City of McKinney, TX

08/17/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/17/2022 11:00

Broadband Initiative

Background

On February 15, 2021, McKinney City Council adopted the Broadband Assessment Report and Recommendations. At the same time, City Council authorized the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP) to address four major recommendations from the report.

Report Recommendations

  1. Community Infrastructure Base
    Work with the provider community to develop a tech base that will provide fiber access to every home and business in McKinney.
  2. City Facilities
    Expand the current city-owned fiber ring to city facilities that could benefit from connectivity but do not have fiber.
  3. City Economic Development
    Encourage the McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to initiate pilot projects to enhance certain properties and attract certain businesses or business types.
  4. Adoption
    Encourage adoption (purchasing) of broadband services throughout the city.

FAQs

1. Is the city starting its own broadband utility?

No. The RFP from the City of McKinney seeks to utilize the expertise of the private sector to deliver on the four recommendations listed above. The city will not own or operate any broadband infrastructure that is not associated with a connection to a city-owned facility or a city-owned address.

2. Who will be completing the work associated with the McKinney Broadband Initiative?

The highest scoring respondent to the city RFP was SiFi Networks, and the City Council authorized a 120-day negotiation period with the firm. Given an agreement is made, the City Council will consider the item at a future regular meeting of the council.

3. What is the timeline for completion?

When a final agreement is executed, the timeline for completion is 36-48 months.

4. How can I learn more?