PHARR, Texas - The City of Pharr’s IT department has won a worldwide award for its blazing fast, citywide, broadband service.
The Smart Cities Council says the Pharr enterprise, known as TeamPharr.net, is one of the top 50 projects of its kind in the world. The official announcement is likely to be made at next week’s Pharr City Commission meeting.
“The Smart Cities Council met in Denver and they told us we are a recipient of their award for having one of the Top 50 projects in the world. It is amazing,” said Jose Peña, director of IT for the City of Pharr.
“Actually, it was great to see that their are two or three other entities in Texas that won awards also. But to have the City of Pharr represented as one of those 50 projects, worldwide, that is incredible.”
Peña gave an exclusive interview to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service at a Texas Association of Government IT Managers regional summit. The City of Pharr hosted the event, which was held at Pharr One. Peña is the South Texas representative on the TAGITM board.
Peña said the awards and accolades keep coming for Pharr.
“We were also glad to receive an award from Broadband Communities Magazine. We were the recipient of their Cornerstone Award,” he said.
“And, we are looking forward to attending the Fiber Broadband Association conference coming up in August in Florida. We’ve been asked to go and participate on a panel, to continue to share our story. We did so last year. This year we will show our progress, what we've been doing.”
TeamPharr.net is the City of Pharr’s solution to closing the digital divide. The City offers blazing fast fiber internet and the next generation of WiFi technology that better connects all of the devices in one’s home or business. The hardware is expertly installed by a certified technician and includes the City’s CommandIQ/TeamPharr.net App with enhanced parental controls and network security. "Fast, reliable and bundled to give you more for less money,” the City states.
Asked how fast the internet speeds are with TeamPharr.net and what their prices are, Peña said: “So, for our residential families, our starting plan is $25 and that will get you 500 megabytes download and upload. We also have a one gigabyte plan for $50. And, actually, are now pushing a new two gigabyte plan for $80.”
Asked how the installation of the service is going, Peña said: “We're about halfway through central Pharr. Overall, last I checked, there are about 9,000 homes that we've crossed, that can actually subscribe to our services today. Our goal is to finish the entire city from south to north, hopefully by the end of the year.
One part of the project is making sure all the students of PSJA ISD that live in Pharr will have blazing fast internet by the start of the next school year.
“We're going to have a lot more students with access to technology so they can continue to take their classes and do their homework online and have them be successful,” Peña said.
“Hopefully, the student will have the fastest internet available anywhere in the Valley here in Pharr with two gigabyte symmetrical in their homes.”
Peña added: “It is amazing what our city has been able to accomplish.”
Editor's Note: The above news story is the first in a series about the recent Texas Association of Government IT Managers regional summit held in Pharr.
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