Loveland, Colorado, City Council Acts on Broadband

LOVELAND, CO — Council members first voted to accept the recommendation of the City’s ad hoc broadband task force, a group of nine community volunteers who studied the City’s broadband prospects. In December 2017 the group unanimously recommended that the City pursue the offering of high-speed, fiber-optic internet service to every home and business in Loveland, applying criteria set by City Council members in late 2015.

The Task Force recommended either a retail model, with the City owning and operating a broadband network independently, or offering the service in partnership with another public entity. However, the group also recommended that no efforts preclude future partnerships with public or private entities.

Specifically, the City Council on Tuesday took these actions:

• To accept the Broadband Task Force recommendations.


• To appropriate $2.5 million from the Electric Enterprise Unrestricted Fund to pay for a build-ready design and cost estimate for a fiber-optic network in the City, and for professional services related to the broadband initiative.


• To expand the scope of the City’s electric utility in establishing the Loveland Electric and Communication Enterprise.


• To establish the Loveland Communication Advisory Board, a volunteer board charged with advising the City Council on broadband issues.

For additional detail on the information provided to City Council for their consideration, click here. The broadband topic appears as item 5.1 on the agenda.