“We were way behind when it came to telecommunications,” said Michael Manilowski of Executive Director Ontario County (N.Y.) Office of Economic Development.  Manilowski explained the fragmented broadband network his county had when they evaluated how their region compared to other areas.  As a result, they constructed an open access, mid-mile network that telecommunications’ providers, such as cable operators and telcos, are using to bring broadband to everyone in this upstate county of New York.

Joe Starks talks about the process he and his company, ECC, used to help Ontario County develop the blueprint for the aforementioned fiber network.  The upside to the open access network has been a growth in jobs.  An important premise of their network is that, “They wouldn’t compete,” with the carriers. As such, they found a creative way to finance this economic development initiative with a county fund (in exchange for future services) and local economic development fund.

Stark cites the early deployment of 4G in their community as a result of the availability of dark fiber.  He suggests every dollar of public investment in this project has led to one or two dollars of private investment.  Direct beneficiaries go beyond telecommunication carriers and include anchor tenants, such as hospitals and schools, the electric utilities and as manufacturing companies.  For instance, a factor in one high-tech company’s decision to locate to Ontario County was the fiber network.

Manilowski suggests the key to success for this project was leadership as well as repeated of education among stakeholders. He warns  that the process of planning and implementing a public fiber network takes time.