Woods Cross may be one of the newest suitors to come calling on UTOPIA for fiber-optic service.

On Tuesday, the City Council agreed that the city should look into doing a feasibility study that would determine if joining the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency would be a good fit.

Woods Cross Mayor Kent Parry said it's likely the city will commission the feasibility study unless costs make it prohibitive.

Several residents addressed the City Council Tuesday to say they support the city's decision to look into joining UTOPIA, which is a consortium of various cities that are building fiber-optic networks in areas not served by cable company Comcast.

Fiber-optics, which are glass wires, transmit information via laser light and operate at many times the speed of normal broadband connections.

Cities may join the agency as either pledging or nonpledging members.

Pledging members, such as Layton and Centerville, agree to financially back UTOPIA's construction bonds.

"The current system is inadequate," Parry said.

Residents and businesses in the town could benefit from fiber-optics because other broadband methods aren't available to the whole city, he said.

Roger Black, a consultant for the agency, recently told the Deseret Morning News that dozens of cities are looking at joining.

Farmington is deciding whether to join as a nonpledging member, and the Farmington City Council is expected to make a decision in an upcoming council meeting. Washington city may decide during a Sept. 26 council meeting. Cottonwood Heights recently completed a feasibility study and may soon decide whether to join, as well.

---

E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com