IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Riverside has approved development of a city-wide fiber network that will improve high-speed internet access to residents and businesses.
The project, approved earlier this month by the city council, will be installed and operated by SiFi Networks Riverside LLC at no cost to the city, according to a statement on the city’s website.
If all goes as planned, the system will eliminate the “digital divide” that prevents high-speed internet access in some parts of Riverside.
“This agreement with SiFi Networks holds great promise for Riverside, its residents and its business owners,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said in the statement. “The availability of cutting-edge technology is a key component for cities seeking to attract clean and green tech and other companies that need this vital service.”
Only 39 percent of Riverside homes have access to high-speed internet, according to city estimates.
SiFi Networks will design, construct and maintain the system, which is expected to cost more than $300 million.
Delaware-based SiFi Networks’ contract with Riverside requires the system to be 95 percent complete within four years, at which time residents and businesses could be connected to it, according to the statement.
