Broadband Communities

JAN-FEB 2016

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.

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18 | BROADBAND COMMUNITIES | www.broadbandcommunities.com | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 EDITOR'S NOTE Broadband Communities (ISSN 0745-8711) (USPS 679-050) (Publication Mail Agreement #1271091) is published 7 times a year at a rate of $24 per year by Broadband Properties LLC, 1909 Avenue G, Rosenberg, TX 77471. Periodical postage paid at Rosenberg, TX, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Broadband Communities, PO Box 303, Congers, NY 10920-9852. CANADA POST: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Copyright © 2016 Broadband Properties LLC. All rights reserved. CEO Barbara DeGarmo / barbara@bbcmag.com PU B LISH ER Nancy McCain / nancym@bbcmag.com E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F Masha Zager / masha@bbcmag.com E D I T O R -AT- L A R G E Steven S. Ross / steve@bbcmag.com ADV ER T ISI N G SALE S A CCO U N T E X E C U T I V E Irene Prescott / irene@bbcmag.com E V E N T S CO O R D I N AT O R Dennise Argil / dennise@bbcmag.com CO M M U N I T Y N E W S E D I T O R Marianne Cotter / marianne@bbcmag.com D E SI G N & PR O D U C T I O N Karry Thomas CO N T R I B U T O R S David Daugherty, Korcett Holdings Inc. Heather Burnett Gold, FTTH Council, NA Joanne Hovis, CTC Technology & Energy W. James MacNaughton, Esq. Christopher Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance Henry Pye, RealPage, Inc. Bryan Rader, Bandwidth Consulting, LLC Craig Settles, Gigabit Nation Robert L. Vogelsang, Broadband Communities Magazine B R OA D BA N D P R O P E R T I E S L LC CEO Barbara DeGarmo V I CE PR E SI D EN T, B USI N E SS & O PER AT I O N S Nancy McCain CHAI R M AN O F T H E B OAR D Robert L. Vogelsang V I CE CHAI R M AN The Hon. Hilda Gay Legg B USI N E SS & ED I TO R IAL O FFI CE B R OAD BAN D PR O PER T I E S LLC 19 0 9 Ave nu e G • R o s e n b e r g , T X 77471 281. 3 42 .9 655 • Fa x 281. 3 42 .1158 w w w. b r o a d b a n d co m m u n i t i e s . co m masha@bbcmag.com A s I write this, the Mid-Atlantic is being blanketed by yet another "snowpocalypse," which follows hard on the heels of a snow-caused "carmaggedon" – which follows the hottest year in recorded history. In the central United States, foods have become more frequent; the West is sufering long-term drought, with the number of large wildfres rising rapidly. Extreme weather causes disruptions of many kinds, including electrical outages. Unsurprisingly, U.S. Department of Energy data show that annual outages have doubled every fve years since 2000. Even adding more renewable energy sources into the mix – a chief weapon against the increase in extreme weather events – can add to the likelihood of outages. However, some communities are doing better than others at avoiding weather-related disruptions. Two outstanding examples appear in this issue. In Chattanooga, the municipal electric utility, EPB, has reduced the number of power outages by a whopping 60 percent over the last several years. (See p. 46.) Its power grid monitors itself, diagnoses itself and heals itself almost immediately, rerouting electricity when equipment is damaged. In Kentucky's Owsley County, in the Appalachians, schools used to close for long periods each winter because so many students and teachers live on remote mountain roads that can't be cleared quickly after snowstorms. Now, the state government has authorized 10 learn-at-home days per year. Instead of staying home and watching TV, schoolchildren stay home and work on their class assignments using Internet- based learning programs. Teir teachers supervise and help them from the comfort of their own snowed-in homes. (See p. 32.) FTTH COMMUNITIES What do these two examples have in common? Both Chattanooga and Owsley County are fully fber-to-the- home communities. Chattanooga EPB built its own municipal FTTH network, attached smart meters to every premises in its service area and now operates a fber-enabled smart grid. Owsley County is served by Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative (PRTC), a member-owned co-op that covers two counties. Like EPB, PRTC built out fber throughout its entire service area; even residents of houses up in the mountains or down in the "hollers" can get gigabit broadband. PRTC is dedicated to bettering its community and has helped use its fber network to improve residents' access to jobs, education and health care. Jackson and Owsley counties have received the "Smart Rural Community" designation from NTCA–Te Rural Broadband Association. Now that fber broadband is available to nearly a quarter of U.S. homes, it's time to think more deeply about using this infrastructure for communities' beneft. EPB, PRTC and other pioneers are showing the way. v Shelter From the Storm Extreme weather disrupts lives in many ways – but fber to the home ofers protection from the elements.

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