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Connecting the Nation

Thanks to the ConnectKentucky program, 94 percent of Kentucky households can now get broadband, compared to only 60 percent in 2001. GovTech Magazine reports Kentucky will be the only state in the nation to have full broadband coverage by the end of the year — meaning every citizen in the state will be able to subscribe to some form of high-speed Internet.

The United States Congress hopes to replicate Kentucky’s success.

A bipartisan Connect the Nation Act of 2007 (pdf) has been filed by Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) to encourage the rapid deployment of affordable broadband Internet service throughout the nation, particularly in rural areas. Kentucky’s private-public partnership has invested some $650 million in public/private partnerships and is said to have influenced FCC rules for the spectrum auction, according to e-Week.

The legislation supports a grant program, similar to ConnectKentucky, that encourages public-private partnerships to accelerate broadband availability and technology literacy throughout the commonwealth.

Local “eCommunity Leadership Teams” in Kentucky create local technology strategies across multiple sectors including: local government, business and industry, education, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, libraries, and community-based organizations. The local teams generate and aggregate demand by identifying ways to better leverage technology in local communities.

ConnectKentucky has formed a national umbrella organization called Connected Nation. Connected Nation assists with statewide comprehensive technology expansion efforts to improve economic development, healthcare, education and public safety, in addition to providing a better way of life for Americans.

State-Wide Initiatives

Michigan, North Carolina, Utah and Kentucky, to name a few, have Broadband Authorities that make ubiquitous broadband a priority.

ConnectKentucky.org, Kentucky Governor Fletcher’s prescription for a comprehensive broadband deployment statewide.
Michigan’s Broadband Authority improves the deployment and utilization of broadband service in the state. They offer low-cost loans to telecommunications companies willing to make investments in broadband networks and services, such as fiber, DSL, cable, and fixed wireless.
North Carolina’s e-NC is a grassroots initiative to encourage all North Carolina citizens to use technology, especially the Internet, to improve their quality of life and their economic prospects.
Smart Utah is a nonprofit corporation that was formed by Governor Leavitt to provide a coordinating function between business, government and education. Their UTOPIA Project will provide cable, phone and broadband service to some 723,000 residents in 248,000 households and 34,500 businesses via fiber.
The Oregon Telecommunications Coordinating Council recommended an Oregon Broadband Authority in their November, 2004 Report to the Oregon Legislature.
The Pittsburgh Wireless Neighborhoods Cooperative was formed to provide advanced network services to traditionally underserved communities.

Today, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle announced $7.5 million in tax exemptions and credits for businesses to expand broadband access — providing cell phone and high-speed Internet service for 350,000 Wisconsin citizens.

The tax credits will help nine businesses invest more than $80 million to expand broadband access — benefiting 261 communities in 63 counties across the state. Doyle announced the tax credits as part of the broad effort to grow the economy in Northern Wisconsin.

The nine Wisconsin businesses will invest more than $80 million to install equipment providing broadband service. The projects will reach 261 communities in 63 counties.

In Grand Rapids, Clearwire is building a WiMAX network that covers all 45 square miles of the city with the city trading access to infrastructure in exchange for reduced rates. Clearwire only requires 10 to 15 towers to cover the entire town, versus some 25 WiFi access points per square mile for WiFi (about 1,000 devices).

Do the math.

Here’s a rough, back-on-the-napkin comparison — 1000 APs x $3K = $3M for WiFi, vrs 15 WiMax basestations X $20K = $300K for WiMAX. That’s about 1/10th the cost. It seems to follow that if you can give away “free” WiFi in a $3 million dollar system, you might give away “free” broadband in a Mobile WiMAX system costing only 1/10th as much. And there’s voice.

Could it scale state-wide? Nobody’s done it (yet). If 100 square miles costs $500K, then 1000 sq mi might run $5M while 10,000 or 100,000 sq miles might cost $50M or $500M. Give or take. WiMAX Forum has white papers promoting a variety of business and technical models.

VERMONT:
POPULATION: 623,050
AREA: 9,249 square miles
PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE: 65.8

RHODE ISLAND:
POPULATION: 1,076,189
AREA: 1,044 square miles
PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE: 1,033

SOUTH CAROLINA:
POPULATION: 4,321,249
AREA: 30,109 square miles
PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE: 133

OREGON:
POPULATION: 3,641,056
AREA: 97,073 square miles
PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE: 35.6

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005

Three planned statewide broadand wireless networks in the United States include the states of South Carolina (31,000 square miles), Vermont (9,249 square miles), and Rhode Island (1,044 square miles).

General Dynamics won the $10B federal IWN contract, to build thousands of 700MHz towers in every city across the country. Companies that are part of the team include IBM, M/A-COM, Nortel and Verizon Wireless.

Whether General Dynamics will get to implement the nationwide interoperable radio network is uncertain. In March, DOJ Inspector General Glenn Fine said the Integrated Wireless Network, designed to deliver interoperability for the nation’s law enforcement agencies, is at “high risk of failure” (pdf).

Qwest is seeking permission from Portland to start offering video service to some parts of the city as soon as next year over a new “fiber-to-the-neighborhood” network. According to documents obtained by Broadband Reports, Qwest appears to be training employees in preparation for a broader deployment of fiber to the node and VDSL or ADSL2+ technology. New Qwest CEO Edward A. Mueller will be deciding how aggressively to pursue that market, and Portland is one of the first places where that decision will play out, says The Oregonian.