Title
Regional Utilities Committee Outstanding Referral Item #000102 - Internet Service Companies - Request for a Meeting (B)
Explanation
GRUCom has received several requests from dedicated Internet access service customers to host their Web sites. This, combined with the changing structure of the Internet, led staff to recommend that Web site hosting be offered as a new product line. Staff believes that offering Web hosting services, housed in secure facilities with back-up power, monitoring, and direct connectivity to the Internet will enable the proliferation of Web site creation and design businesses in our community as well as enhance GRUCom's ability to sell dedicated Internet access.
The proposal to add Web site hosting to GRUCom's product line has resulted in an extensive and meaningful dialog with potentially affected local businesses related to a wide range of GRUCom business activities. The issue was referred to the Regional Utilities Committee and was addressed at the July 11, August 17, and December 4, 2000 Committee meetings. As part of the process a special meeting of local businesses, facilitated by a neutral third party (Charles Martin, Ph.D.), was held on November 30, 2000. The Commission backup includes a copy of Dr. Martin's report, which was part of the Regional Utilities Committee's deliberations.
Staff is proposing four steps to align GRUCom's interests more closely with those of local businesses. These are: 1) Adopt an administrative policy that GRUCom will not design or engage in the creation of Web sites except for the clearly intended use of entities of the City of Gainesville as related to its own products and services; 2) Establish an "Authorized Sales Representative" program that provides sales commissions to businesses who market GRUCom's services; 3) Establish a "Wholesale Services" program to provide participating resale businesses with wholesale discounts for access to GRUCom's network systems, allowing resident...
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