available with symmetrical 1 and 10 gigabit service, unmatched reliability, all at an affordable price and with no long-term contracts. Additionally, Connexion offers competitive phone and TV services.

Fort Collins’ investment in building out a 100% fiber network ensures that the community is future-proofed for the next generation. Learn more at fcconnexion.com.

Pulse Needs Access Agreements To Serve Multi-Family Residences – Here’s How You Can Help

Let’s say you’re excited to sign up for your community-owned, fiber-optic internet (we know, we can’t wait to serve you!). You probably looked at the pulsefiber.org/Map, or visited pulsefiber.org/CheckAvailability to see if your address is ready to connect. If you live in an area on the map that is yellow, or get a message on the website saying we need an Access Agreement before we can serve you, we need more information before you can get connected. Your residence has more than two attached units and is known as a Multiple-Dwelling Unit, or MDU. For MDUs, Pulse needs a document called an Access Agreement signed by property owners, or authorized parties such as property management agencies. We have made progress on this front with many properties, but there is more work to do.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP PULSE GET AN ACCESS AGREEMENT SIGNED?

Connect with our business development department with contact information for your landlord or property management agency to start the process.. Call 970-744-2400, or email Pulse@lovelandpulse.com. Then we will attempt to contact the property managers/owners and work with them to get the agreements completed. It is also very helpful if you reach out to your landlord or property management agency directly to let them know you want Pulse and need them to complete the Access Agreement. Visit www.pulsefiber.org/AccessRequest to find a sample letter that you can send.

MY LANDLORD TOLD ME IT WAS OKAY. IS THAT ENOUGH?

Unfortunately, no. We are required to get this signed authorization for MDUs – so we will need the Access Agreement completed before we can get you connected.

For any questions about the process behind getting HOAs and MDUs connected, contact our Business Development team at 970-744-2400.