Skip to main content

Davis Journal

Connext breaks ground on Kaysville City Fiber Project

Dec 23, 2021 09:04AM ● By Cindi Mansell

Participants in the groundbreaking were Connext founders Matthew, Craig and David Brown, far left, along with Kaysville City Mayor Katie Witt and city council members; and Davis Chamber of Commerce President Angie Osguthorpe. Photo courtesy of Connext.

Last September, Kaysville officials authorized an agreement with Connext for the 2021 Fiber Ring Facility Connection Project to construct improvements to its existing city facilities. An Advertisement for Bids was issued, bids reviewed, and it was found to be in the best interest of the city and its residents to select Connext as the contractor for this project (as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder). 

On Dec. 2, Connext commenced a groundbreaking celebration for construction on the awaited internet service upgrade for Kaysville residents. The Kaysville City Fiber Project will bring fiber optics to over 8,700 households across the city. This is only a part of a much larger initiative that Connext is embarking on that will ultimately connect residents to fiber internet from Willard south through the Salt Lake Valley. 

Connext is deploying a private fiber opportunity and because of its uniqueness, it would allow the city to have improvements constructed to the city’s fiber ring at a much-reduced cost. This agreement is not to connect fiber to homes through the city but only to extend the city’s existing fiber ring. However, the vendor has shown that they are interested in extending fiber to homes privately and tout they are installing an open network that is open to all service providers. Because the system will be an open network, users will have lots of options when this project is finished.

“We are beyond excited to see a private company using private money to make fiber available to all of our residents,” said Mayor Katie Witt. “This service will help families have job flexibility, educational opportunities, and connection with loved ones. We appreciate Connext making this investment in Kaysville.”

“We are looking forward to connecting the families of Kaysville and all of Northern Utah to provide the best internet experience available,” Connext CEO David Brown said. “Connectivity is growing more important every day as so many of us have transitioned to education and working from home. Our timeline for completion on the Kaysville City Fiber Project is between 18 to 24 months.”

Connext will initially begin construction in the neighborhoods on the west side of I-15 and is on schedule to be completed citywide by spring 2023. These areas were selected for the infrastructure construction to begin first as the residents showed the highest level of interest. Residents are encouraged to visit Connext’s website at connextbroadband.com/kaysville-fiber so their team can gauge the level of interest in each neighborhood, as construction will break ground next in the area where residents are most interested. 

Brown said this advanced, long-lasting fiber infrastructure will reduce the overall cost of meeting the city’s internal communication needs; provide a more secure, more resilient infrastructure to support critical public services; and provide far greater functionality and capacity to enable advanced governmental services and maximize efficiencies across a wide range of governmental functions that the city could not otherwise afford.

Connext plans to provide regular progress reporting and will closely coordinate its construction schedule with the city.