Every town is built upon infrastructure. From roads to power lines to plumbing, the basic functions of a society are supported by infrastructural systems. As Wake Forest emerges as a rising tech town, however, the demands of innovation require a whole new kind of infrastructure.
Enter fiber.
Fiber networks connect businesses to gigabit-speed broadband which can support vast quantities of data and transmit information faster than ever. For Wake Forest, a rising technology-rich community where innovators are daily pioneering IoT technology, advanced mobility, and creative tech solutions, the Town’s ability to support businesses and attract entrepreneurs rests, in part, on its ability to offer a competitive fiber infrastructure. In recent years, the robust entrepreneurial ecosystem of Wake Forest has helped spur an impressive buildout of fiber infrastructure. This begs the question, what does Wake Forest’s ever-expanding, local fiber capability mean for businesses and the Town’s economic future?
To answer this question, it’s important to first understand what kind of a resource fiber is for a community. Fiber-optic broadband is a superior technology, and it is quickly forcing the obsolescence of prior internet technologies. By sending light beams through a network of fiber-optic glass cables, fiber internet can transmit vast quantities of data at, quite literally, the speed of light. DSL, cable, and wireless internet cannot exchange data with the same speed and bandwidth as fiber. Additionally, fiber offers two unique advantages that are of particular importance to businesses. First, broadband fiber is able to upload data as quickly as it downloads data. For the private internet user, activities like email and streaming do not require this kind of symmetrical connection. For a tech company that sends and receives lots of data, however, access to a symmetrical connection is a necessity. Second, fiber is future-proof. Fiber-optic cables are more secure and more durable than copper cables, making fiber infrastructure a lasting investment. The unique design of fiber-optic cables gives them limitless bandwidth meaning that fiber can support the technological advancements of Wake Forest businesses even into the distant future. The prospect of unfettered innovation will undoubtedly entice tech companies to make a home where fiber is readily available.
In recent years, an influx of research continually finds that fiber infrastructure is integral to economic development. The Institute for Local Self Reliance published an extensive list of economic success stories that have been spurred by municipal fiber networks. Businesses supported by municipal fiber consistently generate more revenue, create more jobs, and invest more money into the local economy. A study published by the Public Policy Institute of California entitled “Does Broadband Boost Local Economic Development?” reported the significant economic impact of broadband access. The study found that the availability of broadband led to a 6.4% improvement in employment growth overall, with a considerable boon particularly for high-paying jobs. In October of 2020, a team of analysts and executives from CTC Technology & Energy Businesses co-authored an article for the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society emphasizing the criticality of broadband fiber to economic development. The expert technologists warned that communities which fail to pursue fiber development are quickly falling behind in the ever-digitizing economy. Wake Forest, as demonstrated by the large-scale public and private investment in fiber infrastructure, is certainly ahead of such concern.
Fiber infrastructure is also a necessary factor for attracting new businesses and entrepreneurs. As early as 2011, Site Selection Magazine stressed that broadband access is a critical piece of infrastructure. The article states that “corporate site selectors expect broadband. It is not a perk or special benefit. For communities, it is a critical piece of infrastructure for attracting new capital investment.” With the widespread proliferation of fiber technology since 2011, this assessment has only grown in relevance. Additionally, fiber infrastructure allows businesses, entrepreneurs, and site selectors to consider communities outside of urban centers. IFN, a major fiber ISP, made the following observation regarding the role of fiber infrastructure in economic development: “We’re witnessing a new renaissance, where businesses can compete and thrive in locations that are strategically superior not for their proximity to city centers, but for alternative reasons. Perhaps they want to be near a particularly capable workforce, provide an improved quality of life, or simply be in the midst of their primary customer base.” Nothing could be more descriptive of Wake Forest’s distinct appeal.
Fiber is an unquestionable necessity for economic development in Wake Forest and the Town has not failed to recognize the need. Already, both public and private investment in fiber has created hundreds of miles of innovation-savvy infrastructure in Wake Forest.
In the private sector, fiber infrastructure is growing rapidly. Century Link services the Triangle with gigabit-speed fiber from its regional office in Wake Forest. The Louisiana-headquartered ISP, an early adopter of fiber technology in Wake Forest, currently boasts the most extensive fiber network in the Town. Ting, a newcomer to the region, is bringing competition with its own rapidly expanding fiber footprint. In November, Ting began offering gigabit-speed fiber internet to its first customers in Wake Forest. Wake Forest is one of eight cities in the U.S. selected as a “Ting Town,” receiving Ting’s pilot launch. Todd Rubin, regional manager for Ting, expressed support for Wake Forest as a place primed for this kind of investment. In a press release, Rubin boasts that broadband fiber ensures Wake Forest entrepreneurs will run digitally connected businesses with ease. Ting offers customized plans for business, and the company frequently updates their progress in Wake Forest here.
In the public sphere, the Wake Forest Town government is investing in a $2.5 million project to construct a town-wide fiber network. Extending from Town Hall, the network “will initially interconnect 14 Town facilities before expanding to serve businesses and residential neighborhoods,” according to official Town reports. CTC Technology & Energy, the project manager, assessed the Town’s needs in 2016 and concluded that such an investment in future-proof technology will pay dividends for years. The 25-mile network is well underway, and progress may be tracked on the Town of Wake Forest Fiber Infrastructure Progress Dashboard.
The Town’s progressive choice to invest in fiber infrastructure demonstrates its tech-conscious, pro-business environment. Entrepreneurs, businesses, and site selectors will certainly recognize Wake Forest’s investment in tech infrastructure and be drawn by the Town’s competitive advantage. Moreover, the equally appealing private fiber development ensures that the market for fiber internet in Wake Forest is competitive, efficient, and cost-effective. Experts agree that this kind of public-private collaboration is the ideal model for fiber development. Entrepreneurs and businesses looking to establish themselves in Wake Forest’s economic ecosystem will have no shortage of access and choices.
Wake Forest, which was once considered a bedroom community, is emerging as a competitive tech town. The unique blend of small town charm and big city energy makes Wake Forest highly appealing to tech companies and entrepreneurs looking for a place to thrive - both professionally and personally. Wake Forest offers comfortable, neighborly living removed from the hustle and bustle of a busy metropolis. Yet with a strong tech infrastructure supported by fiber, a highly skilled workforce, and access to top-tier research and excellent working spaces, Wake Forest offers the same competitive advantage as a major city in the modern economy.
