Lehi City News
2025 TOP TEN LEHI NEWS STORIES: #3 Lehi City finishes fiber project with city-wide connectivity
Jennifer Thomas | Lehi Free Press
Lehi City and Strata Networks partnered to bring fiber network to Lehi City. The fiber-optic broadband network provides high-speed internet services to the community. Strata completed the main network build, connecting thousands to fiber and “met its planned completion timeline” earlier this year, said Shaye Ruitenbeek, Lehi City Fiber Administrative Services Manager. The fiber network is built and owned by Lehi City with Strata as the operating partner.
The subscriber uptake rate has been “successful” according to Ruitenbeek, “the current take rate is 27%, representing almost 6,250 subscriptions. This number continues to grow steadily each day.”
“Uptake has been supported by strong demand for reliable, high-speed internet and healthy competition among providers on the network,” said Ruitenbeek. Ongoing work involves integrating new developments and demand for high-speed internet services.
The fiber network brings Lehi residents benefits that include; multi-gig internet speeds, virtually unlimited bandwidth potential, and a more reliable internet connection.
The City is working to deliver competitive pricing for the service with pricing for subscribers based on market research.
“Pricing on the Lehi Fiber Network is competitive based on market research, and we are already seeing internet service providers on the network actively compete with one another on price and service offerings,” said Ruitenbeek.
Lehi City will continue to monitor the level of service provided for the network to ensure high-speed, reliable symmetrical service.
“The network delivers fiber-to-the-home with true symmetrical speeds, which sets it apart from traditional cable services. Network performance is continuously monitored by our partner, Strata Networks, and the City regularly gathers customer feedback through surveys to ensure high standards of reliability and service quality are maintained,” said Ruitenbeek. “In the most recent annual survey, Lehi Fiber received a ‘Net Promoter Score’ of 56, significantly higher than typical industry benchmarks, reflecting strong customer satisfaction and confidence in the service.”
The fiber optic project is an open-access model: Lehi City owns the fiber network, allowing multiple Internet Service Providers to use it with Strata handling the operations.
“Lehi City and Strata Networks are in the process of closing out the fiber project. This includes confirming construction is complete, a final financial review, and reviewing documentation to ensure the work meets project standards,” said Ruitenbeek.
Lehi City owns the fiber infrastructure, while Strata operates it.
“While the City owns the infrastructure, Strata Networks will continue to operate and maintain the network to provide reliable, high-quality service for residents,” said Ruitenbeek.
Property owned by Lehi City is used as a staging area for the Lehi Fiber Network project. Strata occupied the premises pursuant to a Lease-Purchase Agreement; however, it subsequently elected not to complete the purchase. During this time, monthly lease payments were not collected by Lehi City as those payments were intended to be credited toward the potential purchase.
“The original plan anticipated the property would be purchased, with payments addressed at the time of sale. When the sale did not move forward, the lease payments were collected,” said Ruitenbeek. “Lease payments are current, and any outstanding amounts have been received.”
Payments for use of the property continue on a month-to-month basis.
Residents of Lehi have raised concerns about transparency and accountability regarding these unpaid leases and the project’s overall performance. “Residents with questions or concerns should contact Lehi City,” said Ruitenbeek.
There have been occasional delays in installations causing concern for residents. According to Ruitenbeek, “most installation delays occur when additional coordination is needed with a property owner, such as confirming fiber placement on the property. Strata Networks works directly with residents to discuss installation details, and delays can occur if contact is not established prior to a scheduled install.
“Residents with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact their selected internet service provider, who can assist and coordinate next steps.”
Future network expansion will be extended to new developments throughout Lehi City.
“Every home and business within the project area that wants service is now able to sign up for a connection. The City continues to extend the network to new developments throughout Lehi. In some cases, developers or HOAs have chosen not to participate at this time, but the City and its partners remain ready to serve those areas if participation changes in the future,” said Ruitenbeek.
“We sincerely thank the residents and businesses of Lehi for their support and enthusiasm. Lehi Fiber is a long-term investment in our community, providing high-quality infrastructure that will benefit residents and businesses. We are excited about what this network means for Lehi today and in the years ahead,” concluded Ruitenbeek.
For more information on the fiber network, please visit https://www.lehi-ut.gov/fiber/.
