Decorah Moves One Step Closer to Launching Fiber-to-the-Home Network

Stay informed, stay empowered: invest in the journalism that invests in you. DECORAH — The Decorah Metronet Board met Monday to discuss several infrastructure updates and administrative items, including internet service agreements, and progress on the Decorah fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) project. Among the expenses discussed was the purchase of a new underground utility locator device, which will be used by in-house staff to reduce reliance on external locators. Due to staffing shortages in the water department, the Metronet group is transitioning more of the utility locating responsibilities to its own personnel. A large portion of the meeting focused on the long-awaited Decorah FTTH project. The board confirmed that Acentek has finalized an agreement to serve as the operator and billing provider for the new network. Although bids were received last fall, a contractor has not been officially awarded the project. West Union Trenching currently holds the lowest bid, largely due to errors in competing bid submissions. The city is in discussions with local banks to secure a full investment loan, with financing expected to be resolved soon. A two-year construction timeline is projected to begin next year. The group also discussed the renewal of its agreement with the Iowa Communications Network (ICN). While the previous ten-year agreement expired earlier this year, negotiations are still ongoing. ICN had previously paid about $42,700 annually for access to two fiber tubes. A new proposal under discussion includes reducing to one fiber tube while maintaining the current pricing. The board also proposed an annual fee for ICN to access additional fiber infrastructure between Calmar and Decorah, which would improve redundancy and overall network reliability. With current internet circuit agreements entering their final year, members discussed starting renewal negotiations soon. While pricing will be handled separately from ICN talks, the board is aiming to secure better terms and address minor issues experienced under the current contracts. Become a part of the exclusive circle! Subscribe to the newsletter for free and gain access to special offers, bonus content and insider perks.