No Gigabit Internet For Seattle: Deal Between City And Gigabit Squared Falls Through
As recently as mid-December, it looked as though Seattle was going to be the next city to land gigabit Internet service; Seattle, Gigabit Squared, and the University of Washington even announced the 12 areas that were slated to first get service. According to a report from the Puget Sound Business Journal, though, the deal has fallen through.
Worse, it’s possible that politics helped kill it. Gigabit Squared and now former Seattle mayor Mike McGinn were together on the effort, but now that a new head honcho is in the big seat, things have changed. New mayor Ed Murray said, though, that Gigabit Squared had some issues even before the recent election.
Planned gigabit neighborhoods (Credit: Gigabit Seattle)
Instead, Murray says he’s looking at other options while casting aspersions at Gigabit Squared and its unfeasible “financial mechanisms” to lease the network. Allegedly the company owes the city some $52,250 for work already done on the project.
It sounds like Murray is looking to take the project in another direction. “It’s a utility, in my mind,” he said. “The city has done a very good job of providing affordable electric rates because we have a public utility. So I think there are a variety of models, including a hybrid model that might get that affordability.” That’s a non-statement statement that would make any politician proud.
All is not lost, though, as other companies may be able to secure deals with Seattle. It’s worth noting, though, that the Seafi page on Seattle.gov is gone.
Worse, it’s possible that politics helped kill it. Gigabit Squared and now former Seattle mayor Mike McGinn were together on the effort, but now that a new head honcho is in the big seat, things have changed. New mayor Ed Murray said, though, that Gigabit Squared had some issues even before the recent election.
Planned gigabit neighborhoods (Credit: Gigabit Seattle)
Instead, Murray says he’s looking at other options while casting aspersions at Gigabit Squared and its unfeasible “financial mechanisms” to lease the network. Allegedly the company owes the city some $52,250 for work already done on the project.
It sounds like Murray is looking to take the project in another direction. “It’s a utility, in my mind,” he said. “The city has done a very good job of providing affordable electric rates because we have a public utility. So I think there are a variety of models, including a hybrid model that might get that affordability.” That’s a non-statement statement that would make any politician proud.
All is not lost, though, as other companies may be able to secure deals with Seattle. It’s worth noting, though, that the Seafi page on Seattle.gov is gone.
