L-R: Kelly Ryan, CEO, iFIBER Communications; Hon. Carol Carter, Mayor, Village of Seville, Ohio; Dave Corrado, CEO, Medina County Fiber Network; Brian Snider, CEO, Lit Communities; and James Cowan, Founder, Docity at the Medina Fiber kickoff April 2, 2019. (HEPR Photo)
Officials in Medina County, Ohio have selected Lit Communities to oversee an aggressive plan to bring fiber to every home in the count.y. Lit will oversee the design, deployment, and financing of Medina's first residential Open Access network which will begin Phase 1 construction this summer. iFIBER Communications will be the network's anchor ISP with telehealth provided by Docity.
Medina County is no stranger to the benefits of fiber. In 2010, it launched the Medina County Fiber Network, a middle-mile fiber ring connecting the county's business community--that investment is paying off. Since its 2013 completion, nearly half of all capital investment ($343.6 million), half the county's payroll, and half the square footage in Medina County is tied to companies on the fiber network. Bethany Dentler, executive director of the Medina County Economic Development Corporation says the existing fiber network is directly responsible for nearly three-quarters off jobs retained, as well.
County officials now want to see similar benefits for residents.
"Our residents will have more choice, especially in areas where they have had no choice at all," says Colleen M. Swedyk, Vice President, Medina County Board of Commissioners.
This week, the Medina Open Access model made national attention when Broadband Communities Magazine shared a close look at the project in its "Is Fiber at the Tipping Point?" feature story. It's an interesting read in how the project came together and where it's headed.
Take a look. Do you think fiber is at at tipping point in 2019?