EAGLE, Idaho — The City of Eagle is currently gauging the public's interest in a community-owned fiber internet network. The project is lead by Eagle Mayor Jason Pierce, who said the project is "the right choice for Eagle."
In a city newsletter, Pierce said laying the fiber optic lines would create opportunities for more internet service providers in Eagle, with hopes of driving down costs and giving the public more internet options with increased competition.
The fiber lines would also increase internet speeds and reliability in the area and Eagle would own the fiber lines, according to Pierce.
"Reliable internet connectivity is essential in the 21st century," Pierce said. "Just as electricity enabled the first industrial revolution, fiber optic infrastructure is the foundation for the digital revolution. As Eagle's Mayor, I have made it a key priority of the City to build and establish local control of this essential infrastructure."
According to the City of Eagle's release, taxes would not increase to fund the network project and the operation of the fiber lines would be self-sustaining.
The city also said the network would be affordable and accessible across Eagle, but it is unclear how much the network would cost. Pierce said participation in Eagle's new internet infrastructure would be on a "voluntary, opt-in basis."
The public is asked to complete Eagle's fiber survey online about the community-owned network project. The survey consists of nine questions and can be found here, along with more information about the project.
"Eagle neighborhoods have lower density, and traditional internet providers often overlook or choose not to invest in communities like ours because they can make more money elsewhere," Pierce said. "Your access to quality internet should not depend on how close your neighbors are."
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