During a recent Freedom to Connect conference in Washington, D.C., Knight Center of Digital Excellence Vice President of Business & Community Intelligence William “Garn” Anderson III met with speaker Terry Huval, director of Lafayette Utilities System.

Huval presented a history of the initiative to build a fiber ring around Lafayette, La., and provide fiber-to-the-home services. After years of lawsuits, fiber-to-the-home is now considered the “fourth utility.” The city will offer high-speed cable, internet, and digital phone to residents and businesses through a fiber optic network. Connections to homes will even include battery power, allowing subscribers to receive information by fiber even during a hurricane.

“Terry Huval’s presentation is an excellence example of the importance of coordinating any broadband initiative with the entire community and highlighting the potential benefits to the individual citizen and business community,” Anderson said. “More importantly, Lafayette’s experience demonstrates the long view and significance of a having developed a solid strategic plan for broadband implementation.”

View the presentation here.