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Whenever Christopher attends a Broadband Communities event, he returns with great stories from cities and towns across the U.S. that have invested in publicly owned Internet infrastructure. This week, we share his interview with Mel Poole, Ocala Fiber Network Director.
You may automatically think of Kentucky when you consider horses, but Ocala, Florida, is considered the “Horse Capital of the World.” Fast thoroughbreds may end up at The Derby, but they often start in Ocala. Whether it’s gigabits or galloping horses, Ocala has found a way to capitalize on the concept of speed.
The city first began with publicly owned fiber optic infrastructure for SCADA operations and later expanded their use to reduce telecommunications costs. Since ending leased T1 lines, the city has saved millions and taken control of connectivity. That was before Mel worked for the city, but he’s well-versed in the story of the Ocala Fiber Network, and describes how they expanded to offer services to more sectors of the community.
Mel and Christopher talk about the city’s decision to begin working with the public and how, by educating local decision makers, Mel and his team were able to help them make an informed choice. As Ocala worked with more entities, they’ve also faced challenges related to deployment and marketing. There’s a fine line they need to walk between spreading the word about great service and their ability to connect subscribers in a timely fashion. Christopher and Mel talk about demographics, economic development, and Mel’s vision for Ocala that’s tied into their fiber optic infrastructure.
Read more about Ocala and the development of their network here.
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Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.