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The progress on the Pulse project has been significant over the past several months. We have successfully executed multiple agreements including completion of design, project management services through Ditesco, billing and provisioning software and the IGA with the City of Fort Collins for partnership on data transport and upstream connectivity infrastructure and costs announced last month.
Additionally, this week Loveland city council approved two new contracts for the build-out of our 100% fiber-optic network.
Alpha Technologies was awarded a contract for our five telecommunication equipment huts. Think of a hut as a small storage building without windows. You have likely seen similar buildings around Loveland for other utilities including power.
Alpha Technologies will manage and install this portion of the network build-out including hut configuration, AC and DC power, battery backup, and rack and cable management solutions to meet network electronic needs. The network headend equipment is housed in these prefabricated huts. The climate-controlled huts will house racks and cabling for the network equipment, battery banks and battery management systems, and all electrical wiring and associated equipment.
Wesco was awarded a contract for fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) material management services. The company will negotiate competitive prices for all equipment and manage the purchasing, inventory and storage of all network equipment during the construction of the network. Hiring a material management company is an innovative industry approach and means that the Pulse project can benefit from faster access to network materials to complete the project.
These contracts were awarded following RFP and bidding processes through the City of Loveland. The five telecommunications huts will cost $680,000 and the FTTP material management will cost no more than $15 million. These services will be paid for out of the $95 million secured to fund the Pulse project.
The City will also be returning to a competitive bid process for a construction contractor. The RFP will be available the week of July 22. We will announce the awarded contract when available and will provide an updated construction timeline at that time.
We have put forth an aggressive timeline and have been rapidly moving towards the end goal of providing reliable, high-speed broadband service to our community. We look forward to installing your Pulse service in the near future.
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Loveland City Council appointed two members and reappointed one to the Loveland Communications Advisory Board (LCAB) on July 2, 2019. The LCAB serves as an advisory body to council on matters related to City communications services including Pulse, Loveland’s community-owned communications utility, providing high-speed internet and phone services to the community.
Ralph Trenary and Shane Mares join LCAB and Vi Wickam was reappointed with terms effective until June 30, 2022. These members join six others on the advisory board. Ralph Trenary and Shane Mares first meeting is tonight.
The Loveland Communications Advisory Board received four applications to fill three positions and interviews were held on June 6, 2019, by the interview panel which consisted of council liaisons John Fogle and Don Overcash, LCAB chair Rich Bilancia and staff liaison Joe Bernosky.
The LCAB meets at 4 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month. Meetings are located at the Service Center Willow Room at Loveland Water and Power, 200 N. Wilson Ave. For meeting agendas and minutes, visit the
LCAB link here.
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A key component in the development of the City’s fiber optic
network, and first of several opportunities for regional collaboration received
the green light at the May 4, 2019 city council meeting. Council approved an intergovernmental
agreement (IGA) that allows the City of Loveland and the City of Fort Collins (with
Estes Park agreeing to parallel agreement with Fort Collins) to partner on data
transport and upstream connectivity infrastructure and costs. This critical infrastructure
is necessary to connect the cities' networks to telecommunications hubs on the
east and west coasts of the United States. Partnering with Fort Collins and
Estes Park, just one of many benefits of municipal broadband operations, allows
Loveland Pulse to take advantage of economies of scale to bring high-speed
service to our community.
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The City of Loveland unveiled Pulse, the new brand for its local, community-owned and operated fiber optic broadband network during the brand launch event this evening.
“The rhythm of life here in Loveland is vibrant and full of energy, reflective of the people who comprise our great City,” said Loveland City Manager Steve Adams. “Pulse builds on the facets of our community that make Loveland great and powerfully connects us all to the many incredible resources both in our city and throughout our world.”
Pulse is a trusted utility connecting Loveland by offering affordable, reliable and fast internet and voice service through a 100% fiber-optic network. The customer-focused utility is built on a promise of local service, transparency in rates and speeds, and a promise of responsiveness second to none.
Since the very beginning of Loveland’s broadband exploration, both city council and staff have committed that Pulse will deliver value to the community. It will be affordable for all, reliable, fast, backed by the same excellent customer service that City utilities provide today through water and power, and, above all, give everyone another choice to meet their connection needs today and in the future.
“Pulse has everything you expect from the city-provided services you currently use - reliability, fair rates, and excellent, locally-based customer service,” said Brieana Reed-Harmel, City of Loveland municipal fiber manager. “Like all city services, Pulse is an investment in our community and our future.”
The launch of the Pulse brand comes seven months after Loveland’s City Council approved the community-owned broadband network and five years after the City first began its broadband exploration.
Funding was received earlier this year when City Council approved a bond package allowing the newly created Electric and Communication Enterprise to issue and sell bonds to finance the construction of the Pulse fiber-optic network. The City’s diligent planning process before the November 2018 approval allows Pulse to move quickly through the development process.
Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin this September with a full network build-out estimated to take approximately three to four years. The first customer connection is anticipated for the first quarter of 2020.
“Our experienced, local team is excited and ready to bring this service to our neighbors, family and friends,” said Reed-Harmel. “We are thrilled for the community to embrace Pulse alongside us and launch the next phase of the project.”
Pulse is planning a late summer Community Construction Kick-off and Broadband celebration event for the entire community to celebrate, learn more about the technology, construction and next steps. Specific details will be announced soon.
For more information and to sign up for future updates, visit LovelandPulse.com.
About Loveland Pulse
Pulse is a trusted local utility connecting the Loveland community by offering affordable, reliable and fast internet and voice service through a 100% fiber-optic network. Established in 2018, the community-owned utility was built on a promise of local service, transparency in rates and speeds, and a promise of responsiveness second to none. Pulse will be available to all residents and businesses within the city of Loveland over the next three to four years with construction beginning in late 2019. Sign up to receive service and construction updates at LovelandPulse.com.
About Loveland Water and Power
Loveland Water and Power is a municipally owned utility providing Loveland customers power, water and wastewater utility services.
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The City’s intended offer has been updated from the original news release with the most recent
Preliminary Official Statement.
Securities rating agency S&P Global Ratings has given the two series of bonds supporting Loveland’s fiber-optic broadband network construction and operation an A+ rating.
The bonds head to market in the coming weeks in two packages. The City’s Electric and Communications Enterprise intends to
offer approximately $56 million in tax-exempt bonds in one series maturing in
years 2032 through 2043, and another consisting of $28 million in taxable
revenue bonds maturing in years 2023 through 2032 for a
total of $84 million. Bonds will be offered in $5,000 denominations.
The A+ rating announced Wednesday, combined with interest rates that have dipped slightly, mean the city should fare well in the transaction that raises capital for the construction and initial operation of the fiber-optic broadband internet network that City Council approved earlier this year.
“This is the result of some really great teamwork within the City, with the broadband team, the Water and Power Department and the Finance Department all working so well together,” Acting Finance Director Alan Krcmarik said.
The City team, working with financial consultants and bond underwriters, has been finalizing the offering over the past several months. Krcmarik said the underwriting agency gave the City high marks for the work done.
“They told us, ‘You guys have not been in this business very long, but you act as if it’s something you’ve been doing all along,’” Krcmarik said.
S&P Global in its rating statement describes the bonds “to construct a fiber-optic telecommunication system that will provide high-speed internet and phone services.” The firm’s risk profile cites:
- Strong operational management assessment;
- Strong service area economic fundamentals;
- Strong market position;
- Extremely strong industry risk relative to other industries and sectors.
The rating is also based on the Loveland Water and Power business model, including “factors that offset the risks of providing telecommunication services that will compete against other providers in a dynamic marketplace.”
Earlier this year, Loveland City Council approved a broadband bond package allowing the newly created Electric and Communication Enterprise to issue and sell $95.42 million in bonds to finance the construction of the City’s broadband system. With financing secured, the broadband team has moved forward with critical steps including developing plans, processes and systems; hiring and onboarding key staff roles in engineering, operations, sales and marketing; finalizing the fiber-optic network design; setting-up facilities; developing the broadband brand and building a local call center.
Residents interested in receiving regular Loveland broadband updates are encouraged to register for email communication at cityofloveland.org/bradband. Contact us by email at
broadband@cityofloveland.org or by telephone, 970-962-2010 for questions and comments.
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Loveland City Council approved a broadband bond package last night allowing the newly created Electric and Communication Enterprise to issue and sell $95.42 million in bonds to finance the construction of the City’s broadband system. The City selected J.P. Morgan as the senior managing underwriter for the broadband project in August 2018 through an RFP process.
The bonding process takes approximately 60 days from the first reading of the bond ordinance, which took place on Dec. 18, 2018. Minibonds will not be included in initial issuance but will be evaluated for later financing stages.
The new citywide broadband network will make fiber-optic internet service available to every home, business and school in Loveland. The full network build-out is estimated to take approximately three to four years once construction begins. Service to the first broadband customers will happen as areas are built out and service becomes available. As another internet service provider choice, Loveland Broadband will provide the community access to light-speed internet at affordable prices.
With financing secured, the broadband team is moving forward with critical steps including developing plans, processes and systems; hiring and onboarding key staff roles in engineering, operations, sales and marketing; finalizing the fiber-optic network design; setting-up facilities; developing the broadband brand and building a local call center.
The City’s first broadband staffing announcement came in December as Brieana Reed-Harmel was named municipal fiber manager after leading the broadband project since June 2016 as project manager.
Loveland City Council approved a community-driven and city-owned fiber-optic broadband network in November 2018. Additional details, other news and broadband archives are available at cityofloveland.org/Broadband, by email at broadband@cityofloveland.org or by telephone, 970-962-2010.
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Brieana Reed-Harmel, who has managed the City’s broadband initiative since June 2016, has been selected to head a new Loveland Water and Power division formed to carry the project forward.
As Division Manager of the High-Speed Fiber Enterprise, Reed-Harmel will manage construction and operation of a citywide network that will make fiber-optic internet service available to every home, business and school in Loveland.
The City Council in November passed a measure endorsing the broadband network, and on Dec. 18 approved on first reading the issuance of utility enterprise bonds to raise $95.42 million to fund it. Second reading for the bond measure will be Jan. 15.
Nearly three years of research by the city’s broadband team and consultants has shown that sufficient demand exists in Loveland for the network to be fully funded by subscribers.
Reed-Harmel joined the City’s Water and Power Department in May 2012 as an electrical engineer, and was promoted the same year to Senior Electrical Engineer. City Manager Steve Adams in June 2016 named her as manager of the broadband project. Since that time, Reed-Harmel has led presentations on the broadband topic at 17 City Council meetings.
Construction on the network that is being designed by Nokia of America will begin in 2019 with a three- to four-year timetable for completion. Reed-Harmel’s appointment, announced by Water and Power Director Joe Bernosky, will be followed by additional hiring as the broadband enterprise develops.
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LOVELAND, Nov. 6, 2018 – The Loveland City Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution establishing a City-owned retail broadband utility with regional collaboration, and then acted to direct city staff to secure financing instruments to build and operate a broadband network. The 7-1 vote had Council members Richard Ball, Leah Johnson, Dave Clark, John Fogle, Steve Olson, Don Overcash and Kathi Wright supporting the measure, with Mayor Jacki Marsh opposed. Councilor Jeremy Jersvig abstained.
The resolution provides that the City will build, own and operate its own broadband network and will seek collaboration with regional partners such as Fort Collins and Longmont to share resources to save time and money. Ordinances pertaining to bond issuance, operating structure and governance will be prepared for review at future meetings. The bonding process will take 60 days following approval of the bond issuance ordinance and network construction is estimated to take three years to complete.
Councilors on Oct. 23 received updates on a series of measures they had approved Feb. 6 including the broadband business plan, financing package and results from an eight-month community education and outreach effort. They also received a unanimous recommendation from the Loveland Communications Advisory Board (LCAB), an advisory board on all issues and matters related to communications services, to move forward with the broadband project.
During the Oct. 23 meeting City Council voted 5-4 to refer the issue to voters in a special election. They also requested that City staff reevaluate key issues relating to the municipal broadband initiative in advance of the Nov. 6 meeting, including:
Issues related to competition between a government utility and the private sector.
Eventual use of surplus revenues.
Interaction of the Loveland broadband utility with neighboring municipal broadband utilities.
Steps to mitigate risk.
Best practices in delegation of authority.
Following a City staff presentation of these reevaluated issues Tuesday night, City Council members reconsidered their earlier action to refer the issue to voters, vacating it with a 7-2 vote. Council members then approved the resolution to move ahead with the retail broadband initiative.
The City has invested $2.75 million during the past four years to study the feasibility of its broadband initiative, identify potential business models to provide municipal broadband and to secure a build-ready design for the network.
Additional details and document archives are available at cityofloveland.org/Broadband, by email at broadband@cityofloveland.org or by telephone, 970-962-2010.
