SOUTH RIVER — High-speed Internet access could be coming to the borough very soon.
Stanley Morrow, a representative from Metricom’s regional office in Harrison, attended Monday night’s Borough Council meeting to request that the borough allow the company a right of way.
A resolution for the right of way could be introduced at the Dec. 13 council meeting which will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the South River High School Library, Montgomery Street.
The right of way would enable the company to put up 14 wireless modem units from light and utility poles throughout the borough.
According to Morrow, the modems allow for 128 kilobits per second of wireless Internet access, much faster than traditional phone Internet access.
Under the agreement, the borough would sign a contract with the company, allowing for the company to put up the units.
In return, the borough would get 10 free subscriptions, $1,500 per year administrative fee guaranteed, a $60-per-pole annual usage fee paid to the borough from the company and electrical fees for pole usage paid to the borough.
The borough would, however, have to pay for an Internet service provider under the nonexclusive agreement.
The average cost for an Internet service provider for a municipality is $75, Morrow said.
Also, a modem for access would have to be purchased by the borough.
According to Morrow, the average cost for a modem is about $100.
The agreement can also be severed if the borough is not completely happy with the service.
Morrow said there is also pending legislation that would enable municipalities to charge a 5 percent gross revenue tax to users.
That agreement, according to Morrow, was negotiated with the Middlesex County League of Municipalities.
Some council members expressed concern about the interference with the borough’s new radio dispatching services.
Councilman Tony Ciulla said he would like to have a 24-hour service timeline implemented in the agreement in order to ensure that there are no problems with the borough’s radio system.
However, Morrow said he is confident that the system will not interfere with the borough’s emergency radio system.
"I am not aware of any known interference problems in the region," said Morrow.
The company had come before the council earlier this year asking for a right of way. But that proposal was not agreed upon due to several concerns.
Among the most notable of concerns was differing offers from the company to various municipalities.
But Morrow said the company has since implemented a uniform agreement to towns.
An additional plus the program offers would be Internet services for borough departments throughout town, something the borough, according to Council President David Sliker, has needed.

