The UTOPIA Community MetroNet and its service providers will make available to every household and business on the network new, leading-edge services, some of which are not available anywhere else. These services include ultra-broadband Internet access, high definition TV, video on demand, community and education services, tele-work, telemedicine, video conferencing and Internet-based telephone service.
Because the UTOPIA Community MetroNet is an open and publicly-owned network, multiple service providers are able to offer applications and services over the network. As service providers compete for customers everyone will benefit from more choices, lower prices and better services.
The UTOPIA Community MetroNet might be compared to an airport. Individual airlines don't each build an airport. Instead, the city builds the airport, and multiple airlines and their customers pay to use the transportation infrastructure.
UTOPIA's Community MetroNet approaches critical communications infrastructure in much the same way. The cities build the fiber-optic network. Then multiple private service providers pay a fee to the cities to use the network. As customers sign up with the service providers, those who use the MetroNet—service providers and customers—will pay for and benefit from the community-owned infrastructure.
This premium fiber-optic network is being installed in several communities, and UTOPIA-powered service providers—AT&T, MSTAR, Sisna, Veracity, Xmission and others—are in the process of rolling out their services on the network.