Broadband in Delaware: the local government role

INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PUBLIC POLICY WWW.IPA.UDEL.EDU

Broadband in Delaware:

The Local Government Role

October 26, 2009

Troy Mix


The Agenda

• Define “broadband”

• Describe broadband policy issues

• Introduce potential local government roles


Broadband is Infrastructure

• Telecommunications solution that is…

• Fast and Always OnAt least 768 kilobits per second (kbps) downstream and

200 kbps upstream, per the ARRA guidelines

• Feature Rich

• Multi-PlatformDigital Subscriber Line (DSL)

Cable

Wireless

Fiber Optic

Broadband Over Power Line (BPL)


How Fast Is Fast?

1,463

80117808081380

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

Seco

nd

sApproximate Time to Download a

10 MB File: Assuming Performance at Low End of Advertised

Speeds

DSL

Cable

Fiber Optic

BPL

Wi-Fi

Cellular

Satellite

Dial-up


How Fast is Broadband?


Speed and Stability Enable Applications

• Household and Community

• eHealth

• Education and Distance Learning

• Business

• Storage and Communication

• Telecommuting

• Tourism Amenity

• Government

• Public Safety

• Wireless Communication


Broadband Platforms

• Cable

– e.g., Comcast, Mediacom

• DSL

– e.g., Verizon High-Speed Internet

• Fiber-to-the-Home

– e.g., Verizon Fios

• Wireless

– Wi-Fi, Cellular, WiMAX, others

– In-home networks and site-specific or roaming networks

• Satellite

– Hughes Network Systems, WildBlue Communications, and

others offer services


Broadband Platforms

Source: Thomas and Olson, American Planning Association, September 16, 2008.


Broadband Policy Issues

• Supply– U.S. ranks middle-of-the-pack on several ratings of

broadband deployment, speed, and use

– Rural locales lag behind urban and suburban settings

(approx. 40% use vs. 60% use)

• Demand– Knowledge of broadband applications is often lacking

– Still a luxury item for many

• Measurement– No comprehensive map of broadband service and

infrastructure exists


Broadband Progress


Why Should We Care?

• Broadband as Critical Infrastructure– Economic Development

• Supports research, IT-oriented businesses, and daily

operations of organizations big and small

– Quality of Life and Education

• Distance learning, shopping, etc.

– Healthcare and Public Safety

• E-Health

• Critical information transfer

• The way we use computers is evolving


Why Should We Care?

Source: Thomas and Olson, American Planning Association, September 16, 2008.


• $7.2 billion for broadband– Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP)

• Grants and loans for infrastructure in rural areas

– Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

(BTOP)

• Grants for infrastructure, public computing centers, and

sustainable broadband adoption projects

– Broadband Data and Development Program

• Focused on creating a national broadband map

• Focused on “Unserved” and “Underserved”

www.broadbandusa.gov


Why a Local Government Role?

• Commitments to:– Quality of Life

– Economic Development

– Education

– Public Safety

• Experienced in:

– Service and Infrastructure Provision

• Dedicated to:

– Efficient and Effective Operations


Potential Local Government Roles

• Provide Service and Infrastructure

• Share Information on Broadband

Infrastructure and Service Availability

• Consume broadband for enhanced

provision of government services

• As a “Community Anchor Institution,”

enable further deployment and adoption of

broadband


Examples of Municipal

Broadband Applications

• Automated Metering

• Public Safety


Automated Metering

• Corpus Christi, Texas (pop. 280,000)– Automated meter reading for gas and water

– Used only fraction of bandwidth, building out for

other government purposes

+

=


Automated Metering

• North Ridgeville, Ohio (pop. 28,000)

– Upgrading residential and nonresidential water

meters to be Wi-Fi enabled

– Frequent meter reading enabled to help find leaks

in system and prevent tampering

– Installing 11,500 meters for $2.8 million


Public Safety

• Rock Hill, South Carolina (pop. 65,000)– City owns a fiber network and deployed a wireless

network

– Applications in the areas of metering, Wi-Fi access

in select areas, and public safety

• Public Safety Applications– Download building plans and hazmat storage

information

– Check databases and file reports in field

– Backup communications system in case of

disaster


A Public Safety Proposal

• Slidell, Louisiana (pop. 28,000)– Hurricane Katrina crippled ability for public safety

personnel to retrieve and share data

– $5.8 million proposal to implement secure wireless

broadband network, providing:

• Mobile access to systems and databases

• Interoperability among City, Fire, Police


Municipal Applications, Generally

• Provide Mobile Access to Rich Data – Who might benefit?

• Public Works Crews

• Inspectors

• More Frequently Updated Data– Meter reading, wireless cameras

• Wired Broadband Can Enable:– VOIP/Telephony Applications

– Ability to Backup Systems

– Enhanced Security/Speed for E-Gov Services


Federal Stimulus Status Report

• First round funding applications submitted

mid-August:

– ~2,200 applications for infrastructure and

programming

– Applications from each state for mapping

• No infrastructure funds awarded yet

• California, Indiana, North Carolina, and

Vermont received mapping approvals

(October 5)


Federal Stimulus Status Report

• Two more rounds of funding planned

– Notices of Funding Availability in…

• ~December 2009

• ~February 2010

• Definitions and Deadlines Tend to be Fluid

• Key Terms

– “Unserved” and “Underserved”

– “Sustainable Broadband Adoption”

– “Community Anchor Institutions”


Broadband Stimulus in Delaware

• Application for Broadband Mapping– Submitted and Funding is Anticipated

• Two Infrastructure Proposals:

– Delaware Schools and Public Anchor Institution

Connect ($6.1 million)

– Delaware State University IT Modernization ($10.9

million)


Potential First Steps for Municipalities

• Examine how peer communities are

proceeding with broadband

• Catalogue and share information on

existing broadband infrastructure and

services in your community

• Begin building broadband into

municipal operations– Treat as community infrastructure

– Plan for it in new community facilities


Options for Proceeding

• Don’t Think Small, But Think Specific– e.g., Inventory current needs to enhance existing

services rather than making an expansive wish list

– The first “consumers” of broadband applications

will not be new to your community

• Don’t Go It Alone– Other Community Anchor Institutions (e.g.,

hospital, schools, fire dept.) may want to partner

• Focus on Economic Development– You and the business community can benefit

Broadband in Delaware: the local government role

Technology

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