Colorado Springs Utilities announces new citywide fiber network

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Faster internet speeds could be in your future.

Colorado Springs residents can anticipate more options for fiber-optic internet service in the next few years, all part of a new Colorado Springs Utilities-backed network.

Construction for the network is set to begin this year. It's an advancement that can make Colorado Springs one of the largest "gig cities" in the country by 2028.

Colorado Springs Utilities feels this is an essential move for the digital future of the city.

They're looking to build the network over the next six years with hopes to provide service for every neighborhood in town through their contract with 'Ting' a fiber internet provider.

Ting has signed a 25-year contract with the utility company to give Colorado Springs residents more options for the future.

"This is secure and reliable high band width connectivity that would advance colorado springs farther into the digital age," added Wayne Williams, Utilities Board chair.

The network being built this year will be capable of providing multi-gigabit-per-second speeds to residents of Colorado Springs and hundreds of gigabits to business and industrial customers.

To be a gig city means gigabit high-speed internet connectivity is available and can help create educational, work-at-home opportunities and even enhance services for the space industry like Space Command.

"This is a proven model that works in other communities, we do what we do best which is provide internet service and the utility provides a really wonderful infrastructure platform that will do a lot for this community," added Jill Schumacher with Ting.

Springs Utilities decided to lease a part of the network to an internet service provider to offset the costs and not seek funding through customer rate increases. The project is not expected to impact your utility bill.

The project can also be done in six years rather than the 15 years it would take the utility company to do it.

The network will be built within Colorado Springs city limits, including unincorporated areas in El Paso County.

Customers can expect to receive internet service from Ting beginning in 2023.