Click! Network Update

Key Materials

• Click! Business Transaction Agreement and Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) Agreement
  • IRU Exhibit A2.1 Fiber Schedule
  • IRU Exhibit A2.2 Node Maps
    • Node Maps (NE)
    • Node Maps (NW)
    • Node Maps (SE)
    • Node Maps (SW)
  • IRU Exhibit A2.3 Equipment Shown in Node Maps
  • IRU Exhibit B2 Non-Critical Routes

Key Materials

Below you will find the materials for the Public Hearing by the Public Utility Board, pursuant to RCW 35.95.040, relating to Click!, on the surplus and potential use of the excess capacity of the Tacoma Power Commercial Network where the user pays for the capital and operating costs related to the excess capacity, while the City retains full ownership of the Network; and on the surplus and potential sale of related inventory, equipment, and vehicles; and on review of proposed agreements with Rainier Connect.

Note: Please be mindful when printing the documents below as the files are large. A printed version is available to view in TPU lobby. 

• Board Action Memorandum
• Board Resolution
  • Click! Business Transaction Agreement
    • Indefeasible Right of Use Agreement (IRU) Exhibit A2.1 Fiber Counts
    • IRU Exhibit A2.2 Node Maps
      • Node Maps (SW)
      • Node Maps (SE)
      • Node Maps (NW)
      • Node Maps (NE)
    • IRU Exhibit A2.3 Equipment Shown in Node Maps
    • IRU Exhibit A2.4 Hub Site Equipment
    • IRU Exhibit A3.1 Hub Site Drawings
    • IRU Exhibit A3.2 Ancillary Systems
    • IRU Exhibit A4.1 Downtown Vault Network
    • IRU Exhibit A4.2 Tacoma Power Easement
    • IRU Exhibit A6.2 Headend Equipment
    • IRU Exhibit A7 Customer Premises Equipment
    • IRU Exhibit B1 Critical Routes
    • IRU Exhibit B2 Non-Critical Routes
    • IRU Exhibit P1 Marks
    • IRU Exhibit P2 Usage Guidelines
• Update & Analysis: Incorporation of Click! Policy Goals into IRU & Click! Business Transaction Agreement
• Click! Surplus Declaration 

Important Facts

• The Click! Network currently provides retail Cable TV and wholesale Internet services. Retail internet services are provided by our private partners.
• Click! has not been a financially viable enterprise for the City for several years. We have considerably scaled back our operating expenses, however, that is not sustainable for the long term. There are no funds available for capital improvements to upgrade our aging infrastructure.
• Rainier Connect was selected to operate the system through a competitive bidding process.
• Rainier Connect is one of the Click! Network’s current Internet providers that will now be providing video service. The primary difference is that Rainier Connect will provide cable service, not TPU.
• Rainier Connect is expected to offer a diverse set of products and services at competitive, market prices and to comply with the policy goals of providing low-income, affordable access.
• To ensure consistency with the City Charter, City Council will be asked to “declare surplus” to the Power Utility, the Click! Network assets, which is simply a legal term to indicate that we no longer plan to use them for utility purposes. A public hearing will be held in advance of that decision. The City will not sell the network; in fact, it will remain a city asset indefinitely.
• The network is currently used for both electric operations and Cable TV and Internet, and City Council would only surplus the parts of the network related to the provision of Cable TV and Internet that are not needed for electric operations.

Media Releases and Fact-Sheets

• Two-page fact sheet
• Press Release – March 11, 2019
• Press Release – March 18, 2019
• Press Release – March 26, 2019
• Press Release – July 2, 2019
• Press Release – Oct. 21, 2019
• Press Release – Oct. 30, 2019

Archived Click! Presentations and Videos

• Stakeholders’ input on policy goal priorities & network services
• Stakeholder Meeting Overview Video
• DOG Policy Goal Video
• RABBIT Policy Goal Video
• GOAT Policy Goal Video
• DRAGON Policy Goal Video

On March 5, 2019, a third-party consultant, Joanne Hovis of CTC Technology & Energy, presented how each of the two final proposals align with the 12 policy goals adopted by the Board and City Council for a public-private partnership. These 12 goals were prioritized through stakeholder meetings conducted by the Center for Dialogue and Resolution (CDR). She also recommended moving forward with Rainier Connect.

The public-private partnership term sheets protect the public interest across all of the policy goals – including equity, net neutrality, data privacy, low-income affordability, and robust competition.

TPU will retain ownership of the existing network and take ownership of all upgrades the private partner makes to the network. Click here to download a two-page fact sheet about this process. 

You can view that presentation here:

On March 26, 2019 the Tacoma City Council voted to adopt a resolution to pursue negotiations with Tacoma-based internet service provider, Rainier Connect, for expansion of the existing public-private partnership, which includes maintaining the Click! Network as a publicly-owned asset.

Watch the recording of the March 13 Public Utility Board Meeting online.

Watch the recording of the March 18 special Public Utility Board Meeting online. 

Watch the recording of the March 19 City of Tacoma’s Citizen’s Forum online. 

The opportunity for public comment was provided during all meetings listed above.

Supporting Documents

• Click! Business Transaction Agreement – Policy Goal Contract Terms
• Update and Analysis: Alignment of Click! Policy Goals and Partner Proposals
• About Click! Partner Term Sheets
• Wave Term Sheet 
• Rainier Connect Term Sheet
• CTC Report – Comparison of Terms