City Manager Jane Howington
- On Hudson
“Hudson businesses were desperate for a reliable, high-speed internet service to help their businesses function and grow. To keep businesses in the City and to attract new businesses, Hudson developed our own city-owned and operated broadband network for businesses. Since our launch in 2015, Velocity Broadband is not only a successful economic development tool, but also is positioning Hudson for next-century technologies. We now have the infrastructure in place to consider innovative technologies in everything we do, from smart street lights and smart parking apps, to utility applications. Broadband has been key to making sure we have the technology in place for the future.”
- On Next Century Cities
“We are excited to be a part of the Next Century Cities family. The opportunity to collaborate with members of Next Century Cities is invaluable. Being able to share successes, failures, and lessons learned in a community of like-minded broadband advocates will help advance the broadband initiative everywhere. Hudson is proud to be a part of the goal to provide fast, affordable, and reliable internet to everyone.”
- What Hudson is working on
As one of Ohio’s first Gigabit cities, Hudson offers high-speed, 100% fiber-optic broadband and voice services to local businesses. With faster, more reliable, and affordable internet services, we empower local businesses to compete in today’s high-speed, data-driven world. City-owned and operated Velocity Broadband offers speeds up to 10 gigabits per second.
As the only United States City named Smart21 Community by the Intelligent Community Forum in 2018, Hudson is among an elite group of cities worldwide that are recognized as innovation leaders. A smart, sustainable city uses information technology to improve quality of live, operational efficiencies, and services that meet the needs of present and future generations. With broadband, we consider innovative technologies in everything we do, from a smart street lighting pilot program to new smart parking and other applications to ensure we have the technology that will drive the City now and for the next 20 years.
Future-proofing Hudson with digital technology to aid with traffic, parking, pedestrian safety, and more, will help minimize the need for wider roads and more parking lots, and in turn attract residents and businesses eager to be a part of a thriving suburb with innovation on every corner.
Crain’s, January 24, 2016: Hudson moving quickly on rollout of its Velocity Broadband network
Akron Beacon Journal, March 1, 2016: City of Hudson builds its own Internet company, offers 1 gigabit speed
BizTech Magazine, March 4, 2016: Businesses Benefit from Municipal Broadband
State Tech Magazine, January 20, 2016: How and Why Chattanooga, Tenn, and Other Cities have Embraced Municipal Broadband
Ideastream, March 15, 2018: Cities Form Municipal Broadband Companies to Attract Companies and People
