Ammon explores citywide fiber optic connections

The city of Ammon said it plans to open its fiber optic network to innovators and could even install fiber optic connections in individual homes.

The city will select a handful of homes for a pilot program next month.

“We consider, at this point, fiber optics to be as an essential a service as water, sewer and sanitation,” said Ammon Mayor Dana Kirkham.

Fiber optics is a faster, more efficient way to transmit data than traditional broadband internet connections.

Should the city move forward with its municipal fiber optics program, people would be able to request the city install a fiber optic connection in their home. New and existing service providers would then be able to offer their services through those connections.

“Government, in general, are not innovators. That tends to come from enterprise efforts,” said the city’s technology director, Bruce Patterson.

The city recently joined Next Century Cities, a group of only 31 cities promoting greater access to fiber optics.

In addition to household connections, the city said it will make its fiber optic network available to companies to test and develop new applications.

“If we had an event like a power outage, could we be notified of that in an automated way?” said Patterson, citing one example.

“We’ve really become a global community and if we’re gonna compete in that market, we have to be able to provide the service,” said Kirkham.

Ammon is the only city in Idaho to join the Next Century Cities initiative, joining cities like Boston, Kansas City and Austin.