LANCASTER, PA — The City of Lancaster recently announced the selection of Shentel as a municipal broadband partner that will build on existing City-owned fiber to ensure 100% coverage for residential broadband services, including a net no-cost option for qualifying households.
Over the past year, the City retained the counsel of CTC Technology & Energy Engineering & Business Consulting, a vendor-neutral broadband consulting company, to evaluate the city’s existing broadband assets, opportunities, and market conditions to support the city in achieving its goals of universal, equitable, residential best-in-class broadband services; maximizing the value of the City’s existing investment in broadband; and leveraging fiber investments for City government use.
With the advancement of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 and the investment of billions of dollars into national broadband infrastructure, the market for broadband has shifted globally, altering the landscape of municipal broadband.
In 2022, the City issued an RFP for a partner to achieve stated goals, which received five responses, and led to the selection of Shentel. The Contract will result in Shentel installing fiber at its sole cost to provide service to 100% of the City’s residents. Shentel plans to commence design and construction immediately upon execution of the final agreement.
Shentel will lease, maintain and operate existing City-owned fiber, install additional fiber, and ensure the funding, design, installation, operation and maintenance necessary to deliver universal, equitable broadband services. As well, the City will leverage fiber investments for government use.
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