SEDONA, Ariz. — Sedona’s City Council approved a resolution awarding the Fiber Optic Network Partnership – Request For Information (RFI) to Allo Communications to endorse them as Sedona’s preferred Internet Service Provider (ISP) for the purpose of increasing their chances at being picked by the State of Arizona for Broadband Equity and Access Deployment (BEAD) funding to install broadband in city limits in the coming years.
Bringing lower cost, faster and more reliable fiberoptic internet service, or broadband, to Sedona has been a City Council priority for several years. Fast internet service will not only help residents but it will also aid in the city’s economic diversity goals.
Rather than directly contracting with a firm to begin broadband implementation using city funds, it is in the city’s best interest to formally endorse the top evaluated firm so that they are better positioned for the State’s application process for BEAD funding, considering the state allocates points to applicants who have secured support from communities where they are applying to utilize the funds.
The federally funded BEAD Program grants monies to bring fiberoptic internet service to the home. Arizona was allotted $993 million through this program. Thanks to efforts from the city, a majority of Sedona is eligible for BEAD funding, making it attainable to build out the fiberoptic network that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive in a rural area.
The State plans to submit their plan to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for approval in August 2025. Then the State will select the ISPs as subgrantees for BEAD funding. The ISPs will match remaining funds to build out the fiber. The city will not be matching funding but will work with the ISP during implementation.
If and when the State awards BEAD funding to an ISP, information about timeline of build out will be communicated with residents. More BEAD information is available at Arizona’s Commerce Authority’s website at www.azcommerce.com/broadband/initiatives/bead.