[opendtv] City commissioners: Gainesville should be most connected city in America - Opinion - - Gainesville, FL
- From: Craig Birkmaier <brewmastercraig@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2018 07:28:43 -0500
Here we go...
This hits close to home; it is not unexpected. Given the recent threads about
municipal broadband I am sharing a uniquely local view of the municipal
broadband utility opportunity.
It’s all about the children!
This morning our failing local newspaper ran an editorial from three City
Commissioners who have formed the Broadband Connectivity Subcommittee. These
progressive City Commissioners are now exploring intensifying competition with
local private sector broadband providers, looking to overbuild multiple
competitors and expand its broadband network outside the City limits to
generate more revenues to transfer into the city coffers...
The cause, as is often the case with progressive visions, is the children...
And why not throw in a little “Net Neutrality” too...
We are told:
Sadly, much of our city is currently served by internet connections that are
neither robust nor affordable — and some neighborhoods are not served at all.
I am not aware of any area of Gainesville that does not have access to Cox
broadband. Most areas of the City have AT&T DSL, and AT&T is now starting to
deploy FTTH in many neighborhoods.
There are some areas outside the city limits that do not have access to these
services, however, even before they figure out how to provide affordable
broadband to every City resident, the Broadband Connectivity Subcommittee is
expressing concerns about broadband for those of us who don’t live in the city,
but pay the highest electric rates in Florida to help pay their salaries.
Because we understand that the needs of our community do not end at the city
limits, we are researching what it would mean to provide broadband service
within the city limits, within the urban service area (which includes the
Gainesville Regional Utilities service area) and in other municipalities in
Alachua County.
The translation:
We need to move quickly to expand the revenue base of Gainesville Regional
Utilities. It is likely that there will be a constitutional amendment in the
next few years that would allow our current electricity customers to buy their
electricity from competitors that offer lower rates than we do; we must develop
new revenue streams to compensate for the hit we will take if such an amendment
is approved by our customers.
Equally important, AT&T is bringing FTTH to the most prosperous neighborhoods
in our city and the urban fringe. We need to bring fiber to these neighborhoods
quickly so we can undercut their pricing and grab market share. And we need to
serve markets outside the City limits to get these areas to subsidize the City
coffers so we don’t need to raise taxes.
Given the fact that the process of creating a network that could undercut
competitors in the near term - until we get enough market share to start
increasing rates - we are inviting competitors to join our discussions:
As is so often the case, Gainesville is in a uniquely positive position for a
city our size. With that in mind it’s hard to imagine that the city will not
be a part of the plan, and potentially the primary provider. But we are not
locked into any service or installation provider at this point. All options
are on the table, and the city welcomes participation from the private sector.
The commission acknowledges that there are risks; several similar efforts in
neighboring counties wound up costing the taxpayers tens of millions when these
projects failed. But it is important to imagine what success would look like:
Imagine Gainesville as a place where every family’s connection to the world
is as robust and complete as any other, no matter their neighborhood. That’s
the goal. That’s what the most connected city in America looks like.
Hmmmmm...
So everyone will get neutral gigabit service with no data caps, whether they
can afford it or not. Maybe they can throw in a Netflix subscription too...
And we, their hostages in the urban fringe, will help pay for it...
;-(
Regards
Craig
http://www.gainesville.com/opinion/20180119/city-commissioners-gainesville-should-be-most-connected-city-in-america
City commissioners: Gainesville should be most connected city in America
There was a time when having an electric or telephone line connected to a home
or a business was a luxury. Both quickly became necessary tools of 20th century
life, commerce and education.
Here in the 21st century, a robust and affordable broadband internet connection
is no longer a luxury. As with electricity and phones, success in any endeavor
now often depends on your ability to connect with the rest of the world from
your desk at work or your kitchen table at home.
Sadly, much of our city is currently served by internet connections that are
neither robust nor affordable — and some neighborhoods are not served at all.
Recognizing that, your City Commission has been working to make Gainesville the
most connected city in America. By the end of the year, our Broadband
Connectivity Subcommittee will have the information necessary to build the road
map to reach that necessary goal.
What we hope to learn through this process is how we might best connect every
household and business in Gainesville. Further, the uncertainty of net
neutrality also prompts our subcommittee to explore options for Gainesville to
have open and fair internet access for each resident.
Because we understand that the needs of our community do not end at the city
limits, we are researching what it would mean to provide broadband service
within the city limits, within the urban service area (which includes the
Gainesville Regional Utilities service area) and in other municipalities in
Alachua County.
Through GRUCom, the people of Gainesville already own almost 600 miles of the
area’s only all-fiber-optic network across Alachua County. These assets serve
our schools, governments and many major businesses’ Internet, data transport
and networking needs through connections to hundreds of locations around the
world.
As is so often the case, Gainesville is in a uniquely positive position for a
city our size. With that in mind it’s hard to imagine that the city will not be
a part of the plan, and potentially the primary provider. But we are not locked
into any service or installation provider at this point. All options are on the
table, and the city welcomes participation from the private sector.
As of right now we are focused on the overall feasibility of providing
universal access and the lowest-priced gigabit internet for residents and
businesses in America. Answers we will seek include: How might this necessary
infrastructure project be rolled out? How long might it take? How much will it
cost, and how might it be paid for?
There are several examples of cities that have made attempts at this, with
varying degrees of success. Every city has approached it differently, and none
is a perfect model for us to work from. Each, however, has experiences from
which we will learn.
What will success look like? Imagine Gainesville as a place where every child
can complete their homework from their kitchen table instead of having to
arrive at school early or stay at the library late. Imagine Gainesville as a
place where entrepreneurs and existing businesses flock because the tech
infrastructure is already in place and ready to use.
Imagine Gainesville as a place where every family’s connection to the world is
as robust and complete as any other, no matter their neighborhood. That’s the
goal. That’s what the most connected city in America looks like.
What would failure look like? Failure would look like not trying. Failure would
be the cost of all the children whose education needs we are unable — or
unwilling — to meet and all the businesses that never consider locating in our
city.
Not every city in America is willing to do what it takes to be connected at the
level that is necessary in the 21st century. Your City Commission has made a
priority of achieving success in this regard. We believe Gainesville has the
potential and the will to deliver the opportunity for success to all our
residents.
Gainesville City Commissioners Adrian Hayes-Santos, Harvey Ward and David
Arreola are members of the commission’s Broadband Connectivity Subcommittee.
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- » [opendtv] City commissioners: Gainesville should be most connected city in America - Opinion - - Gainesville, FL - Craig Birkmaier