Longmont gets ahead of the game with gigabit for everyone and a home for talent

By Fred Bauters

Are you trying to find a home for your company? Every city on the Front Range has its own strengths and personality, but if you’re looking for an affordable, upstart spot to land, Longmont may be your answer.

The city of about 90,000 has made two key investments in the last few years that pay handsomely for residents.

By the first quarter of 2017 all residents and businesses will have access to NextLight gigabit internet, run through the city. Anyone who signs up for service within 90 days of installation will lock in a lifetime rate of $49/month for their property. It’s already attracted startups like Warballoon looking for faster speeds to develop new technologies.

St. Vrain Valley School District has installed NextLight and the savings are impressive. The district is on pace to save $150,000 over a year and lower its operating capacity from 90 percent to 10 percent.

Speaking of St. Vrain, it recently won a Race to the Top grant to launch its Innovation Center, which is a unique education environment for students to design real-world projects in robotics, electronics and more.

“You have access to the labor force of the entire region,” said Longmont Economic Development Partnership President and CEO Jessica Erickson. “We’re able to remain incredibly affordable compared to our neighboring communities. Now we’re on a mission to let the rest of the world know what is truly going on here in Longmont.”

Talent is the biggest need for the industry right now, and the need for speed only grows. So if you’re looking for a new home in the heart of the Front Range, you might want to check out Longmont.