Discussion and Review of Kinetic Fiber Network Installation Proposal – Matt Grahm — WS.D

From: Graham, Matt J <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2026 10:36 AM To: Doug Boldt; Ashley Platz; Abigail Hora; Brian Shay; Brian Detert Subject: RE: Kinetic Fiber Optic Network Installation Request for Tiffin, IA Rights-of-Way Good morning, I wanted to follow up after my public comment session at the City Council meeting on 5/19 regarding the Kinetic Fiber network installation proposal. At the meeting, it was suggested that this might be a good topic for the council working session. I spoke with Brian Detert this morning and he said that they have been reviewing our permit applications and there may be additional comments that the public works department may have after looking at our requests. If we can get on your agenda, I would like the opportunity to speak with you regarding our request. Please let me know if there are any questions or concerns prior to the meeting so I might be able to address them beforehand. Kinetic is the fiber optic arm of Windstream Communications. We have been in the area for many years and want to expand our services to more people. We are focused on bringing high-speed internet access to more rural and urban-adjacent communities; we think Tiffin is an excellent opportunity to both increase access and provide more competition for the citizens. We have designed a network that should be able to serve nearly everyone in the city, if they want, with as little impact as possible. However, there will be some disruption when installing the conduit. I want to be sure that the council is aware of the proposed project when they see crews in the city and when citizens complain. I want them to know the benefits of our services and what it brings to Tiffin. We are focused on residential services with this build. Our network will be fiber-to-the-home, with a fiber from the pedestal into the home, connected to the home router. Some providers offer a fiber to the ROW and a CAT5, cable, or other standard connection to the home. That is better than a cable network or DSL line, but fiber-to-the-home offers vastly superior speeds and reliability. It allows home internet users the ability to work from home, stream TV, operate cell phones, and play online games without lag time. Fiber optic access is something that people look for in a community when relocating. It used to be that it was a “plus”; now it’s a checkbox that is needed. With remote work being as prevalent as it is, a fiber network will allow people to relocate from anywhere. That is the same for industry. Many businesses require a fiber network to operate due to security concerns. The only way they can obtain the security they need is to be able to send encrypted information fast and a “hard-wired” connection is mandatory. We are aware that Tiffin has several providers, including South Slope Co-op. South Slope provides similar access to the internet, however, Kinetic Fiber provides competition. When one company is the only business that offers their level of product, they have the ability to charge their customers as much as they can. Kinetic is offering FREE connection, and speeds of 100mbps for as low as $25/mo, 300mbps for $40/mo, 1gbps for $50/mo, and 2gbps for as low as $70/mo (see: Kinetic | Fiber Internet Provider | Kinetic High Speed Fiber Internet for details). Kinetic also offers additional equipment such as wireless routers, extenders, and security for an additional fee bundled into your plan. Our highest plans include pricing guarantees for up to 3 years with additional pre-paid Mastercard®.