From Deseret News archives:
Cedar Hills OKs Web antennas
Deal will let Internet firm place devices on 2 city water tanks
The City Council approved a proposal that would allow the company to place a wireless Internet antenna on the city's two water tanks, which would boost its signal in the area and allow for more subscriptions to be sold.
"It is advantageous for us because it is the best way to get a signal going into the citizens of Cedar Hills and American Fork, Highland, Alpine and those areas," said Rapidwave owner Justin Burt.
Rapidwave is a relatively small Internet service provider, with around 1,000 customers along the Wasatch Front, but over the past few years they have turned down potential customers in the area in order to not overload their network.
Burt, who says that they are the fastest Internet service provider in the state, feels that keeping the company at a manageable size has allowed them to provide some of the best service for customers.
They currently spend no money on advertising; instead they spend money on their equipment, like the antenna that should be put on the water tower shortly.
"Eighty-five percent of our network is referrals, and that is how we have marketed," said Burt. "We have gone a different direction by putting all our cash into our equipment to give the best Internet service."
Turning down people for the past year has been hard, Burt said, so he is happy to be negotiating with Cedar Hills in order to bring a better signal and more clients to the area.
As part of the deal, the city will receive free Internet service in the city buildings, and Rapidwave will also pay a rental price for posting the antennae on the tanks.
The City Council feels the deal will be good for everyone involved.
"It was a win-win situation," said Councilman Jim Perry. "It is not going to be an eyesore, and it provides great coverage, so it is another option for the residents of our city to subscribe to and at the same time gives us free service at the city buildings."
The agreement was approved, but a few things still remain to be negotiated between the city staff and Rapidwave. The biggest questions are the price of rent and access agreements, since the tanks house the city's water supply. But both sides feel that the deal will get done.
"If this doesn't work with Cedar Hills, then we will find other avenues to better serve the existing customers in that area, and help us not turn down the customers that have called to get it," said Burt. "I hope everything goes through though."
E-mail: ethomas@desnews.com
