Click! Network
| Company type | Public utility division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Tacoma Power |
| Headquarters | Tacoma , United States |
Area served | Tacoma, University Place, Fircrest, Lakewood, Fife |
| Owner | Tacoma Public Utilities (Tacoma Power) |
Click! Network operates as an open access broadband cable system owned by Tacoma Power, a division of Tacoma Public Utilities located in Tacoma, Washington. It delivers cable television and Internet connectivity to both residential and commercial customers in Tacoma, University Place, Fircrest, Lakewood, and Fife.
History
During the late 1990s, anticipating the deregulation of the electricity sector, management at Tacoma Power predicted a transition from exclusive power sales to a business model focused on infrastructure delivery. At that time, Superintendent Steven Klein advocated for investment in advanced technologies such as the "SmartMeter" to enhance their competitive advantage.
The initial plan involved constructing a $100 million fiber-optic network primarily intended to link power substations. However, this infrastructure presented an opportunity to provide cable television, high-speed Internet, and data services with minimal additional expenditure. After TCI Cable declined to partner as a service provider, Tacoma Power established its own cable enterprise to compete with companies like Comcast. Commercial high-speed data services commenced in 1997, followed by cable television in 1998 and cable modem Internet access in 1999. This development positioned Click! as one of the largest municipally owned telecommunications systems nationwide.
In 2000, Washington State enacted RCW 54.16.330, which imposed restrictions on the expansion of Click! Network until its repeal in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic—effectively limiting growth for over twenty years.
In 2020, operations of Click! Network were transferred to Rainier Connect through a 20-year agreement with two possible extensions. While Tacoma Public Utilities maintained ownership of the physical infrastructure, Rainier assumed responsibility for operational management and maintenance. Although this transfer sparked local controversy, it was largely supported due to prior state-imposed limitations. Following the repeal of restrictions in 2021, new disputes arose regarding the network’s future.
Approximately six months after the operational handover, Rainier Connect initiated the transition of customers using legacy set-top boxes to an IPTV platform—a change that encountered resistance from users less accustomed to emerging technologies.
Click! Network continues to be a subject of political debate within Tacoma’s municipal government because of its regional significance and connections to federal programs such as the Build Back Better Plan.