leveraging broadband for community and economic development
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Leveraging Broadband for Community and Economic
Development
Four Components of Community Technology
NetworkFiber, copper, coaxial, wireless
ServicesAvailability, pricing, service
quality, customer service
SubscriptionWho and how many
are buying the service?
SophisticationWhat are users doingwith the technology?
All Four Are Required for Community Vitality!
Broadband Definitions
• FCC – recently changed from 200kbps to 768kbps
• Enough capacity to do two-way videoconferencing
• “Whatever capacity/speed you need to do what you want to do online.”
• Always on
Remember that Broadband is a marketing term.
Wired Connections
• Dial up – phone line, need to connect• DSL – phone line• Cable modem• Dedicated connection – T1 to direct fiber
connection• Fiber to the Node (FTTN)• FTTP (Fiber to the Premise)
Trend: All providers pushing fiber closer to the customer!
Wireless Connections• Wi-Fi • Fixed Wireless (a wide variety of technologies)
– LOS/NLOS– Licensed/Unlicensed
• Cellular• Satellite• 700 MHz spectrum• 800 MHz public safety networks
Trend: Wireless networks drive mobility and productivity!
Questions to consider• What do I/our community need today?
– How much speed/capacity?– What do I plan to do with the connectivity?– How much do I upload?– How important is security?– How important is reliability?
• What will I/our community need tomorrow?– Ability to scale bandwidth to needs– Ability to connect multiple locations
Getting Connected: Things to Think About
• In town – likely at least two sources of broadband though smallest communities may have only one.– Teleco(s): DSL, T1, Dedicated connections on copper or
fiber– Cable provider: Cable modem on copper coax or direct
fiber– Wireless provider: wi-fi or fixed wireless
• Out of town– DSL or cable modems (maybe)– Wireless – fixed wireless or satellite
Telephone Exchange Map
Dark Blue – QwestPink - EmbarqWhite (west) – FederatedWhite (east) - TDS
Other Area Telecommunications Providers
• Cable Television– Appleton – Midwest Cable– Benson – Charter Communications– Kerkhoven – Charter Communications
• ISPs– Bennett Office– Info Link– MaxMinn– Wild Blue Satellite
Collaborative Telecom Activities
• Regional School Network– Southwest/West Central Higher Education
Network
• Others?
Community Strategy Alternatives
Traditional Economic Development Strategies Practiced in the Information
Age
• Documented quality infrastructure• Business retention and expansion• Skilled workforce• Downtown initiatives• Business attraction
Infrastructure• Inventory existing infrastructure and services• Prepare the market
– Conduct market studies– Install conduit as part of city CIP projects
• Regulate– Require new developments to install FTTP– Negotiate tough franchise agreement with CATV
• Investment– Aggregate demand of large users– Work with incumbents – Form a cooperative– Joint venture– Municipal utility
Business Retention and Expansion
• Understand area businesses’ use of technology
• Provide regular technology training programs• Build a vibrant technology support structure• Adapt business assistance programs to
support technology investments and technology companies
Educating the Workforce
• Community information portals and networks• Education and training
– Businesses, seniors, immigrants, students– Tech fairs, promotion, training sessions, community
projects• Community commitment through technology
leadership• Education• Health• Government
Downtown Initiatives
Adding technology to the proven Main Street approach of Organization, Promotion, Design and Economic
Restructuring
Adapted Main Street Approach• Organization
– Technology Tools– Tech support
• Promotion– Downtown web site– Email marketing
• Design– Connectivity– Hot spots and public access sites
• Economic Restructuring– Technology training centers/Business incubators– E-commerce savvy businesses– Digital media promotion
Business Attraction
• Traditional Factors– Available infrastructure– Quality and available workforce– Capital– Welcoming attitude
• Technology– Promote a technology culture– Quality of life
Blandin Community Broadband Resources• Blandin Foundation
– www.blandinfoundation.org
• Technical Assistance – up to 32 hours• Benefits
– Technology market development activities funded– Telecommunications market studies completed– Community technology vitality is increased – Community technology promotion tools provided
Continuous improvement in all facets of technology
development is required for community vitality!!
This is too important to sit back and be passive!
