HomeMy WebLinkAbout25-0121 - 2025-11-04 - Informal ReportINFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 25-0121
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council November 4, 2025
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SUBJECT: BROADBAND PROJECT UPDATE
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The purpose of this Informal Report is to provide an update on broadband enhancement efforts.
The City of Fort Worth engaged in a Public Private Partnership to provide a municipal network to
deliver high speed scalable broadband to City facilities. The investment in Fort Worth will create
over 300 miles of a new fiber network to serve -r200+ government sites at fixed fiber costs for 30
years. Through a private sector service provider this network will also serve as the backbone
network for fiber -to -the -home (FTTH) deployment to residential and business customers.
Backqround:
In January of 2022 the City provided a neighborhood WiFi solution for five Neighborhood
Improvement Zones to support the community during Covid. This service aligned with the Public
WiFi that is available in Libraries and Community Centers. This effort was a precursor to the
Broadband efforts and was delivered in a "best effort" capacity to support the community. This
service is nearing end of life and will be replaced with the availability of an affordable commercial
service throughout the City. Currently we are seeing approx 5000 unique monthly users
accessing the service.
On October 31, 2023, City Council authorized an agreement with Sprocket Networks, Inc. for
construction and operation of a citywide municipal fiber network. To support the effort, the City
engaged Mighty River, LLC, led by Joe Freddoso, to provide subject matter expertise on strategy
and vendor selection. The City committed $4.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
funds and $3 million from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) to launch
implementation.
Construction began in January 2025 and to date, 235,985 feet of construction has been
permitted. Following contract award, Sprocket prioritized securing full funding for the project.
While initial funding supported starting construction, the rate of production was limited, impacting
their ability to meet target deadlines. In September 2025, Digital Alpha finalized an investment
partnership with Sprocket Networks to accelerate the build in Fort Worth and support long-term
program sustainability.
Benefits:
For the Residents: The broadband network will strengthen scaling the accessibility of
government services to residents, particularly in areas of the City where broadband infrastructure
investments have lagged. This network will help provide affordable, higher -speed options from
last -mile internet service providers over time, helping households and small businesses.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
No. 25-0121
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
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DJA�
SUBJECT: BROADBAND PROJECT UPDATE
18 7'a
November 4, 2025
Page 2 of 3
For the City: Higher -capacity and more reliable connectivity support public safety and
emergency response, enabling faster data sharing for traffic monitoring, and improving access to
online City services (e.g., virtual court dockets, bill/payment options, applications). Municipal
resources, such as community centers and computer labs, benefit from more dependable internet
for students, job seekers, and telemedicine users, while the City's network provides a fiscally
responsible foundation that can scale up as technology and demand grow.
Construction Schedule & Phasing:
Construction is active in multiple permitted areas in the public right of way. Over 12,680 feet of
conduit pathway has been drilled, 12,680 feet of conduit placed, and 29 handholes have been
installed. In addition, there are approximately 187,875 feet currently permitted for work.
Restoration of the right of way proceeds quickly in recently completed work areas.
The network consists of interlocking rings, and sites go live on the new fiber network when the
entire ring is completed and tested. Construction is reported by work areas, or "segments," and
some segments contribute to more than one ring.
The current projected baseline is summarized below:
Summary of Segment -by -Segment Fiber Construction Schedule
Seg. # Date Range Rigs Buildings Total Footage
1 08/25/25 - 10/24/25 6 32 110,517
3
09/22/25
- 10/31/25
6
8
38,462
4
10/13/25
- 11 /21 /25
10
19
69,412
2
11 /03/25
- 12/12/25
10
8
59,461
5-12
02/16/26
- 07/17/26
10 each
91
673,522
13-21
08/24/26
- 01/11/27
10 each
35
477,049
Duration
60 days
39 days
39 days
39 days
Varies by segment
Varies by segment
Construction work will occur in overlapping areas across the city, sequenced by permits, crews,
and ring dependencies. City staff are working with Sprocket Networks to produce a clear static
map that illustrates these concurrent work areas for Council and the public.
Sprocket is communicating with the communities regarding the fiber installation to support the
residential and commercial service. Additionally, they are planning to develop a full marketing
and educational engagement plan as the Municipal network becomes activated.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
No. 25-0121
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
�pflTEij$
DJA�
SUBJECT: BROADBAND PROJECT UPDATE
1875
November 4, 2025
Page 3 of 3
To expedite delivery, Sprocket Networks is prioritizing the completion of the network prior to
launching residential service offerings. Residential service, including an affordable plan, is
currently expected to be available in second half of 2027.
Confounding variables: Weather, utility conflicts, the percentage of rock, and permit timing can
influence rates of production and segment duration. Sprocket mitigation and prevention efforts
include employing dedicated, on -site project management, the ability to replace non -conforming
subcontractors, launching construction management software for transparent metrics, and regular
coordination meetings with City staff.
If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to Kevin Gunn at x2015 or
kevin.gunn@fortworthtexas.gov.
Jesus ".lay" Chapa
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS