High-tech companies eye Highlands Ranch, rest of county

Several companies are targeting the community and the county as potential and possible sites for expansion. And that expansion could speed up the arrival of some sophisticated technology.

With its booming population, proliferation of home-based businesses and less than perfect cellular service, Highlands Ranch is a prime target.

"We have been a lovely young lady with a lot of suitors," said Jeff Case, Highlands Ranch Metro Districts director of engineering and operations.

Easements, place communication boxes along major roadway and cellular modems perched high atop light poles have been among the requests.

Several of the giant telecommunications companies already have franchise agreements with Douglas County, are evaluating system expansions or have plans under review with the metro districts.

As it stands, six companies have approached the metro districts about expanding their services, Case said.

Two up-and-coming companies, WideOpenWest and Metricom, are among those that have set their sites on the northern Douglas County community.

WideOpenWest is a fiber optics company that provides high-speed Internet, digital cable and phone service. The main focus for WideOpenWest, however, is on residential rather than commercial areas, said spokesman Michael Steinkirchner.

The company's nonexclusive expansion into Colorado will begin in Denver and was approved by the city council in May. Voters will need to OK the agreement in August. Negotiations with Douglas County are under way.

The expansion will provide another company from which Denver residents can chose when looking for telephone and cable services, said Mark Haverkate, WideOpenWest president and chief executive officer.

California-based Metricom offers a different type of service: high-speed wireless Internet connections.

The service, dubbed Ricochet, will give access to customers using portable equipment but without wires attached, said Geoff Kay, director of network operations and service for the south central region.

Metricom has been granted permission to install shoebox-sized radio transmitters of Public Service of Colorado light poles.

The process is simple: Each light pole box will house radio transmitters. Customers using the Ricochet service will receive modem attachments for their computers, which will in turn connect with a wired access point in the light pole transmitters.

From there, access to the Internet is just a connection or click of the finger away.

"The future is now," Kay said.

Following approval from Public Service, Metricom needed to apply for separate easements because he light poles are located in right-of-ways. Denver, Arvada and Greenwood Village already have signed on. Englewood is expected to join that list at the end of the month and Douglas County should follow shortly thereafter.

Despite the extra legal work, the Ricochet service is expected to come online by the end of the year, Kay said.

AirTouch and Voice Stream are looking to expand and improve their cellular service.

AT&T broadband services and US West have received franchise rights from the county. The latter is now working with the special district to ensure the company's desire to provide high-speed Internet access and expanded cable service fits within design and landscape parameters of the community.

Talks between the two had previously been cold but have since warmed in the coming months, said David Hahn, attorney for the metro districts.