A city-owned and operated internet service provider that was overwhelmingly approved by local voters. The Waterloo Municipal Communications Utility (MCU) was established in 2005 by the voters of Waterloo. The vision of the voters was to deploy a locally owned, controlled and operated telecommunications utility and ubiquitous fiber-optic network – Waterloo Fiber – to connect every home, business and institution in Waterloo, modeled off the experience of neighboring Cedar Falls Utilities. Waterloo Fiber is making sure everyone will have the opportunity to access fast, reliable internet at their homes and businesses. While the Board of Trustees had studied broadband and fiber-optic services for many years, in 2020/2021 given the increased need for internet service during the COVID-19 shutdown and the need for broadband improvements, the City of Waterloo and the Waterloo MCU decided to move forward with a city-wide buildout. This buildout is supported by federal and state funding, as well as local funding passed by the voters again in 2022 when they approved a GO BOND referendum supporting the project’s deployment. The city is also deploying a fiber-optic backbone to connect every city site, facility and important public space, as well as supporting numerous third-party community partners, such as Waterloo WaterWorks, Mid-American and Waterloo Schools.