LAURINBURG — City Council is pushing to turn the city’s fiber optic network into a money-making venture.

The city hopes to be able to use its system to lure investments in the area that would lead to job creation and revenue for the city’s coffers.

In December of 2015, the city contracted with ECC Technologies, a communicating and consulting group to explore options for expanding customers who would use the network.

ECC Technologies took an inventory of the city’s network and came up with a marketing strategy. A fiber optic network is a system that uses light impulses to transmit telephone and internet signals.

“They are trying to help us find good partners going forward,” said City Manager Charles Nichols. “Council has already spent the money. We just needed to find the right partner or end user to utilize the already existing infrastructure and network.”

So far, the city has met with four or five broadband and fiber providers one of whom, Wilks Communications, expressed interest but no concrete plans have been set.

Council hopes to work with ECC to generate a request for proposal that could be used as a means to promote the city. A request for proposal sends out information about the city and county and its assets and lets investors know that the area is interested in forming partnerships with service providers.

Businesses who could use the current grid are wireless internet providers, Voice Over Internet Protocol- VOIP- phone service providers, web hosting providers, point to point access, and other services.

“The city has the capability to offer all those services now; we know this is an asset to this community and we’re trying our best to figure out a way to utilize it.” Nichols said.

According to Nichols the city currently has 10 customers on its network: Scotland County, Scotland County Schools, Pioneer, Gryphon Group, Scotland Memorial Hospital, Hospice, Cascades, Kordsa Global, Laurinburg-Maxton Airport, FCC and Cascades.

The city’s fiber optic system was upgraded from copper cables in the 90s as a way to monitor pumping stations and well sites and was expanded in 2007. The 100-mile grid surrounds the entire county and passes within a mile of all major industries.

The city is one of a few that is allowed to own and operate its own fiber network. It was grandfathered into FCC rules when new regulations were passed because it had already created the network.

“Past council and manager had the insight to install it for city use,” Nichols said. “It had already been invested in, so it was grandfathered in.

Council decided to revisit the topic at the March meeting.

Courtesy photo Laurinburg could use its fiber optic network to generate revenue and attract industry.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_fiberopticcables_cmyk.jpgCourtesy photo Laurinburg could use its fiber optic network to generate revenue and attract industry.

By Beth Lawrence

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Reach Beth Lawrence 910-506-3169