Hi neighbors,

Just wanted to share a quick update on the ongoing efforts to bring fiber internet to Del Cerro.

First, I recently heard back from Wyyerd Fiber, and while they were extremely open and transparent, they unfortunately confirmed they won't be expanding into our area in the near future. Their closest network point is about 10 miles away, which makes the cost of expansion too high for now. That said, if they expand closer in the next year or two, our neighborhood is a viable candidate. I’ll continue to stay in touch with them and keep you posted.

On the AT&T front, I’ve been in contact with their external affairs team. While there are no immediate plans to bring fiber to Del Cerro, they did explain why. Much of our area uses direct-buried copper lines, which are expensive and difficult to replace due to permitting, trenching, and restoration work required by current city ordinances.

I want to preface the following by saying that I am not affiliated with any political movement or campaign. I’m simply sharing the information passed along by AT&T’s representative.

One key point that was emphasized is Assembly Bill 470 (AB 470, McKinnor), which would relieve AT&T of its Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) obligation, meaning they would no longer be required to maintain the outdated and costly copper network in areas like ours. This obligation currently costs them around $1 billion annually to support less than 5% of California homes (and this number is declining every year!). While they are liable for keeping the copper wires working, they are unable to upgrade or invest in other areas. AB 470 passing would free up resources and open the door for major fiber investments in neighborhoods like Del Cerro. This is not to say they will ditch areas that are dependent on copper wires, but instead, they can upgrade and invest in more urban areas where copper services have become essentially obsolete. 

The representative’s suggestion was that if we want to help this movement, showing support for AB 470 could be a meaningful way to encourage statewide investment in modern infrastructure. This is not just for us, but for other underserved communities across California.

AT&T has finally seen our demand and acknowledged that our situation must be addressed. However, the current legislation is the main obstacle in the way. This is not to say that we, collectively, can't do anything about it!

If you're interested, I suggest looking into, and showing your support for AB 470. Once I get more information on how you can support this bill, I will make sure you update you all!