The Farr West Fiber Project
A grass-roots effort to get future-proof internet for LESS.
How Much Will It Cost?
Understanding the cost of fiber is the single most important factor in making your decision. Please know that our goal is to lay out the cost information in an objective way that is easy to understand. Even so, you might want to ask questions. We recommend that you first look at our FAQs page. If you still have more questions, you may contact us and we will try to email you back as quickly as possible.
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Infrastructure Cost
This is the cost to lay the fiber in the ground. It can be paid monthly or up-front. Once it's paid off, this cost goes away.
Maintenance Cost
This is the cost to upkeep and operate the fiber network, as well as perform future upgrades.
ISP Cost
This is the cost you pay to your provider for your actual internet service.
Detail: 3 Different "Buckets" of Cost
HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO WHAT I AM PAYING NOW?
To help you understand the true cost of this new network (and to be transparent), it helps to divide things up into three different groups or "buckets."
Making Sense of the Money
Building a new network can seem complex, but it's actually very straight-forward. For those who just want to know what to pay each month, take a look at some of the examples below. We have also included details farther down to help those who want to understand the nitty-gritty details of what the costs are and where the money is going.
$0-36/month
(see above)
$17/month
$10-25/month
(see above)
Monthly Cost Examples
Connext 100Mbps Download / 100Mbps Upload
Connext 1Gbps Download / 1Gbps Upload
Below we have some charts to help explain the monthly cost per household depending on how much you contribute initially toward your infrastructure cost (up-front payment), and the plan (speed) you want. The monthly cost is broken down into 3 parts (see below for detail). Remember that the more you pay up-front, the lower your infrastructure cost and overall monthly bill will be. No matter what, after 5 years, your infrastructure costs get paid off and your bill goes down to the amount shown in the maximum total cost (after 5 years) column.
Detail: Infrastructure Cost
It costs a lot of money to dig up the ground, lay down a new network, and patch the ground back up again. The cost of installing the network is fixed for each fiberhood based on the geography and the number of homes in that area. Connext is offering to front over 80% of that cost for each fiberhood; however, the residents must raise the remainder of that money before Connext will commit to build.
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What is the infrastructure cost for my home?
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Each home that wants to opt-in for service must commit to a $2,000 infrastructure cost which may be paid up-front or as a part of your monthly bill.
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Homes must pay a minimum of $200 to get service which counts toward the $2,000 commitment. The more you pay up-front, the lower your monthly bill will be (see examples above).
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Once the $2,000 is paid (up-front or over time) you don't have to pay any more infrastructure costs. Ever.
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Why do we have to commit to pay $2,000 for this service?
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Having to pay for some of the cost of building the network is what grants us several benefits, such as having more than one ISP available, having the ability to upgrade the network and install future technology on our own schedule, and much more.
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We understand that $2,000 can seem like a lot of money; however, when you incorporate it into a monthly bill, the amount you pay is usually similar to what you're already paying for service that is much worse.
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Remember that after 5 years the maximum monthly cost drops significantly. The overall amount of money you spend is MUCH lower than any of the other options we considered (including your existing services - see "cost over time" charts below). In reality, you're going to spend that $2,000 on internet ANYWAY. So why not get better service for your money?
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What if I move in the middle of my commitment?
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Have to move? No worries. We can just continue billing the new owners at the same rate until the infrastructure cost is paid off. Alternatively, you could just add the money to the sale price of your home and pay it off. Studies show that adding a fiber internet connection to your home increases the value of your home by 3%. Those who occupy your home after you sell it will never regret paying extra to get top-notch internet with multiple ISP choices.
Detail: Maintenance Cost
In order to help maintain the network (including network support, repairs, upgrades, and more), it costs money. Because the residents will be partial owners, some of our monthly bill will go toward this cost.
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What is the maintenance cost for my home?
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$17 per month of your bill will go toward maintenance. This includes costs for service, support and general upkeep as well as repairs of the fiber network.
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Could the maintenance cost ever go up?
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Yes. The maintenance cost could go up or down depending on economic factors such as material cost increases, support cost increases, etc. Connext will do everything possible to keep this cost stable, but it's important to realize that the market changes and, while we don't expect this cost to rise, it is still possible. If it does go up, residents with service would be notified well ahead of time.
Detail: ISP Cost
Your ISP cost is the actual service bill you pay to your internet service provider for giving you internet access.​ It may vary from company to company, as will other factors such as customer service, contracts, and competitive offerings.
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What is the ISP cost for my home?
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The ISP cost will vary by company, but Connext will launch initially with a 100Mbps plan ($10/mo) and a 1Gbps plan ($25/mo).
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Could the ISP cost change?
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Yes, but it's far more likely to go DOWN rather than up. Historically, in open-access network markets, ISP prices have decreased, not increased; however, pricing is structured by each service provider and we do not intend to regulate it.
When trying to decide if opting in to the net network is a good idea for you, please keep in mind that you are likely already paying for internet service of some kind anyway. So how does the long-term cost of the new network compare to what you will be paying for your existing service? Take a look at the chart below. We've included the monthly costs of all the options we researched for fiber as well as just a blanket monthly charge (top 5 bars) so you can see what you would pay over time for your existing services based on your current monthly bill.
What does this mean to me?
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If you're currently paying at least $40/mo for internet, the new network will actually cost you LESS over the long-term, even with the $2,000 commitment. That's because the monthly payment is half to one-third the cost of the competition once the commitment has been paid off.
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Because adding a fiber internet connection to your home actually INCREASES your home value by an average of 3%, you really won't lose any money by moving to the new network - even if you move within 5 years.
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Please note: the chart above is based on the following ISP pricing for 100Mbps service. This information was collected directly from each ISP and was accurate as of May 15, 2019. Prices may change with time. Prices are non-promotional (standard pricing). Comcast: $82/mo; CenturyLink: $65/mo (+$33/mo for bond); UTOPIA: $63/mo; TXOX: $66/mo.
