(Bountiful, Utah…. August 11, 2023) – A groundbreaking ceremony and press conference for Bountiful Fiber powered by UTOPIA Fiber, the first-of-its-kind collaboration in the state, was held on August 10, 2023, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, at Bountiful City Park (400 N. 200 W.)
“We are excited to collaborate with UTOPIA Fiber and introduce this new model in Bountiful,” said Kendalyn Harris, Mayor of Bountiful. “By owning the network, Bountiful City can prioritize the needs of its community and provide state-of-the-art internet infrastructure that will fuel economic growth, enhance educational opportunities, and improve overall quality of life for our residents for generations to come.”
Bountiful City officials engaged in a comprehensive three-year research and evaluation process, during which its residents actively provided input and participated in 24 public meetings and several public hearings. In a unanimous decision, the City Council approved the fiber project in June.
The partnership between UTOPIA Fiber and Bountiful City signifies a new model that aims to ensure Bountiful residents and businesses benefit from fast, reliable, and affordable fiber-optic internet connectivity, while leveraging UTOPIA’s expertise and proven track record in network operation and maintenance.
“We are honored to partner with Bountiful City in this ground-breaking venture,” said Roger Timmerman, CEO, at UTOPIA Fiber. “This model underscores the importance of community-driven initiatives in building robust and future-proof fiber infrastructure. We look forward to working closely with Bountiful to deliver exceptional internet services to its residents and businesses.”
Key highlights of the partnership:
- Bountiful City has bonded for and owns the fiber infrastructure, Utopia Fiber will build and operate the system.
- The project is funded through subscriber revenues, at no cost to the taxpayer.
- Construction is to begin mid-year 2023 with 24-36 month estimated completion.
- Located 11 miles north of Salt Lake City, Bountiful will be the second largest city in Utah who has partnered with UTOPIA Fiber.
About UTOPIA Fiber
Created by a group of Utah cities, the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA) is a community-owned fiber optic network that uses the Open Access model to promote competition by giving customers the freedom to choose which telecommunication services they want. With fiber availability to approximately 200,000 businesses and residences in over 50 communities, UTOPIA Fiber is the largest and most successful Open Access network in the United States and enjoys the industry’s highest customer satisfaction scores. Since 2009, the agency has successfully designed, built, and operated nearly half-a-billion dollars worth of fiber projects throughout Utah and the West, including operational partnerships with Idaho Falls, Yellowstone Fiber, and Bountiful Fiber, all of which have been funded completely through subscriber revenue, at no cost to taxpayers. For more information visit www.utopiafiber.com.
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