1. 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

2. INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PUBLIC POLICY WWW.IPA.UDEL.EDU
The Agenda
• Define “broadband”
• Describe broadband policy issues
• Introduce potential local government roles

3. INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PUBLIC POLICY WWW.IPA.UDEL.EDU
Broadband is Infrastructure
• Telecommunications solution that is…
• Fast and Always On
At least 768 kilobits per second (kbps) downstream and
200 kbps upstream, per the ARRA guidelines
• Feature Rich
• Multi-Platform
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
Cable
Wireless
Fiber Optic
Broadband Over Power Line (BPL)

4. INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PUBLIC POLICY WWW.IPA.UDEL.EDU
How Fast Is Fast?
1,463
801178080
81380
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
Seconds Approximate Timeto Download a
10 MB File:
Assuming PerformanceatLow End of Advertised
Speeds
DSL
Cable
Fiber Optic
BPL
Wi-Fi
Cellular
Satellite
Dial-up

5. INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PUBLIC POLICY WWW.IPA.UDEL.EDU
How Fast is Broadband?

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

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

8. INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PUBLIC POLICY WWW.IPA.UDEL.EDU
Broadband Platforms
Source: Thomas and Olson, American Planning Association, September 16, 2008.

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

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

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

12. INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PUBLIC POLICY WWW.IPA.UDEL.EDU
Why Should We Care?
Source: Thomas and Olson, American Planning Association, September 16, 2008.

13. INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PUBLIC POLICY WWW.IPA.UDEL.EDU
Why Should We Care?
Source: Thomas and Olson, American Planning Association, September 16, 2008.

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

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

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

17. INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PUBLIC POLICY WWW.IPA.UDEL.EDU
Examples of Municipal
Broadband Applications
• Automated Metering
• Public Safety

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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