Established in 1975 as a Council of Governments (COG), the Miami Valley Cable Television Council (MVCTC) was primarily created to administer and regulate the cable television franchise for the south suburbs. Besides administering the cable franchise, its mission also included developing and implementing intergovernmental projects and cooperative programs designed to strengthen member city capacities to deliver services more efficiently and cost effectively. Its original six members included the cities of Kettering, Centerville, Miamisburg, West Carrollton, Oakwood and Moraine.
Construction on the new cable system began in 1977 and was completed in 1980. The cities set aside 40% of the cable franchise fee revenue to operate the organization. The first executive director was hired in 1977, and, in 1980, MVCTC’s offices moved from their original location in Christ United Methodist Church in Kettering to Barnes School where they remained until 1989 when they were relocated to their current location on E. Alex Bell Rd in Centerville.

During the 1980’s the organization and mission of MVCTC continued to grow along with the membership which now included the Village of Germantown along with the cities of Bellbrook and Springboro. With the addition of an Educational Channel, MVCC now had programming responsibilities for four access channels.

The cable franchise was extended for 15 years in the last 1980’s, and when work began on the infrastructure rebuild in the early 1990’s, existing coaxial cable was replaced with fiber. The Municipal Training Academy (MTA) was created to provide member city employees and elected officials customized public sector training at minimal expense. Coinciding with the creation of MTA, affiliate memberships were made available to non-member communities. Besides the GOV TECH (city mangers) and TCSU ( police chiefs) committees which met on a monthly basis to collaboratively address issues of common concern, the Alliance of Public Service Official ( public works director and city engineers) was formed for this same purpose.

In 2000, the Ohio Legislature adopted ‘Fair Competition in Cable Operations’ legislation which transferred the regulation of cable providers from the local level to the Ohio Department of Commerce. As the mission of the MVCTC continued to evolve, it was renamed the Miami Valley Communications Council (MVCC) in the early 2000’s. During that period, MVCC became an electric and gas aggregator and the I-Net went online connecting MVCC offices to all member city halls.

Discussions had been underway for a number of years and in 2014, the cities of Centerville, Kettering and Oakwood applied for and received a $100,000 local Government Innovation Grant for a feasability study regarding the establishment of a shared community fiber and wireless network. The feasibility study concluded that a fiber network could be built at an affordable price and in 2019, construction began on the 44 mile GATEway Fiber Network. The $1.1 million cost of Phase I was paid for by the seven participating jurisdictions. Construction on Phase I was completed during the spring of 2020; providing businesses and residents enhanced access to the technological highway.

Leveraging its infrastructure assets, and partnering with the Miami Valley Educational Computer Association (MVECA) and the Independents Fiber Network IFN, Phase II of the GATEway Fiber Project was completed in late 2021. With fiber backbone and empty conduit now readily available for sale or lease, MVCC entered into an agreement with Point Broadband, an internet service provider, to provide a Fiber-To-The-Home build to all residences within six of the member communities. This project, fully funded by the private sector, is scheduled to get underway in early 2022 and be completed over the next three to four years.

Today, MVCC has become primarily a technology focused organization that collaborates with public sector and private organizations on mutually beneficial opportunities that enhance services to our member and affiliate communities while creating the necessary foundation for future technology and smart city applications.

MVCC is funded through franchise fees paid by the cable service provider. Franchise fees are rent that the cable company pays for placing its wires over or under the public rights-of-way (streets.) MVCC uses these franchise fees to support its community access television activities, cooperative intergovernmental projects, and to explore new and changing technologies that will benefit member communities. The council, in turn, provides many services to our communities at little or no cost.