Connexion and Pulse give up millions for rural broadband. Here's why - Coloradoan
Thomas Clayton
Fort Collins Connexion and Loveland Pulse give up millions for rural broadband. Here's why
Rebecca PowellFort Collins Connexion and Loveland Pulse are giving up more than $13 million in grants that would have helped bring broadband to rural areas of Larimer County, citing higher-than-expected costs.
Grants totaling $14 million were announced early this year and would have helped connect more than 1,800 locations in Larimer County to high-speed internet provided by the two municipal broadband providers.
But making those connections requires running fiber along utility poles owned by electricity co-op Poudre Valley REA. When Larimer County conducted an official evaluation of the poles after receiving the grants, the cost to accommodate fiber was estimated to be twice as high as anticipated, said Chad Crager, Connexion's executive director.
And there weren't any additional grant funds to cover the higher costs.
The county also learned that a large portion of rural homes in these areas are second homes, so they might bring in less revenue, Crager said.
"We want to make sure that whatever grant money we get, we are not doing anything that would impact our existing customers, including future operations. So the revenue needs to be there for anywhere that we go into to cover those areas," Crager said.
Brieana Reed-Harmel, Loveland's broadband manager, also said Pulse wants to be confident that projects are sustainable and feasible.
One of the seven grants awarded will go forward: a $500,000 grant to Pulse to provide broadband to 22 locations in Hidden Valley Estates, Reed-Harmel said.
The six rejected grants were for:
- Rist Canyon (Connexion, 234 locations)
- Red Feather Lakes (Connexion, 740 locations)
- Rustic to CSU Mountain Campus (Connexion, 264 locations)
- Poudre Canyon/Poudre Park (Connexion, 171 locations)
- Pole Mountain (Pulse, 189 locations)
- Storm Mountain (Pulse, 208 locations)
The grants came from the Capital Projects Fund of the Colorado Broadband Office and would have been supplemented with matching funds from the county. The money came from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund program.
The cities will not be penalized for rejecting the grants and will be eligible for future funding, Crager and Reed-Harmel said.
Connexion, Pulse apply for grants to bring service to underserved areas
Connexion and Pulse have both submitted applications for Broadband Equity and Access Deployment grants, or BEAD grants, to connect underserved homes and businesses.
Grants like these would allow Connexion to focus on bringing service to denser areas inside or outside of city limits, as it has done in the Harmony and Taft Hill Road area, because the operational costs aren't any higher than they are in city limits, Crager said.
"We're really excited about our BEAD applications because it's going after an area that we need to keep putting fiber to, and that is the mobile home parks," Crager said.
Connexion expects to learn in early 2025 whether it receives any of these grants.
Meanwhile, Pulse has received a $1 million grant from the USDA's Community Connect Program to expand farther into the Big Thompson Canyon.
The project will bring broadband to the Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park area and provide Wi-Fi access at community centers at that park and at Stoney River Lodge.
"This access can be crucial to underserved communities during emergencies such as the Alexander Mountain Fire which struck the area in the summer of 2024," a Pulse news release said. "In addition, 223 residents and four businesses in the Cedar Cove, Bartram Park and Idlewild Lane areas will also be able to receive Pulse services."
Pulse will split the cost of a 15% match with Larimer County.
 | Tom Clayton Communication and Media Specialist, Public Affairs |
| Commissioners' Office 200 W Oak St, Fort Collins, 80522 | 2nd Floor W: (970) 498-7005 tcla...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org |