SOLON, Ohio -- Council wants further study into the possibility of the city becoming a municipal internet service provider.

A request for proposals (RFP) will be going out to determine "need, feasibility and justification for providing affordable broadband high-speed internet access for Solon businesses and residents."

In a recent memo to council's Finance Committee, City Information Technologies (IT) Director Jim Gibbs explained that he receives a "steady stream of complaints and requests for help" from people seeking better internet service providers (ISP).

What Gibbs finds most telling is that most people are not complaining about the cost, but rather "the very poor level of service they are being forced to endure by the largest players in this space."

With that statement of purpose, Gibbs convened an internal Municipal ISP Research and Recommendation Committee with various department directors, Mayor Ed Kraus, Councilman Doug Magill, an industry consultant and a Chamber of Commerce representative.

"It's my belief that we are in a position to build a citywide network not only exceeding bandwidth offerings currently available," but with the level of municipal service that residents and businesses have come to expect, Gibbs added.

From there, the committee determined that the best course of action would be similar to the approach taken by the City of Hudson, starting with a feasibility study, expected to take 8-10 months and cost about $50,000.

Another Summit County city with its own internet service is Fairlawn, while Medina County has its own system, as does at least one of its cities, Wadsworth.

In Cuyahoga County, Cleveland Heights has been approached by a group of residents known as the Citizens for Heights Municipal Broadband, advocating "community-driven ISP."

After Solon council authorized the RFP's on Monday, Magill commended Gibbs and City Finance Director Matt Rubino for "moving with alacrity" on what he feels could be a "differentiator" providing a big advantage to the city.

Councilman Mark Kotora said this was what he was talking about when he spoke earlier of the need for the city to "start thinking outside the box," including its own "fiber network with high-speed connectivity."

Proponents believe that such systems wind up paying for themselves, although the feasibility study will help determine how long that might take, in terms of cost projections.

"It will provide a detailed report of what the city would have to commit to, in both capital and operating expenses to build a carrier-grade network to every resident and business in town," Gibbs told the Finance Committee.

The draft RFP also cites as a local resource the 2013 project to connect all the city's intersections with fiber optics.

"The city later decided to extend that network to connect its buildings and move away from a third-party network," the draft RFP states.

That in turn led to the city entering into various agreements with providers such as First Energy for pole attachment rights, as well as burying a minimal amount of underground conduit.

"This study will determine whether the city is in a position to enter this market and provide a cost-effective alternative in this space," Gibbs stated.