News & Press Releases

Internet redundancy launched in city

Publication: Eureka Reporter, Eureka, California
Renee Gusching, 5/01/2007

A stop by Rio Dell City Hall now means free wireless Internet access to anyone who cares to log on. At Tuesday evening’s City Council meeting, the broadband service was officially launched as part of Access Humboldt’s “Digital Rio Dell” project.

“This is just the beginning,” said Rio Dell City Manager Nancy Flemming.

The Internet availability at City Hall will soon spread to other areas of Rio Dell. The public library and fire station will be added within a couple of weeks, said Sean McLaughlin, Access Humboldt executive director. The city park will follow a little later.

The Rio Dell City Council approved “Digital Rio Dell” in April. In moving forward with the project, the city has become the first municipality in Humboldt County with a redundant Internet connection.

“Most of the Internet service to our region comes over a fiber connection and there’s been a lot of talk about the need for a redundant connection,” McLaughlin said.

Fiber optic line breaks brought Internet service in the county to a halt twice last year. Rio Dell’s most recent connection makes use of a microwave path coming from 101Netlink, a private vendor, which provides service from Pierce Mountain.

Because Access Humboldt is working with Suddenlink to network cities, McLaughlin said he believes redundant Internet will be available to everyone by September.

“What I’m proud of for Access Humboldt is that we have leveraged the city’s interest and the nonprofit’s interest with private support,” McLaughlin said.

The first phase of the project comes with a price tag of about $17,000, he added. Rio Dell is contributing about $5,000 and Access Humboldt also picked up some of the cost, but the remainder came in the form of donated services and cash.

Arcata-based Carlson Wireless Technologies is donating consulting time and equipment and Eureka’s Security National has also been a contributor.

Flemming said the broadband will streamline operations and cut costs for the city’s Public Works and police department by giving city employees direct contact with City Hall from the field.

Flemming also said wireless Internet access could foster economic development and tourism.

“I think we can help improve the delivery of government, health care, education, everything as we evolve … and our connectivity to other communities evolves,” she said.

(Security National owns The Eureka Reporter.)