Friday, September 03, 1999
Cable project likely at its end
N.Ky. planners may disband soon
BY TERRY FLYNN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT THOMAS — The fledgling Northern Kentucky Telecommunications Authority (NKTA), intended as an alternative to local telephone and cable TV companies in the field of fiber-optics communications, is about to end its brief existence.
Representatives of seven Northern Kentucky cities will meet here Sept. 14 in what is expected to be the final session for the project, which began almost three years ago.
“I believe the group will have to acknowledge that this probably isn't going to happen,” Fort Thomas City Administrator Jeff Earlywine, NKTA's secretary/treasurer, said Thursday.“We have not been able to jump-start this thing. We just can't re-energize the effort.”
When the NKTA was originally formed, there were 11 member cities, but four of those — Crescent Springs, Fort Wright, Lakeside Park and Elsmere — dropped out. The remaining members are Erlanger, Fort Thomas, Bellevue, Dayton, Newport, Taylor Mill and Edgewood.
The plan was to build a fiber-
optics communications system to provide a high-speed network for telephone, Internet and cable television use that would pay for itself. Member cities would incur no operating costs.
The cities already have spent about $12,000 each on feasibility studies and negotiations with two companies, Tamkin Fiber and Nortel, which would finance and manage the communications network, estimated to cost $50 million.
“We have no viable agreement with the teaming partners (Tamkin and Nortel),” Mr. Earlywine said. “Nothing has really changed since the last meeting (May 13). In the meantime, the local phone company (Cincinnati Bell) and cable company (Intermedia) have launched some of their improvements to provide high-speed Internet service. The window of opportunity for this project is much smaller now than it was last year.”
Bellevue City Administrator Don Martin said he had not heard anything definite about the NKTA's demise, but added, “It
was my understanding at the last meeting that if there was no movement on an agreement by the time we met again, we would end it.”
Newport City Manager Phil Ciafardini said Thursday that he also was under the impression that lack of an agreement would mean the NKTA was history.
“I've met with some other members of the advisory committee on other matters, and the subject of NKTA has never come up,” he said. “That's not a good sign.”
The NKTA plan would have required installation of all new infrastructure for the fiber-optics system, including overheard lines and poles, underground lines and all support equipment.
“This type of project has been successful in other parts of the country,” Mr. Earlywine said. “But if there is one common denominator for success in this type of project, it is that the cities have owned their own electric company. They already provide the power and have all the poles and lines.”
City very 'politically incorrect'
Sheriff defends legal work
Leis withdraws suit that fueled controversy
City's development director leaving
Officers' taped statements about shooting released
Art Museum should 'reach out'
Swimmer heads 100 miles down the Ohio to help orphans
Clermont slaying a mystery
DeWine gives endorsement to McCain
DOE tests new ways to ship soil
FOP spreads out backing for council
Home rule sounds good to officials in Anderson
Legion's souvenir bomb still fused
p8 Smog alert issued for today and Saturday
Clooney moves to WSAI
Sorry, kids: 'NSync is an 'NSipid rip-off
Darts get the story
Dryness' effect on leaf colors still up in the air
GET TO IT
14-year-old arrested in beating death
Accused robber agrees to cooperate
Cable project likely at its end
Columbus looks into police officers' sex with prostitutes
County proposes sharing airport costs
Ex-administrator seeks to join board that fired her
Family barn canvas for logo
Five state reps oppose area code change
Franklin Jr. High getting new boss
Grenades found along Ohio River bank
Man gets prison for benefits theft
Mason, Deerfield in court yet again
Police seek five suspects in jewelry store robbery
Schools told to protect records
St. Antoninus rebuilds school
Thriftway store may take over school site
TRISTATE DIGEST
Willie Nelson draws for Ky. candidate
Woman sues over bond going to child support
