Broadband Planning

What is Broadband Today High speed internet access that is always on (definition from the 2009 US National Broadband Plan, Federal Communications Commission) Voice Data Video (50% of US Internet capacity is digital videos such as YouTube) Gaming Broadband has been available for only 20 years and commonly accessible for a little over a decade

What is the value of broadband? A rapidly changing future! Commerce: McKinsey Global Institute estimates that 2 billion people are connected through the internet, spending $8 trillion a year on e-commerce The Internet has become a mode of transportation for commerce, communication and virtual personal interaction. The decision now is whether this infrastructure will be planned and developed like the national, interconnected, integrated and regulated energy grid or like our woefully inadequate, disconnected, substandard national rail system.” McMahon, Thomas and Kaylor, APA Planning and Broadband, 2012

Broadband Technologies Digital Subscriber Line (A/DSL) (copper) Digital Subscriber Line (A/DSL) Cable Modem (copper) Cable Modem Fiber-optic (glass) Fiber-optic Wireless Satellite Broadband over Power lines (BPL)

Are we keeping up? The United States ranks 12 th in broadband penetration and 15 th in broadband speed US Norm: Megabits per Second Other developed nations: Mbps, growing to 100 Mbps Consumer Example: download an I- Tunes song. Old dialup: 11 minutes to download. The Ketchum Community Library: less than 1 second

What is Broadband Planning? Roads Water Sewer Broadband! “No area seems to have been left to others by public planners more than that of the communication technology systems connecting us to the Internet. Planners have mostly been absent from the research, development and planning of broadband infrastructure…an increasing number of people are recognizing that broadband planning is a public planning issue.” McMahon, Thomas and Kaylor, APA Planning and Broadband, 2012

Why do broadband planning? It is an economic and lifestyle necessity Wikipedia: “By the first decade of the 21st century, many consumers had switched away from dial-up to dedicated connections, most Internet access products were being marketed using the term "broadband", and broadband penetration was being treated as a key economic indicator”broadband penetrationeconomic indicator

Broadband benefits Attracting/enabling business Tourism competitiveness Emergency services Medical Technology Lifestyle Availability

Placemaking “We need to establish the importance of broadband as a key infrastructure component as well as a central element of sustainable placemaking.” McMahon, Thomas and Kaylor, APA Planning and Broadband, 2012

Chattanooga TN City-owned electric utility has a 100% fiber network over a 600-mile service area delivering speeds of 1 gigabit/second to 170,000 businesses and homes. Fiber was part of their smart grid technology and Sustainability Strategy Credited with creating 2,440 jobs Chattanooga powers smart grid with a gigabit network

Santa Monica, CA City Net 1998 Telecommunications Master Plan Goal of linking 43 municipal buildings by 2002 Cost to go live: $530,000 Costs shared by the City, school district and college Annual savings $500, free wifi hot spots Now undertaking a 10 gbt broadband initiative

Elements of a Broadband Strategic Plan Committee of key stakeholders Establish Project Goals Identify broadband demand Identify key issues for expansion Create implementation plan

Key Interest Groups Providers Emergency Services Health Care Education Business Community Residents Other Interested parties

Refine Project Purpose Project Objectives Vision Benefits and Outcomes

Identify Broadband Demand Affordability Capacity Competitiveness

Outline Community Strategies Infrastructure needs Build demand Education Market Incentives Self Sustaining

Action Plan and Resources Planning Funding Implementation

Lets Get Started!