SiFi Networks has signed a contract with the City of Palmdale granting them the rights of way to construct a citywide fiber optic network.

Once built, residents and business will have the opportunity to access high speed fiber internet as well as enabling the municipality to implement Smart City applications.

“This citywide fiber network will be a real game changer in our community,” said Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer. “It will provide much needed affordable high speed internet access to all our residents and businesses as we move forward on the road to becoming a Smart City.”

The global pandemic has demonstrated how important the internet is with a heightened need for fast reliable speeds in order to work and school from home.

“What we saw in our community even before COVID-19, was something that is common across the nation: a digital divide, the gap that exists between individuals who have access to modern information and communication technology and those who lack it,” said City Manager J.J. Murphy. “With residents having to work from home and my long discussions with school administrators, teachers and students engaged in distance learning during the pandemic, it became clear that we needed to address the very real need for reliable high-speed connectivity. Our partnership with SiFi and our school administrators will make this a reality.”

SiFi Networks funds builds and operates open access networks which any service provider can access over time meaning that there is no need to continually overbuild. A FiberCity™ fiber network is one of the most sophisticated in the USA and can bring many advantages to a city.

“Many municipalities now see the fiber infrastructure as the backbone from which economic development, quality of life and efficiencies can be improved upon.

Smart City applications are numerous but you need the fiber network to implement them,” Commented Scott Bradshaw President at SiFi Networks.

“We are looking forward to making Palmdale a FiberCity™ and will now conduct our feasibility study and our detailed network design process.”

SiFi Networks are working extensively in California with a fiber network currently being built in Fullerton and many other cities signed up to go next.