Tag Archives: infrastructure

Faster Internet Coming to Coastside San Mateo

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Earlier this year, the state of California awarded Cruzio $5.65 million to improve internet infrastructure in our region. Using state-of-the-art technology, the funded project will bring high-speed connectivity to large parts of San Mateo. Serving homes, businesses, and public safety agencies, the Equal Access Summits to the Sea (EAS2C) initiative is a game-changer, and it’s been years in the making.

The seeds of EAS2C were planted back in early 2021, when Rob Genovesi, a well-respected figure in the community and long-time owner-operator of Coastside.net, sat down with Cruzio’s Chris Frost and James Hackett. As longtime friends and collaborators, the three had often bounced around ideas, having worked together on everything from cutting-edge wireless tech to customer support strategies. But this conversation felt different — this time, they saw a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

In the wake of COVID-19 and a series of devastating wildfires, the state of California was making broadband expansion a priority, pushing to bridge the glaring digital divide. Many residents were still struggling with limited or no internet access, hampering their ability to work, study, or get vital information during emergencies.

Cruzio had a track record of securing grant funding and successfully completing complex projects, to reach unserved areas, even ones larger ISPs had passed on. Our Equal Access initiative had already made strides in providing affordable internet to low-income families, working closely with local schools and nonprofits. Meanwhile, Rob had extensive knowledge of the Coastside region — its beauty, its connectivity challenges, and the urgent need for better service. Recent advances in fixed wireless technology, allowing ultra-fast speeds over longer distances, was the final piece of the puzzle.

The three quickly realized that by combining their resources, they were in a perfect position to secure upcoming grant funding and solve a major regional issue.

By the end of 2021, the partnership between Cruzio and Coastside.net was official, and the combined teams launched into action, working tirelessly to craft the technical and financial framework to secure a multimillion-dollar grant.

Fast forward to February 2024: The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously in favor of Resolution T-17810, green-lighting the EAS2C proposal. With the funding locked in, we wasted no time rolling out high-speed, resilient telecommunications infrastructure. Cruzio is set to connect the first wave of subscribers within weeks and by September the network will be fully operational.

The impact? Thousands of homes and businesses will finally experience the speed and reliability they’ve long needed. Beyond that, we’ll integrate fire alert cameras into the network, bolstering safety across the region. Cruzio has already started partnering with local organizations, including the Department of Emergency Management on their Coastal Resiliency Infrastructure Strategic Plan (CRISP), to ensure that this new network benefits the entire community.

We’re excited to see how this infrastructure will shape the future of the Coastside area, and we’re eager to hear from residents and local groups on how we can collaborate to make the most of this new resource. If you’d like to connect with a member of our senior project team about EAS2C, feel free to reach out at cruzio.com/contact.

The Sentinel Missed the Mark: Santa Cruz Fiber Project Still Very Much On Track

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We all make mistakes, and no one is perfect, even our normally steadfast local paper. However, the Sentinel missed the mark in their recent article lamenting the loss of a deal between Cruzio and the City of Santa Cruz to build a city-wide fiber network. Not only is the Santa Cruz Fiber project not “dead” as the article incorrectly stated, this week City Council approved two measures that will greatly improve the project’s chances of success.

First, one thing the article did get right: Cruzio is already building the first “fiberhood” serving businesses and residences in downtown Santa Cruz. This is the first phase of the much larger network providing low-cost fiber internet service to all City residents.

This week city council also approved a plan that will connect City-owned facilities with fiber — an excellent idea and one we’ve urged the City to develop for years. Since both the City and Cruzio are now building fiber, we can leverage each other’s investment and coverage capacity to do more at a lower cost.

City council also approved a “dig once” policy which means anytime someone needs to open up the street to do construction, other interested parties are given the opportunity to join the project, saving money and minimizing the impact on the community. This is the kind of sensible and practical public policy that is critical to building out open and independent internet infrastructure.

So yes, the Sentinel got this one wrong. Cruzio is committed to working with the City in providing broadband access to the whole community and the City remains committed to working with a trusted local partner to achieve this shared goal. Our first neighborhood is scheduled to be completed by this fall and then we will come back to the City with a larger plan for success. Our hope is that they will be receptive, and we can move forward with gigabit fiber to the rest of the city.  Now that’ll be something worth writing about.