Decorah Feasibility Study Shows Uncertain Future for Municipal Telecom

The City of Decorah has received the results of it's fiber-to-the-home feasibility study, and it looks like an uphill fight to build a municipal telecommunications utility in that northeast Iowa town.

Uptown Services performed the feasbility study which was presented to the Decorah City Council on Monday night. Consultant Dave Stockton with Uptown says their analysis shows it would be an uphill climb for a municipal network to break even within a 20 year time frame. The study was based on the City achieving a penetration rate of less than 40%; most Iowa municipal utilities have penetration rates of over 70%.

Decorah leaders attended the IAMU Fall Broadband Meeting this week and will continue to look for ways to proceed with filling the broadband gaps in Decorah. 

CLICK HERE to read a story at the Decorah Newspapers website.