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~/ <br />Elk River <br />Municipal Utilities ~ <br />13069 Orono Parkway ~~ phone: 763.441.2020 <br />Elk River, Iv1N 55330 Fax: 763.441.8099 <br />August 9, 2006 <br />To: Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission <br />Jerry Takle <br />Jim Tralle <br />John Dietz <br />From: Bryan Adams <br />Subject: Community Wide Internet System <br />The last couple of Elk River Municipal Utilities (ERMU) commission meetings we have <br />been discussing community wide broadband Internet service for Elk River. Because <br />Northstar Access is a reputable local provider of voice, video & data service, they were <br />the logical people to contact. ERMU staff suggests the following 3 options to Northstar <br />Access in providing broadband data services. <br />1) Northstar Access could expand their existing fiber to the home system or <br />expanding into the wireless technology in Elk River where the population <br />density is low, snaking fiber to the home technology to expensive. <br />2) Northstar Access &ERMU could partner utilizing wireless broadband <br />technology in Elk River where the population density is low, making fiber to <br />the home technology to expensive. <br />3) ERMU would provide wireless broadband data technology to Elk River <br />At first Northstar Access was not excited about expanding into wireless broadband <br />technology, particularly when only unlicensed frequency spectrums were available. <br />Northstar Access again reconsidered their position knowing that ERMU would pursue <br />wireless technology, and decided to do a pilot study. This pilot study will involve 45 <br />customers in the Co Rd 33 area using unlicensed wireless broadband without any <br />financial support from ERMU. This pilot study should be operational in a couple of <br />months. <br />I took the liberty of requesting they include Jim Tralle in this pilot study. I will keep <br />involved in this pilot study to ensure forward progress. <br />