Exploring Regional Broadband: Berthoud, Johnstown, Mead, & Milliken

Goals & Objectives

Collectively, the Towns have the four primary objectives for a regional broadband project:

Inclusivity - To provide the opportunity for high speed broadband service to all residents, businesses, schools, local government, non-profit organizations, healthcare service providers, and multi-tenant properties within the four (4) communities and possibly the areas between the four Towns that are unincorporated.
High Speed – Requires at least 1 Gigabit symmetrical broadband connection for residential and up to 10 Gigabit symmetrical broadband connection for non-residential, with the ability to potentially grow into 25/50GbE or other service types available in the next five to seven years.
Reliable – The service needs to be able to be depended upon as it will have many uses requiring high availability. Some examples are businesses - both storefront and home, residents, students, and healthcare professionals. A focus on redundancy should be a key element in the study to ensure reliability.
Reasonable cost – The monthly charges for such service should be reasonable and affordable. Concurrently, it should also provide for the ability to meet debt service obligations should construction of a network be a feasible option.

Current Project Activity

Updated 8/31

Johnstown continues to work with the towns of Berthoud, Milliken, and Mead on an agreement to bring Allo Communications to the 4 towns regionally. After a year of surveying and interviewing in 2021, Allo Communications was the top candidate for regional broadband for our area because Allo can fund the infrastructure and manage the service. The agreement being worked on does NOT give Allo exclusive rights to provide broadband in the area, but does discuss some benefits to be provided by the towns during construction, such as grouped permitting. The Town of Johnstown continues to welcome any broadband provider into the Town of Johnstown to serve residents and does not limit or prohibit ISP providers from working within the Town (provided permits and plans are approved by the Town).

Past Updates

Updated 5/20/2022

All four participating municipalities, Towns of Berthoud, Johnstown, Mead, and Milliken, have given the OK for Town Administrative staff to craft an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Allo Communications. Town Administration is currently working on this initiative to bring to the 4 regional councils/boards in the coming months for their decision. This MOU would provide guidance (from the Town of Johnstown side) on the expectations of construction timing, access to Right of Way permits, and development throughout the 4 Towns.

As a reminder, this broadband/ISP initiative does not create an exclusive agreement with Allo Communications for broadband and would be a private entity providing broadband (not the municipality). Residents would be able to continue to choose whichever provider fits their needs best.

Updated 2/7/2022

At February 7, 2022's Town Council Meeting, the Town Manager presented the results of the broadband feasibility study as it related to choosing a singular broadband provider for regional partnership. After town administrators spent the month of December interviewing broadband providers determined by the study, the preferred partner out of the 3 finalists was identified to be Allow Communications. The Johnstown Town Council gave the Town Manager the go-ahead to continue to work with the regional four Towns and Allo in drafting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Allo Communications. This MOU will need to be approved by the Town Council prior to moving forward with this opportunity.

Updated October 2021

Summer 2021, residents and businesses in the area of the 4 Towns were provided an opportunity to complete a broadband assessment survey to help the Towns understand broadband use, availability, expectations, and needs from locals.

Results of this survey were presented to the Officials of all four Towns on October 19. Results indicated that the four Towns have much better opportunity to strengthen their broadband connectivity by working together with a full service broadband partner.

Throughout November and December 2021, Town administrators of Berthoud, Johnstown, Mead, and Milliken are meeting with broadband providers that have the interest and financial capacity to bring better service to the area.

Town administrators are working with the project contractor to bring initiative suggestions to the respective Town Councils/Boards in the beginning of 2022.

Project News

Town of Johnstown Update on Regional Broadband Efforts
Since April 2021, the towns of Berthoud, Johnstown, Mead, and Milliken have been working together on an initiative to bring better broadband service to residents and businesses in the area. Throughout the summer, the public was encouraged to share their current experiences and needs related to broadband in the Broadband Exploration Survey. With the results of the survey now available, Town officials and administrators continue to work hard to uncover the best option for all four Towns in an effort to bring better service to the area. Read more...

Officials hear results of Broadband Feasibility Study
October 21, 2021 - Press Release from the Town of Mead discussing Broadband survey.
Click here.

Town of Johnstown Continues to Explore Municipal Broadband
In the April 2020 Johnstown municipal election, residents voted to opt-out of Senate Bill 152 (which limits local government in relation to broadband). As a result, the Town is now exploring municipal broadband opportunities. Please note, the research being conducted does not promise or guarantee the implementation of a municipal broadband plan in Johnstown. Read more...