BARNSTABLE – As we head into the new year, OpenCape has revealed a series of plans and initiatives aimed at helping more local agencies, businesses, and residents connect to the region’s state-of-the-art fiber optic network.
The nonprofit technology company has announced efforts to use their redundant microwave network for disaster response planning, enabling emergency communications even during natural disasters.
The company also plans to roll out pilot locations in 2019 to help gauge demand, better understand the cost and assess how to best expand service their footprint.
“We’ve got to have great Internet, and at some point a town has to stand up and say, ‘this is crucial to our economic development,’ and just like building a school or bridge and we’re going to bond this out and connect every home in our town,” said Open Cape CEO Steve Johnston.
OpenCape currently connects 90% of the high schools on Cape Cod, two universities, dozens of middle and elementary schools and several postgraduate research facilities and will work to expand that in the coming year.
“In order to connect all the houses on Cape Cod, it would cost $100 million to build out,” said Johnston.
And that’s why they need to start with some pilot projects to see who well the service would work.
Also in the plan is an expansion in service offerings to residential service users and the search for funding avenues to allow for continues growth.
About CapeCod.com NewsCenter
