Key Wireless Workgroup pushes fiber freedom

Frustrated with lousy cell service, a group of residents is hoping Longboat Key will not only get up to speed with hand-held technology, but will literally make a business of it.

Spanish Main Yacht Club resident Tom Freiwald made a presentation Monday to the Longboat Key Town Commission at its regular workshop on behalf of the Wireless Workgroup, voicing concerns that the Key is at the mercy of large communication companies that look at Longboat as a “small-time player.”

To become a bigger player, Freiwald said the town should consider investing as much as $1 million for its own fiber optic network, which would encourage usage from residents and even competitors such as Verizon or AT&T that could use the fiber to boost cell service.

If not, “Longboat Key won’t be attractive to those who demand technology,” Freiwald said.

The commissioners agreed, unanimously directing Town Manager Dave Bullock to start searching for a neutral technology expert who can start by creating a feasibility study for such a network.

Freiwald said a turnkey, island-wide network would be the best approach.

“We don’t want to just take people from two bars on their cell phones to four bars,” he said. “We want something that has a future. And research shows that nearly as many baby boomers want advanced technology as those ages 18 to 27.”

Freiwald cited a 16,000-population Alabama town that no communications company wanted to touch.

“It now owns its own dark (unused) fiber and it recouped its investment in six years,” Freiwald said.

Commissioner Phill Younger noted that parts of the Key had strong signals and said he was concerned the town would be investing “in something I am already getting right now.”

Freiwald countered that the north end has shoddy reception, and the apparent exclusion of cell towers in a telecommunications ordinance draft will keep it that way. The town’s southern half has better reception because tall condominium towers have allowed the placement of small antennae on rooftops to boost reception.

Local fiber network control, Freiwald said, would also relate to savings for Key residents. He projected a monthly cost for broadband use at $40 per user.

Younger agreed the idea was worth a look. “If we can enhance services at a lower cost to citizens, I’d support it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Freiwald suggested the town establish a help desk in Town Hall to direct both frustrated residents and visitors toward short-term solutions regarding cellphone reception. He pointed to a small in-home antenna-box system that has helped his cause — for now.

Other areas worthy of possible investment after a fiber optic system is in place, Freiwald said, include WiFi and DAS (distributed antenna system) opportunities. Those systems, though, come with costs that could rise to $8 million.

Contact John Morton at [email protected]