Columbus, Ohio seeks stimulus grant for fiber network | MuniWireless

Columbus, Ohio plans to apply for a $40M grant from the federal broadband stimulus program to deploy a citywide fiber optic network that would allow the city to terminate expensive contracts with phone companies and lease capacity to one or more (wired and wireless) Internet service providers to bring affordable, high-speed Internet access to residents and businesses.

DHB Networks, a wireless ISP that already delivers service in Dublin and Gahanna, both of which are in Ohio, says that they would put in a bid to deploy a citywide wireless network if Columbus succeeds in rolling out its fiber network. Chris Harris, president of DHB Networks, says that they have already deployed wireless service in 80 percent of Dublin, which the city uses for its own employees and for surveillance cameras. DHB also offers Internet access for $25 per month...