Council grants license to WECOM Fiber for $35 million Prescott Valley build; company says phase 1 will reach 25,000 homes

The Prescott Valley Town Council on June 26 approved a five-year license allowing WECOM Fiber (doing business as WECOM) to use the town's public roadways to construct, operate and maintain a fiber-optic network; WECOM told the council Phase 1 is a $35 million, privately funded build intended to reach about 25,000 households and businesses.

During a presentation WECOM representatives described the company as Arizona-based, said the Phase 1 funds are already allocated for Prescott Valley, and outlined an 18-month construction timeline (with a stated target to begin as early as July or in September). The company told the council it plans to hire locally, open a local office and provide symmetrical service plans up to 5 gigabits per second for residents and up to 25 Gbps for public-sector or enterprise connections.

WECOM said it will run preconstruction outreach (mailers, door knockers, local websites and QR codes), provide Arizona-based customer support and offer low-cost options tied to federal programs such as ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program) and Lifeline. The company also described cybersecurity measures including DDoS mitigation and third-party audits.

Staff said the license is governed by Arizona Revised Statutes sections cited in the agenda and that WECOM must obtain right-of-way permits, submit construction plans for review and undergo inspections before work proceeds. Councilwoman Reuter confirmed the licensing agreement uses the same framework the council approved recently for another broadband provider.

Council action: a motion to approve the proposed license under ARS §§9-581 through 9-583 with WeCom LLC doing business as WeCom Fiber for a five-year term passed (recorded vote; motion carried).