MetroNet Past Shows Problems

The company that wants to bring an all fiber network to Bloomington-Normal has a problematic track record. The town of Greenwood Indiana stopped MetroNet from doing any installation work until problems were resolved. City Engineer Mark Richards says the company repeatedly hit utility lines during installation. "We had, uh, an instance were a water line was hit and shut off water to an entire subdivision for serveral hours." Richards says telephone lines, electric service, and water systems had all been hit by subcontractors the Evansville Indiana company hired. In some cases power was lost for up to a week. Richards says the city of Greenwood ordered MetroNet to shut down it's operation in August. He says after new criteria were developed to avoid similar problems, the company was allowed to resume installation in October.