1. How to build 2300 Miles of Fiber in Your Spare Time
Don Welch | 14 October 2010

2. Merit and its Strategy Independent 501(c)3 Formed in 1966
No state mandate or subsidy
Formed in 1966
Partnered with IBM and Sprint build NSFNet
2004 Started building fiber
2006 Started delivering value beyond connectivity
2010 Received 2 BTOP grants to extend fiber

3. REACH-3MC Projects

4. REACH-3MC Projects $130 million project ($103 million federal funds)
2300 miles of fiber
99 direct connections to schools or libraries
36 month deadline for each project
8 commercial partners

5. Build it Environmental Assessment (<6 months)
Engineering (All Changes Approved by NTIA)
Permitting
Photo of every pole (~37,000)
Equipment
Fiber, Enclosures, Optronics, Routers, Switches, etc.
Construction
20 Crews, 1 mi per day each = 115 days (23 weeks)
Equipment Installation

6. Pay for it 80% federal money Partners Loans for matching funds
2 Full Time Compliance Staff
Partners
Commercial competitors
Loans for matching funds
Merit manages all aspects of project cost
1¢ per foot = $121,440

7. USE it Outreach Value Proposition Sustainable Business Model
Visits to institutions
Community meetings
Webinars
Webpage
Value Proposition
Price/performance
Services
Sharing services and collaboration
Sustainable Business Model

8. Questions?