The document discusses how the city of Eagan, Minnesota established a 17.5 mile wholesale fiber network called AccessEagan to provide broadband connectivity. The network cost $2 million paid through non-tax revenues. It has benefited the city by being the only fiber provider for a new outlet mall and attracting a data center run by DataBank. The city began planning in 2005 by mapping existing fiber and monitoring construction permits to understand broadband infrastructure opportunities.

1. How partnerships and planning
can lead the way on broadband

2. AccessEagan
•17.0 mile
wholesale fiber
network
•Open to any
carrier that wants
to serve Eagan
businesses
•Carrier-class
•Cost about $2
million paid from
non-tax revenues.
•Network
Availability
Guarantee

4. Impact
•AccessEagan fiber the only
fiber into the new Twin
Cities Premium Outlet Mall
•Some retailers still just
wanted POTS lines
•When another provider
couldn’t turn up service
quickly enough,
AccessEagan benefitted.

5. Impact – Opening 1Q 2015
•In June, Dallas-based
DataBank announce an
88,000 sq. ft.
multi-tenant data center
& carrier hotel
“The City of Eagan presented
the perfect location . . . Between
the robust AccessEagan network and the
support of their forwarding-thinking city
leadership, [they] made our choice simple.”
~ Tim Moore, DataBank CEO

6. Began in 2005 with mapping all known
fiber; have analyzed all
ROW permits since.

7. Know What’s Around You
•What’s the
connection between
employment density &
connectivity?
•How can you leverage
your clusters?
•Check DEED
quarterly census
of employment
& wages (QCEW)

8. Question: “How did you know
it was going to work?”
Answer:
“The same way I knew fiber optic
was going to replace cable.”
Harrison Ford in the role of Linus Larrabee in
Sabrina~ 1995

9. Tom Garrison
Communications Dir.
City of Eagan
tgarrison@cityofeagan.com
(651) 675-5000
accesseagan.com
Liaison to Eagan Tech Working Group
Chair LMC Broadband Policy Committee, 2013
Member 2008-2009 State Broadband Task
Force
Member of Gig Group, 2006-07