BROADBAND COMMUNITIES is the leading source of information on digital and broadband technologies for buildings and communities. Our editorial aims to accelerate the deployment of Fiber-To-The-Home and Fiber-To-The-Premises.
Issue link: https://bbcmag.epubxp.com/i/232134
Continued from page 46 SEASONAL RESIDENTS DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT David Lois, executive director of WiscNet, referenced the following information from Wisconsin's Playbook for Broadband Progress, issued by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin: In the fve-county Grow North Regional Economic Development Corporation area in the Northwoods, communities surveyed seasonal homeowners to assess gaps in coverage and the economic benefts of expanded coverage. Results from this survey concluded that, on average, seasonal residents would stay in the Northwoods an additional four to six weeks per year if broadband were available. Six percent indicated they would permanently relocate there. This would mean more people in local stores, stronger property values and greater incentives for entrepreneurs to start new businesses in or migrate existing ones to the Northwoods. Each success bred more successes. After 18 months, the network has a 43 percent take rate and is returning 30 percent of its revenues to a community foundation to meet local needs. Diane Kruse, NEO Fiber: When I worked with Urbana-Champaign Big Broadband, we set up segmented meetings – for example, with the medical sector, with education, transportation, government and nonprofts. We talked with people in each sector to see if they knew of seed money sources and to fnd out how they were using broadband and what they would do with more. We found that people were aware of grant opportunities for their own sectors. And they all needed more broadband, even those who already had their own networks. Te biggest risk a network can take on is too much debt. Te fnancial model works when you get to a 30 to 40 percent take rate. Remember that the cellular industry is growing and needs fber infrastructure for backhaul. In Boulder, Colo., where Zayo is building fber for backhaul, the city was able to negotiate access to extra conduit and fber by piggybacking on the Zayo build. Heather Gold, Fiber to the Home Council: Put together a clear picture of the demand for broadband in the community and the possible assets that a network could use. Get people fred up, and aggregate the demand in each area as Google did. Find out whether anchor institutions are already committed to long-term contracts for broadband. And any time you open a street, take advantage of that opportunity to lay conduit or fber. v KEEPING RURAL COMMUNITIES VIABLE Tim Berelsman, Com Net: In addition to the direct economic impact of broadband networks on construction jobs and indirect gains such as call center employees working from home, these networks keep rural communities from collapsing. We've been able to avoid a school shutdown and a health care shutdown. We've kept a hatchery from closing because it was able to use remote monitoring and temperature control. You have to look at retention as well as attraction of new jobs. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | www.broadbandcommunities.com | BROADBAND COMMUNITIES | 79