[RTC List] Experiments to encourage broadband access and use in California

[JBilderback]

Mr. Richmond:

> Our regulatory structures need revision to encourage business to install 
> fiber/wireless access throughout the state and especially in rural 
> areas.  Should we try to develop a set of regulatory guidelines with 
> counties and municipalities or specific regions of the state?  How can 
> we educate people about ways to use broadband access that will make use 
> of new levels of access?

It seems to me that the last couple decades of "privatization" vs 
"big government" has meant that the businesses handed the tasks 
have been permitted to serve only the highly profitable markets at 
the expense of those who exist outside them. If a telephone 
company, cable company etc is going to be given exclusive rights 
to a region then perhaps they or a partner should be required to 
serve everybody in the region and not just the easy money crowd.

Although educating people about ways to use broadband may be an 
issue, I think that (as always has been the case with new 
technology) simply making it available will provide unanticipated, 
interesting and worthwhile uses of the technology.


> Develop incentives for suppliers and applications developers.  We’ve 
> already proposed changes for state agencies that control access to 
> public right of ways.  Could we work with the state and local government 
> agencies to develop a regulatory free zone to encourage 
> experimentation?  Can we develop models for communities to use to 
> promote broadband access such as the Smart Valley initiative in the 
> Silicon Valley 
> (http://www.jointventure.org/programs-initiatives/smartvalley/smartvalley.html)?  
> Should we consider working with the Legislature to propose tax 
> incentives for the development of new broadband applications?
>  

There are small fees built into phone bills for 911 access and low 
income rates, perhaps there could also be funding for state wide 
broadband access, in whatever form it may take.

> How can we bring suppliers together with those needing broadband 
> resources together on a regional basis to deal with issues of secure 
> access, emergency services, healthcare and so forth?

"Build it and they will come" ?


> Libraries and schools in California are a means for some people, 
> especially those who don’t have computers and broadband, to access these 
> resources.  Is this an option to market the advantages of broadband and 
> new applications that are being developed?  Should we find a few urban 
> and rural libraries and schools and try to help them develop better 
> broadband access and training for people? 

I don't see this as a useful project. If people have access at 
home they will learn to do something useful with it. If it turns 
out training is an issue then the broadband they have access to 
could provide a means to get quality training on line from a 
central source.


> What is the best way to proceed with these experiments?  Do you have 
> ideas of places that would be good to begin?

The only option that I've seriously considered is 101netlink. They 
seem to be willing and able to provide the service but they don't 
have the customer base to move further north from Mt. Pierce, near 
Rio Dell. Perhaps one experiment might be helping them (low/no 
interest loans? or access to monies from the fees suggested 
above?) get into the lower Eel Valley and see if the user base 
grows enough to justify further expansion. However, I see their 
current rate structure as somewhat beyond what I'm willing to pay.

Another option might be HSU itself. Perhaps the school can provide 
a wireless link between a portion of what I assume is a huge 
bandwidth fiber feed and the community.  Certainly Arcata has the 
reputation of being the experimental community of the region. And 
many students are going to have better than average computer 
skills and financial motivation to help get something like this 
working.

These people:  http://meraki.net/  offer some interesting and 
affordable products that would expand either of the above out into 
the served regions.

Jim Bilderback
beyond broadband .. near Fortuna, CA

> Thank you very much for your consideration.  I look forward to your 
> feedback.
>  
> Regards,
> Rollin