Allan Saenz in his Los Alamos Network office with a computer screen showing where Saenz has already installed fiber and conduit lines around the community. Photo by Mandy Marksteiner
By MANDY MARKSTEINER
There are few things more annoying than Internet problems … problems like waiting two hours to upload a 30-second video, or waiting every few minutes to wait for the latest episode of Game of Thrones to buffer, or not being able to send a simple email because your neighbors are using all of their devices.
Luckily, Allan Saenz is a local entrepreneur who turns problems into opportunities.
“People want better service. We can provide it,” he said.
Saenz bought Los Alamos Network in 2011 and has been steadily growing the customer base and infrastructure required to connect all Los Alamos homes and businesses with high speed broadband Internet. Los Alamos Network has installed fiber in Quemazon, where most of the residents are clients. His clients also include most of the apartment complexes in Los Alamos, Family YMCA, Smith’s Marketplace, LANB, Los Alamos Medical Center, Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, PAC 8 and the Los Alamos Animal Clinic.
Los Alamos Network has multiple locations throughout Los Alamos where people can be connected directly through fiber optic cables. In the locations where the connection is not yet possible, they can use wireless. The company is growing its network, but doesn’t reach every neighborhood.
“We get calls every day asking for service in specific areas and sometimes we have to say no,” Saenz said.
He had an idea-generating meeting recently with Nicholas Seet, the founder of Los Alamos Venture Accelerator (LAVA) to discuss ways to grow his business enough to be able to connect every residence and business to broadband.
“Having access to fiber will allow a new class of business to exist in Los Alamos. Los Alamos Network is overcoming the most common obstacle to entrepreneurship,” Seet said. “He has to raise enough capital to make his idea work. I want him so succeed because I’m desperate for faster Internet in my condo!”
The solution that Seet and Saenz came up with is to raise capital through a crowd-funding model called Crowdfiber.
“With the help of the community, we can bring fiber Internet to every house,” Saenz said.
Los Alamos Network will divide the community into areas (for example, Barranca Mesa, downtown and the Western Area and four seperate neighborhoods in White Rock. People from each area can invest money by preordering service. The areas that raise enough money will be the first to get service. Los Alamos Network can reinvest surplus funds to help the surrounding areas.
“If we cannot bring fiber immediately, we will connect them using wireless,” Saenz said.
Saenz is determined to use every resource to overcome the obstacles to faster Internet for the community.
“Los Alamos needs better Internet,” he said. “We should have fiber everywhere.”
Los Alamos Network will launch its their crowd funding campaign this month. For more information, call 505.412.6282 or visit LosAlamosNetwork.com.
