Silver Lake Town Council Hears Update On Fiber Optic Plans
SILVER LAKE — Silver Lake residents will soon have another internet option available.
Two representatives from RTC Fiber Communications, Rochester, attended the Silver Lake Town Council meeting Wednesday, Dec. 11, and announced that fiber optic infrastructure will be run through Silver Lake, going north to Hill Lake.
Project Manager Scott Zeyen and Technology Solutions Manager Michael Wachtmann described the wireless network as “high quality” and said eventually the fiber will be directed to the area of Tippecanoe Valley School.
“We recognize that many areas to the east of our historic Fulton County base are unserved or underserved with high speed broadband internet,” Wachtmann said. “In order to extend the reach of our services, we began expansion of our all fiber optic data transport network. We are currently building from SR 114 north to Silver Lake. In the spring, we will continue north to complete a redundancy ring with a connection near Hill Lake Road.”
“Areas we cannot effectively reach with fiber optic cable, we try to reach with our high speed microwave network,” Wachtmann explained. “We use two different technologies on two different frequency bands to provide over a thousand homes and businesses with typically 25Mbps broadband internet.”
“The town of Silver Lake already has broadband internet from a cable provider,” said Wachtmann. “Therefore, we have no current plans to overbuild the town of Silver Lake where internet service already exists. However, Silver Lake will be the core node for expansion to the unserved everywhere along our transport route and everywhere we can effectively reach with our fixed wireless microwave service.”
The cost to RTC to run a mile of fiber is $32,000. The company has indicated they are willing to go a mile east and west if enough customers sign up.
According to information available on RTC’s website, fiber is unaffected by radio wave interference, can be submerged in water without issue and does not waver with strong winds or heavy rainfall. The site claims that fiber can protect against internet thieves, as fiber optic cable keeps data secure.
RTC has built new towers throughout Fulton and Miami Counties over the past several years, and they have coverage in 86 cities.
Ordinance 12-01-19, which deals with boring, was approved. The ordinance sets rules for boring within the service area of the Silver Lake water, wastewater and storm sewer utilities and will require a permit or a deposit prior to boring within the service area. The deposit will be returned once it has been determined that no damage has been done to Silver Lake utilities.
Ordinance 12-02-19, related to overtime and on-call policy, was also approved. The Silver Lake Sewer Superintendent will do on-call and routine service for the sewer system. The Silver Lake Water Superintendent will do on-call and routine service for the water department. Separating the two utilities with routines and call-outs will ensure that each department remains responsible for its utility. The pay for on-calls will be split, and overtime for all employees will be restricted.
Other News:
- The Silver Lake Fire Department and Claypool Elementary School are teaming up to help a family in Silver Lake have a better Christmas. The council approved a donation to the fire department for this cause in the amount of $600.
- Santa Claus will be riding through town on a fire truck at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, and will then be at the Old Fire Station until 7:30 p.m. that evening. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served.
- The year-end meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30.
- The first regular meeting in 2020 will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 8.