Fueled in large part by federal funds; Summit County is considering the installation of a high speed countywide fiber optic network that would both provide high speed internet access to residents who don't have it yet, and also provide all county residents with a higher speed, lower-cost alternative to what is currently available from commercial internet providers.

As currently envisioned; the new countywide fiber optic network would build on Fairlawn's muncipal broadband service, Fairlawn Gig, though it would not actually extend that city's fiber throughout the whole County.

Instead, what Summit County Executive, Ilene Shapiro, and her Chief of Staff, Brian Nelson tell us, is that the proposed $400 million dollar project would actually be funded through a public-private partnership, with the County picking up about a quarter of the tab, and private investors like existing internet service providers, paying for the rest.

Find out how that might work, and how at least from the County's perspective; it could one day enable everything from better education, to smart traffic lights. 

Summit County Executive, Ilene Shapiro