Windstream to install fiber for City of Newton staff

Installation of a fiber-optic internet system may help the city better communicate with its citizens during emergencies or natural disasters.

When the derecho swept across Iowa in August, the city — like so many others — completely lost internet for one week in all facilities. In order to ensure a reliable internet connection, the city recommends council allow staff to obtain a “redundant internet service” — or, in other words, a backup connection.

If the severe storm had hit at a different time or if internet was unavailable for a longer period, it could have affected accounts payable and payroll. Nevertheless, the loss crippled the city’s phones, emails, ability to take credit card payments and eliminated the option of providing an emergency operations center.

Currently, the city receives its internet from Mediacom for $287 per month.

Mediacom’s 300/20 Mbps internet service comes into City Hall via aerial lines. Staff recommended a dedicated 100/100 Mbps service come in via buried fiber, which they say will help reduce or eliminate outages that critical impact business applications and eliminate bandwidth drag.

Three quotes were received from fiber service providers.

After reviewing the costs and services, the city believes Windstream is the best company to serve staff’s needs. In addition to 100 Mb fiber, Windstream can provide 5GB cellular backup, software-defined wide area networks, a black of 8 IP addresses and active-active internet.

Windstream also allows the city to review reporting, make changes and adjustments remotely, and set bandwidth priorities within applications.

Upfront cost for installation is $4,000. The 60-month (or five-year) contract will cost the city $630 per month. By the end of the contract, the city will have paid $41,040. After studying bandwidth service for a while, city staff may be able to reduce the Mediacom service by $50 to $100 per month due to dedicated fiber.

The city also has six hardware backup telephone lines through Windstream in case of an internet outage that can be used in emergencies. But with the backup internet the city could eliminate those as well for a savings of $260 per month.

Newton City Council voted unanimously in favor of the contract.

Councilperson Evelyn George said, “This is really important because not having internet connection for a week in the city was certainly an issue after (the) derecho.”

Newton Mayor Mike Hansen said, “It certainly was and I can speak to that on behalf of your city staff and the folks out providing services to our community. It was a struggle.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com