Community looking for security partner
By Andrea Gura
Updated Fri March 1, 2002
KUTZTOWN, Pa.-A municipality that is launching its own fiber-optic infrastructure here is looking for a security company to act as a vendor partner to provide security monitoring services to up to 5,000 homes.
The Borough of Kutztown already provides its residents and businesses with utilities through a municipally owned electrical system, and decided to build the fiber to the home network as an economic development opportunity to attract industry and other development to the area, said James Salter, president of Atlantic Engineering. That company is the design and construction team for the municipal deployment.
"The municipality is not trying to be the service provider for all services," said Keith Hill, borough manager. The fiber deployment uses technology from Optical Solutions, which develops a passive optical network for the broadband delivery of voice, video and high-speed data directly to the home and broader community.
Kutztown, located about 50 miles northwest of the Philadelphia, has already used the fiber network to monitor CCTV systems, about 12-15 cameras, installed at the town's Public Works facility, which is tied directly into the town's police and fire departments.
Hill said some local business owners have approached him about adding security services to the fiber network.
Kutztown is also home to Kutztown University, a campus that houses another 2,300 students.
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