Open access and why “the future is still so much bigger than the past”

Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the internet, said that “the web as I envisaged it, we have not seen it yet. The future is still so much bigger than the past.” Nowhere is this more visible than with open access to his invention. SiFi Networks will bring free consumer choice and a reliable, open access broadband to every community in the US.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index has been collecting data on the happiness of consumers with their Internet Service Providers since 2013. However, the fundamental problem has so far always been that the majority of American households could not choose their own service provider (SP). Whether they were happy with their internet or not, most people could not do anything about it.

It is this notion of consumer choice that motivates us at SiFi Networks to bring open access broadband to communities in the entire US. We are a privately owned developer of fiberoptic broadband. We build the networks of our FiberCities? and then wholesale the access to SPs. Customers living in FiberCities are free to choose from our growing list of SPs to buy the broadband access that suits their individual needs.

An open access fiberoptic network brings a range of benefits to everybody involved. Cities like it because it brings high speed internet to every business and household. Very importantly, the roads are only dug up once to lay fiber into the ground, which means that cities and residents are not inconvenienced by endless roadworks.

A multi-service provider network allows a SP to enter new markets without having to invest upfront in infrastructure. Instead, they can invest in marketing and great services. Moreover, SiFi Networks promotes their brand as well as their network. It is a little bit like a parcel delivery service.

Not every parcel delivery company needs to build a road. They use the roads together and focus on providing a great service. 

Equally, not having a monopoly on a network allows SPs to focus on what they do best, deliver an excellent service to happy customers. Consumers benefit because as open access internet becomes more prevalent, households and businesses can choose who they want to buy their internet access from.

The first FiberCity to go live is Fullerton, in California. SiFi Networks has installed a fiberoptic broadband infrastructure that passes every home and every business. Everybody living or working in Fullerton can now choose their own contract from Ting or GibabitNow. The people of Fullerton CA have just joined the world of free choice of internet service packages and can now stream videos without buffering.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important reliable high-speed internet is. Many people are now forced to study, work and socialize from home — for all of which they are entirely dependent on internet access. Moreover, a growing selection of e-health applications, such as remote diagnosis, and a myriad variety of fitness technologies make reliable broadband vitally important.

At SiFi Networks our mission is to give reliable internet access to everyone in the communities we serve. We want to allow them to learn, grow and innovate. As the cycles of technological change continue, there is no telling what the future holds in store for the internet and when Tim’s vision of a truly World Wide Web will be fulfilled.

Why open access is such an important unfulfilled promise:

• It requires true consumer choice and a reliable fiberoptic broadband infrastructure.
• Customers living in FiberCities have the freedom to choose their internet providers.
• In a FiberCity the opportunities of Smart City applications are endless, such as water and waste management, lighting, mobility or real-time crime mapping.
• COVID-19 has shown how important reliable internet access is and at SiFi Networks we work hard to bring the free choice of broadband to your area.
• Stay up to date on the growing number of FiberCities and register your interest here.