Algonquin to install fiber optic infrastructure

New infrastructure for providing high-speed internet at the Algonquin Corporate Campus may help to spur economic development, village officials say.

The village board approved spending about $202,993 for the installation of dark, or inactive, fiber at the campus, located on Corporate Parkway off Randall Road, according to village documents. The infrastructure will eventually allow new and existing businesses to tap into the fiber optic network, which will be operated by a third-party provider, Assistant Village Manager Mike Kumbera said.

That turnkey solution, he said, will be used to recruit and retain companies, thus growing Algonquin's tax base and creating jobs in the area. The village expects to recapture its initial investment in the project from future development, he added.

"Broadband services are becoming an essential as a structure for new businesses and existing businesses relocating," Kumbera said. "Having access to that kind of high-speed internet is essential for attracting the corporate businesses we're seeking to that area."

The village also agreed to pay $250 per month for maintaining the dark fiber until it becomes active, according to village documents. The network will likely be ready next year, Kumbera said, at which point businesses can pay to use the services.

Twelve businesses operate in the Algonquin Corporate Campus, including Advantage Moving & Storage, United Information Technologies and Players Choice Academy. And the business park still has several empty lots for future development.

Though Algonquin isn't targeting any specific industries, Kumbera said, the fiber infrastructure allows the village to recruit a wider variety of companies: Call center operations, technology jobs, manufacturing companies and data centers.

"Those are the types of businesses that really need (high-speed) broadband," Kumbera said. "It'll be ready to go and help save some lead time for a new business to pick a site, build and open for operation."