LONGMONT — Fiber by fall? For some, maybe.

Longmont Power and Communications could begin to roll out fiber-optic service this fall if the City Council gives the go-ahead.

That wouldn’t be everyone, everywhere, from the get-go, LPC telecom manager Vince Jordan said, but it would be the next step.

“We are unique in what we already have in place and what we can do with what we have in place,” Jordan told a crowd of 43 at the Longmont Civic Center on Monday.

What’s in place is an 18-mile fiber-optic loop that the city can now offer services on, thanks to a 2011 ballot issue. About 1,280 businesses sit within 500 feet of the fiber network; at least 1,100 homes already have the conduit and junction box that would let them join.

Broadband meeting What: Discussion of Longmont’s fiber-optic loop, centered on local businesses When: 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. Where: Civic center, 350 Kimbark St. Information: Call 303-651-8383. Those wishing to RSVP may call 303-651-8380. The meeting will be aired live on Channel 8.

The rollout plan — which will probably be presented in August for the council’s approval — will go into matters such as where the network will go first, what rates will be charged and how to extend it.

That last could be a key point. If money were no object, Jordan said, everywhere in Longmont could probably be fiber-connected in two years. As it stands, “Fiber To The Wherever” is likely to be a bit slower, especially with some estimates suggesting a $35 million to $45 million cost for total build-out.

“Are we going to get this even before we get rail?” one audience member teased, referring to the long-delayed FasTracks rail service.

Jordan laughed: “Unequivocally yes.”

Several in Longmont want it to happen sooner rather than later. An online survey at ci.longmont.co.us/lpc/tc/index.htm (which so far has gotten about 152 responses) found that given the choice, 63 percent wanted citywide service “immediately,” while 21 percent said they’d settle for whenever the city could get it done.

The proportions were similar at Monday’s meeting: 57 percent for immediately, 17 percent for whenever it could be done, and another 17 percent for a two-year timespan.

“My feeling is, get it done, whatever it takes,” said one man who voted for “whenever it can be done.”

For now, Jordan said, the idea has been to build out the infrastructure as revenue from the system allows. But both surveys suggested there might be support for doing more. Eighty-one percent of the audience and 61 percent of online respondents said they’d be willing to see the city use other financial sources to speed things up, such as issuing bonds.

One audience member said he wanted to see a business plan, a piece that’s still being developed for the rollout.

“I go across the street to economic development for a lemonade stand, they ask me for a business plan,” the man said. “This is a billion-dollar business.”

Scott Rochat can be reached at 303-684-5220 or srochat@times-call.com.