SANDPOINT — An effort to establish a regional fiber-optic network in Bonner County is gaining political bandwidth, according to the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation.

The cities of Sandpoint and Ponderay, in addition to the Ponderay Community Development Corporation, have agreed to make refundable contributions toward the Panhandle Regional Fiber-optic Infrastructure project.

There are also plans to seek similar commitments from the cities of Kootenai and Dover, said Bonner County EDC Executive Director Karl Dye.

The city of Sandpoint has put up $24,500 and Dye hopes it can secure commitments from the other jurisdictions to cover the $50,000 cost to jump-start the fiber-to-the-premises project with U.S. MetroNets.

Utah-based U.S. MetroNets hopes to attract investors for the $14 million regional fiber-optic network project and then an anchor service provider to operate and maintain the system.

Bonner County EDC is working with the Panhandle Area Council for the financing.

“The plan is that we get the bonds sold that will finance the project. Then those (startup) monies would be refunded to all the parties,” Dye said.

If cities decline to front the money to get the project rolling, Dye said they would still try to secure agreements which provide for utility easements.

“Those agreements would also cover right of ways and to be able to do all those things at once so it’s streamlined process,” said Dye.

The anchor service provider could be existing companies such as Frontier or Northland or new players in the market.

Fiber optics have a vast capacity for transmitting data and can be used to improve local-access video content, distance learning and e-commerce. The system could also be utilized by the local school district, public safety providers and those in the health care community.

“It’s not a nice-to-have. It’s pretty much a must-have,” Dye said of local fiber-optic capability.