The Fredericksburg, Va., City Council will hold public hearings Tuesday, Deccember 4, 2018 on two ordinances that would help the city meet its goal of having the fastest broadband in Virginia.

The hearings will be held at 7:30 p.m. in council chambers in City Hall, 715 Princess Anne St. Both will deal with granting 10-year, non-exclusive franchises to high-speed Internet infrastructure companies. The franchises would allow them to install fiber optic infrastructure and small cell technology in the city’s public rights-of-way.

The two companies, Newpath Networks LLC and Tenebris Fiber LLC, are in the business of expanding broadband infrastructure that they lease to providers. Newpath Networks is seeking a franchise so it can install small-cell wireless facilities, which would enhance wireless connectivity, and fiber optic cabling, which would expand wired broadband access. The other company, Tenebris Fiber, wants one so it can build dark fiber infrastructure.