The Loveland Pulse $110 Million Fiber Network Is a Big Success

Loveland, a city in Colorado, has achieved a significant breakthrough by finishing its own high-speed internet network known as Loveland Pulse. This project, valued at close to $110 million, was completed on time and within the budget. It's the biggest capital project ever for Loveland and took four years to finish.

This network consists of 631 miles of underground pathways and more than 1,316 miles of specialized cables for fast internet. Loveland Pulse owns and manages all of this infrastructure, offering various services such as internet, television, phone, and Wi-Fi with speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second. These services are available to both residents and local businesses. It’s the kind of infrastructure other municipalities dream of having.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) makes it possible for certain households to access these services for free or at a reduced cost, thanks to vouchers of up to $30 per month.

What's unique about Loveland Pulse is that it's a publicly owned broadband utility. It secured funding through revenue bonds, which are essentially loans backed by the income generated from the network itself, rather than relying on taxpayer dollars.

Loveland Pulse introduced its services to the community in June 2020 and gradually expanded its coverage one area at a time. Loveland went into the planning for this knowing they already had an existing cable provider and a DSL provider but coverage gaps remained. Coverage was selective rather than available everywhere. Loveland Pulse stepped in to fill these service gaps and provide advanced internet services.

Since 2020, Loveland Pulse has not only met but exceeded its subscriber goals, with around 34.5% of residential properties now using its services, surpassing the initial target of 32%. With the completion of its primary construction phase, the company plans to continue expanding its network to accommodate the city's growth and extend its services to neighboring regions. A particular boundary can mean one house on a street has the service but another just over the line does not so these issues are currently being addressed.

Additionally, they are actively exploring opportunities to participate in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which could provide additional funding for their ongoing expansion. Importantly, recent changes in the program have made it more accessible to municipal entities like Loveland Pulse.