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WEBVTT >> DOES INTEREST ON REPORT.>> THE FUTURE IS FIBER-OPTIC, -->> IT IS RAPIDLY GROWING,EVERYBODY HAS A SMART DEVICE.>> FIBER-OPTIC CABLES ARE KNOWNTO CARRY MORE DATA AT FASTERSPEEDS THAN THEIR COPPERCOUNTERPARTS.OMAHA IS ON THE VERGE OF A MAJOREXPANSION OF ITS FIBERINFRASTRUCTURE.THE COMPANY IS HOPING TO INSTALLLINES UNDER ROADS AND ON LIGHTPOLES AROUND THE METRO.>> THE CITIZENS OF OMAHA WILLWIN.IT IS PART OF THE AGREEMENT.>> ASKED SOMEONE ON THE STREETWHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT FIBEROPTICS AND YOU MIGHT HEAR -- >> NOTHING.>>, HAS SEEN FIBER INSTALLATIONBOTH UNDERGROUND AND THROUGHVERIZON OWNED SMALL CELL TOWERS.THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITHFIBER SAY EXPANDING THOSENETWORKS CAN ONLY BE -- BEPOSITIVE.>> ETIQUETTE IS A GOOD IDEABECAUSE IT WILL INCREASEINTERNET SPEEDS AND CONNECTIVITYWILL BE A LOT FASTER.I THINK IT WILL MAKE US MORECOMPETITIVE.>> THE AIM INSTITUTE SAYS GROWTHIN OMAHA'S FIBER NETWORK ISNEEDED.>> THIS DATE BACK ABOUT 100YEARS.>> THEY'RE HIDING OTHER CITIESTHAT AGGRESSIVELY PURSUED THISEXPANSION.>> CHATTANOOGA HAS FIBERINFRASTRUCTURE TO ENABLEBUSINESSES TO HAVE CONNECTIVITYTO THE INTERNET AS PART OF THECITY PLAN.OMAHA HAS BEEN LYING ON THEIRCARRIERS IN TOWN TO DO THAT.>> THE CITY OF OMAHA GETSOMETHING, STRANDS OF WHAT ISCALLED FIBER HAD NO COST WERECITY DEPARTMENTS WILL HAVEEXCLUSIVE USE OF.>> THIS IS AN AGREEMENT THAT WEARE DOING TO CONNECT OUR TRAFFICSIGNALS ACROSS THE CITY.>> BY THE COMPANY WANTS ASPECIFIC CLIENTS IT PLANS TOWORK WITH, SAY ARE CONFIDENT THETECHNOLOGY OPEN DOORS FOR OMAHA.>> CERTAINLY DID IS A NEED,OMAHA IS A THRIVING METROPOLITANAREA AND IT WOULD HELP IN TERMSOF JUST COMPETITIVENESS TO MAKESURE THAT YOU HAVE OTHERPROVIDERS THAT HAVE THE SERVICESAND COVERAGE AS WELL.

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The City of Omaha is considering an agreement to expand the fiber optic infrastructure across the metro. "It's rapidly growing because of the needs," Murthy Koti, a city engineer, said of the fiber industry, "You know everybody nowadays has a smart device." Fiber optic cables made of thin strands of glass are known to carry more data, at faster speeds than their copper counterparts. Omaha is on the verge of a major expansion of its fiber infrastructure. ExteNet Systems is proposing installation of lines under roads and on light poles around the metro. "The citizens of Omaha will win, as part of these agreement," Koti said.Omaha has seen some fiber installation. One other private company, Unite Private Networks, has installed lines underground, and Verizon-owned small cell towers can be found on light poles around the city. However, Jon Larsen, a systems engineer at Omaha tech hub, the AIM Institute, said growth of Omaha's fiber network is needed, citing other cities that have aggressively pursued fiber expansion."Chattanooga has built out a lot of fiber infrastructure to enable businesses, home people to have connectivity to the internet as part of their city plan," Larsen said, "Omaha has traditionally been relying on their carriers in town to do that." The City of Omaha gets something through the agreements too. ExteNet Systems will provide city departments with strands of dark fiber at no cost. Koti explained the dark fiber is a private network which city departments will have exclusive use of. Koti said said a similar set up would typically cost millions of dollars.While ExteNet Systems wouldn't reveal specific clients it plans to work with, representatives are confident the technology will open doors for Omaha."Certainly there's a need," Larry Washington with ExteNet Systems said, "Omaha is a thriving metropolitan area, and it would help, I think, in terms of competitiveness to make sure you have all the providers that have this service and coverage as well." Omaha's City Council will vote on the ordinance to approve the fiber installation at next week's meeting.