Company seeks Iola’s help with fiber optics

Iola City Council members will hear a request Monday from KwiKom Communications to help the company expand its fiber-optic service in Iola. KwiKom already provides such service to portions of Iola, primarily north of U.S. 54. It would cost roughly $640,000 to cover much of the rest of Iola, the company noted. It is hoping the city would pay up to half — $320,000 — to extend the private company’s reach to an additional 1,700 residences and 100 businesses The funds would be repaid through a franchise fee payment of $37,500 annually, plus another $7,000 to $10,000 for pole rental to hang fiber-optic cable on city poles.
Source: The Iola Register