CITY OF FRESNO , CA
Broadband Strategic Plan
September 1, 2022
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2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Executive Summary ................................ ................................ ........................ 4 Recommendations ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 5
2. Introduction ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 7 City of Fresno’s Growth Priorities ................................ ................................ ................ 7
3. Asset Assessment ................................ ................................ ......................... 11 CIty owned Assets ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 11 Non -City Owned Assets ................................ ................................ ............................. 12
4. Market Assessment & Gap Analysis ................................ ............................... 13 Introduction ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 14 Facilities -based Service Providers in Fresno ................................ ................................ 16 Wireless Broadband Solutions ................................ ................................ ................... 22 Middle Mile and Edge Data Centers ................................ ................................ ........... 24 Gap Analysis ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 28
5. Business Mode l & Partnership Assessment ................................ ..................... 31 Business models ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 32 Prospective partnerships ................................ ................................ .......................... 35
6. Network Design & Cost ................................ ................................ ................. 37 Construction Methods ................................ ................................ .............................. 37 High Level Design (HLD) ................................ ................................ ............................ 38 HLD – Pilot Areas 1 and 2 ................................ ................................ .......................... 44
7. Recommendations & Next Steps ................................ ................................ .... 47
8. Appendix A: Glossary of Terms ................................ ................................ ...... 49
9. Appendix B: Service Addresses Tested ................................ ............................ 61
10. Appendix C: Case Studies ................................ ................................ ............... 65
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3 TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1. City of Fresno Existing Cable and Conduit ................................ ............................. 11 Figure 2. Fiber Access Points ................................ ................................ ............................... 11 Figure 3. The Middle -Mile Broadband Initiative ................................ ................................ ..... 13 Figure 4. NTIA Underserved Map ................................ ................................ ......................... 15 Figure 5. Gigabit Broadband Availability ................................ ................................ ............... 16 Figure 6. CVIN/Vast Network in Fresno ................................ ................................ ................ 20 Figure 7. 4G Coverage of all providers ................................ ................................ ................. 23 Figure 8. Regional Data Center Locations ................................ ................................ ............ 25 Figure 9. Local Data Center Map ................................ ................................ .......................... 25 Figure 10. Long Haul Fiber ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 26 Figure 11. Los Angeles Data Center Cluster ................................ ................................ ......... 27 Figure 12. Meet -me Room as Driver for Ecosystem Creation ................................ ................ 27 Figure 13. Factors to Consider when Choosing a Broadband Business Model ....................... 31 Figure 17. Broadband Busin ess Models Differing Levels of Control and Investment ............... 32 Figure 15. Existing Fiber and Conduit ................................ ................................ ................... 39 Figure 16. City Construction Needed ................................ ................................ .................... 40 Figure 17. Fiber Paths to Reach Underserved Areas ................................ ............................. 42 Figure 18. South Central Fresno HLD ................................ ................................ ................... 43 Figure 19. Pilot Area 1 ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 45 Figure 20. Pilot Area 2 ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 46
TABLE OF TABLES
Table 1. Key Demographics Compared for State and City ................................ ..................... 10 Table 2. Comcast Offerings in Fresno ................................ ................................ .................. 18 Table 3. AT&T Fiber Services ................................ ................................ .............................. 19 Table 4. Connecting City Facilities Estimated Cost ................................ ............................... 41 Table 6. Underserved Existing Conduit Totals ................................ ................................ ...... 42 Table 7. South Central Fresno – Fiber Network Estimated Cost ................................ ............ 44 Table 8. Pilot Areas Cost Estimates ................................ ................................ ..................... 46
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4 1. Executive Summary
The City of Fresno is a forward -thinking city and has a desire and obligation to help its residents , businesses, and stakeholders access high -speed broadband and the technolog ies that use it. The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the way cities access and utilize technology for the benefit of the commun ity.
Formerly only major technology centers and major markets were supported with broadband ; now a ll of America is now relevant in the world economy, and fiber optic networks are bringing the world together and allowing all communities the ability to attra ct and retain high -end technology jobs , reduc e commut es for its residen ts, and attract large companies and new housing developments. IoT helps individuals with technologies suppor t telehealth and distance learning.
Smart City applications are becoming mo re commonplace through the use of smart traffic controls, parking availability apps, smart building controls , and security monitoring,
There are a few telecommunication incumbents in the Fresno area that, during interviews, expressed an interest in partne ring with the city to expand their networks to areas that are not currently served with high -speed internet . AT &T covers the entire city with different types of technology : DSL (digital subscriber line) , some fiber to the home (FTTH ), and is in the process of upgrading the DSL areas to fiber. Vast Networks (CVIN ), is also very interested in continuing partne rships with Fresno to expand service to areas that are difficult or challenging to build. Fresno has a fairly expansive network that can be leveraged to bring in private investment and meet the goals of the city : to produce a future proof network for the betterment of the city and the region.
The Middle -Mile Broadband Initiative (MMBI ), formerly called the Golden State Middle Mile Network , is a planned state -owned network that will add a level of connectivity never seen in California but is still in the design stages . The MMBI will connect the state of California allowing for municipalities to more efficiently access points of presence and data centers across the state , and ultimately anywhere in the world. These connections are giving all areas of California the tools for economic development to attract companies and employers that can remain connect ed to any network in the world through the i nternet.
Fresno is well -positioned to leverage its existing public assets, secure state and federal broadband grants to expand its network and utilize the future MMBI in order to meet its municipal and community needs in the 21 st Century . This report analyzes the region’s public and private fiber assets, researches the current market and services, and identifies the gaps that exist. It then evaluates different business models and potential partnerships, proposes a conceptual network design and projected costs , and makes key recommendation s on next steps .
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5 RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of conclusions and recommendations :
1. City Broadband Oversight Committee . Form or designate a committee tasked with broadband advancement and decision -making powers.
Create roles and responsibilities, including taking the lead working with local, county, and regional stakeholders for cooperative broadband development and deployment. The committee should research, analyze and advise the City on broadband opportunities a nd policies, and work to refine workflows and policies that encourage private investment in broadband infrastructure.
2. Apply & Secure Grant Funding For Phase 1, Pilot Area 1 & Pilot Area
2. Research and apply for state and federal grants to aid in the pla nning, design, and construction of fiber assets, particularly grants that target underserved areas and development zones.
a. Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) – The City of Fresno was recently awarded the LATA grant in the amount of $496,874 to conduc t planning work in preparation for new broadband deployment. The City will utilize the LATA grant funding to complete the full design engineering for Phase 1, Pilot Area 1, and Pilot Area
2. b. SB 156 Last Mile Grant Funding – Completing the design engineering through the LATA grant will allow the City to submit a competitive grant application for project construction funding through the California Last Mile program, anticipated to be released in late 2022/early 2023. The Last M ile grant program targets un - or under -served areas, such as Pilot Area 1 & Pilot Area 2, as well as the required backbone fiber network to serve those areas.
3. Connect City 10 City Sites Not Currently Served. The City identified 10 parks that currently have no broadband service; the High Level Design in Section 6 proposes network expansion to connect these 10 sites into the City’s fiber network.
4. Establish a Data Center . Offer the space at the historical Bee Building at 1555 Van Ness Ave nue or the DPU O&M Bui lding complex at 1626 E Street , including through the Golden State Network/ Middle -Mile Broadband Initiative , as a data center/colocation building for a Fresno connection point.
5. City Policies & Standards. Create workflows and city policies that aid and en courage broadband infrastructure development through dig once policies, updated construction standards, developer agreements and requirements , joint builds on CIP projects, and any other policy needed to further broadband. These policies should be applied to the private and public sectors including any work being performed in the public -right -of-
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6 way (PROW). Ensure incremental fiber builds during City -wide projects by creating a mechanism to ensure new builds are fully funded before the incremental build op portunities arise.
6. Solicit and Nurture Partnerships. Continue partnership discussions with incumbents and local ISPs , creating a positive environment for unhindered broadband expansion. Solicit new partnerships by l everag ing city fiber and conduit infras tructure to connect City facilities and encourage private expan sion into underserved areas.
7. Create a Formal Partnership with the County . Explore formal partnership structures with Fresno County, who is simultaneously undertaking their own broadband strategic planning process, including possibly establishing a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) that can act as a single lead in grant applications and coordination efforts. Interconnecting County facilities within the City of Fresno to existing City facilities will ensure not only significant cost savings, but create a coordinated, robust, and redundant communications network for public safety, emergency operations, and regional planning.
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7 2. Introduction
The purpose of this plan is to improve connectivity across the City of Fresno to support digital inclusion, municipal operations, and tech -oriented economic development. The City seeks to attract and facilitate private investment as well as make public inv estments where necessary to address community priorities.
To these ends, this plan includes an assessment of existing assets and the local broadband market to identify major gaps. It reviews prospective business models for addressing the gaps, meeting curr ent needs, and positioning for future growth. A conceptual network design reveals the general costs involved to connect city sites and provides a means to estimate revenue potential.
CITY OF FRESNO’S GRO WTH PRIORITIES 1
The City of Fresno recognizes the im portance of broadband and related infrastructure. Inclusivity is very important for the City . Incumbent providers focus on profitable areas rather than under -served areas. Connectivity costs are high and keep rising. There is a lack of competition as well as slow and unreliable services. Broadband is a necessity, not a luxury , particularly for schoolwork and work -from -home . Therefore, the City wants to focus on areas that do not have broadband , and/or areas with low speeds or few options. These seem to be un- or under -served areas in the City’s east, including greenfield developments, in the city center, and to the south and southwest. The City wants to leverage its investments to take advantage of all providers’ strengths and ensure there is no exclusivity.
Fresno is the hub of the San Joaquin Valley , the U.S.’s most productive agricultural area, so it is important for the City to support that sector. That said, the City expects its economic growth to be in technology sectors, which leaders understand will necessitate additional housing. Ag ricultur al tech nology is a particularly promising sector. City leaders feel a critical mass of such firms and a workforce will be necessary for substantial local growth to occur in this sector.
Fresno also seeks to be the prime entertainment and recreation destination in central California, capitalizing on proximity to three national parks and transportation assets , including the Fresno Yosemite International Airport .
Fresno encompasses approximately 130 sq uare miles , but h as r oom to grow , and so could expand to 160 sq uare mile s.
1 Information in this section comes directly from interviews with City of Fresno leaders. It is not based on the opinions or views of Magellan Broadband.
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8 Downtown revitalization is a major focus for the City. Connectivity is critical , especially as residents typically under the age of 40 who are very engaged in technology are moving Downtown from areas like Silicon Valley. The City is seeing an influx of remote workers and is incentivizing them to come , but it can be d ifficult to attract them without superior connectivity. Leaders want to merge broadband with new City infrastructure downtown. Key corr idors that were historically commercial , particularly Blackstone Avenue, Kings Canyon Road, and Ventura Street are being converted to mixed use. Key areas, specifically Blackstone between Olive and Shields, are being redesigned to be more pedestrian -friendly . The City is 36,000 affordable housing units short of state - mandated levels, but the City expects to meet these levels by developing smaller 400 to 600 sq uare foot units.
The City itself has substantial network assets , but also is chall enged with growing connectivity needs. For example, there are 21 fire stations, including the airport, each with 10 to 15 staff , and the City plans to add five or six more, all of which need connectivity, as does the new fire training facility. The station s currently have 100 Mbps connections but need higher speeds . The Police Department has five district stations , each with 60 to 70 officers, a separate location for evidence and records, and will build a new headquarters within 10 years. Police operations use even more bandwidth tha n Fire. The City does not have a permanent Emergency Operations Center location, and the mobile EOC struggles with connectivity. The water treatment plant, Fire Station 19, and several other City sites do not have any fiber conne ctions.
The City has 150 cameras, with traffic and security cameras on buses that connect via unreliable wireless connections , while other cameras are connected with fib er. First responders require mobile connectivity, which is provided by AT&T FirstNet, but use land -mobile radio (LMR) as primary means of communication. City personnel contend that both cellular and LMR had substantial gaps within Fresno ; the airport and Edison areas were specifically noted. There ha ve been a few 5G cell sites established in the area , but not enough to close the gaps. These are just some examples of how network infrastructure and services are unable to meet the needs for growing municipal operations, and how private services are not effectively meet ing the Ci ty’s requirements.
A recent technology master plan for the City suggested the goal of “fiber city - wide to improve City communications and to extend broadband Internet access across the City to encourage and support economic development, education,
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9 and impr ove public access to City services and information. ”2 That plan also noted the need to accommodate small -cell wireless infrastructure. Wi-fi in public spaces is a starting point for increasing connectivity in Fresno. The City has a trial program for Wi-Fi in buses , which works via cellular backhaul, and there has been a push for Wi -Fi in parks.
Demographics are important to broadband planning. The Fresno area population has consistently grown over 1% per year, which is expected to continue, maintaining Fres no as California’s fifth largest city. The City’s population is relatively young, as shown Table 1. The area has lower educational achievement and incomes than the state overall, and a poverty rate nearly twice that of the state. The City has a relatively higher proportion of people working in production, sales, services, and trades, and although the largest percentage of persons were employed in management, business, science, and arts occupations , that proportion is still below the State average .
The impli cation of the demographics is that the City of Fresno’s residents may face financial challenges in securing reliable , high -speed internet access. Based on the City’s challenges with connectivity for its personnel and City sites, simple availability and quality of service are likely also issues, particularly in older, lower -income areas of town.
2 “The City of Fresno Strategic Technology Master Plan : Final Report,” November 2016, revised July 2021, pg. 56, https://www.fresno.gov/informatio nservices/wp - content/uploads/sites/15/2021/07/City -of-Fresno -Strategic -Technology -Master -Plan -Update - July -2021.pdf
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10 Table 2-1. Key Demographics Compared for State and City 3
DEMOGRAPHIC
STATE OF
CALIFORNIA
CITY OF
FRESN
O
AGE
UNDER 18 22.8% 28.2%
65 AND OVER 14.3% 11.6%
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE 26.4% 34.7%
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE (INCLUDES
EQUIVALENCY)
51.7% 53.1%
SOME COLLEGE OR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE 75.9% 81.8%
BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHER 46.2% 30.4%
OCCUPATION
MANAGEMENT, BUSINESS, SCIENCE, AND ARTS 40.3% 31.3%
SALES AND OFFICE 20.9% 22.0%
SERVICE 18.1% 21.7%
PRODUCTION, TRANSPORTATION, AND
MATERIAL MOVING
11.9% 14.4%
EDUCATION, LEGAL, COMMUNITY SERVICE,
ARTS, AND MEDIA
11.4% 10.8%
NATURAL RESOURCES, CONSTRUCTION, AND
MAINTENANCE
8.8% 10.6%
HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS AND TECHNICAL 5.2% 5.5%
MEDIAN ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME $78,672 $53,368
POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LEVEL 12.6% 23.5%
While costly, poor -quality connectivity is not a root cause of the socio -economic challenges facing the City of Fresno, abundant, fast, reasonably priced connectivity can be part of the solution. Access to education, job opportunities, and health services can be improved with broadband. Opportunities for online, remote work and for generating income as a content creator can grow with reliable access to high -speed broadband. Simple connections with distant families and friends – as well as those nearby – are made possible with broadband. More saliently, the full range of City plans for its future effectively require broadband. This Broadband Strategic Plan lays out options and a roadmap for building this new critical infrastructure for Fres no’s future.
3 US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020 5 -year Estimates , https://data.census.gov/ cedsci
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11 3. Asset Assessment
CITY OWNED ASSETS
The city of Fresno owns or has right to use a relatively large amount of infrastructure that can be leveraged for advancing broadband . Fresno owns or has access to approximately 93. 2 miles of existing fiber optic cables (shown in black) and about 19. 8 miles of conduit placed as part of other projects (shown in purple) that can be leveraged.
Figure 1. City of Fresno Existing Cable and Conduit
A major aspect of the usability o f the existing conduit and fiber infrastructure is the placement of access points in the form of handholes, vaults, or pull boxes.
Figure 2 shows the location of these access points and how they allow for easy use of the existing infrastructure.
Figure 2. Fiber Access Points
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12 NON -CITY OWNED ASSET S
Private Sector
The private sector within the city limits of F resno has extensive infrastructure , and during discussions with Magellan , it was clear that they are investing in more fiber and broadband infrastructure in Fresno. Non -disclosure agreements prevent a full accounting of the interviews; however, we believe the investment planned in the private sector is real and will greatly benefit the residen ts and businesses of Fresno.
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13 There are a few sections of the City where broadband needs are not being met yet the private sector is not planning on expanding due to the high cost of construction and a lower return on investment . For these areas to be successfu l in supporting broadband, the City will need to create partnerships with the private sector by providing infrastructure, permitting help, and updated construction and restoration standards making the areas more profitable and attractive (see Figure 4 for a map outlining underserved areas ).
Middle -Mile Broadband Initiative
Part of California Senate Bill 156 (SB 156) was the creation of a “middle -mile” network inter connecting California through a state -owned fiber optic network .
The network is not fully desi gned and final plans for the entire network are not set; however , the portions of the network that traverse through and around Fresno will greatly aid in future broadband connectivity. The City of Fresno has a space at the historical Bee Building at 1555 Van Ness Ave or the DPU O&M Building complex at 1626 E Street that can be offered as a colocation/data center space to further incentivize and leverage matching private investment .
These existing city facilities that has space available for use.
Figure 3. The Middle -Mile Broadband Initiative 4
4. Market A ssessment & Gap Analysis
4 https://middle -mile -broadband -initiative.cdt.ca.gov/pages/data -and -analysis
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14 INTRODUCTION
Magellan Advisors analyzed the broadband landscape of the City of Fresno to determine the available options available to residents a nd businesses . The analysis focused on internet speeds and pricing from commercial internet service providers (ISPs). Emphasis was on “facilities -based” carriers, or those that own physical infrastructure including fiber, copper, and coaxial cables , as well as those that own wireless infrastructure including radios and satellites.
This market assessment describes findings of this research and makes observations regarding the services currently offered in the area. The conclusion of these findings supports the City making public investments and working to increase competition, which would exert downward pressure on the price of service offerings. Competition will ensure more affordable, reliable high -speed broadband options for the area’s residents, business es, and anchor institutions.
Summary Discussion
Fresno is well served according to Federal standards of 25 Mbps download /3 Mbps upload speed and California standards of symmetrical 100 Mbps download/100 Mbps upload speed . As illustrated on the NTIA underserved map (Figure 4) and o n the California Broadband Map (Figure 5), almost the entirety of the City of Fresno has a gigabit offering.
However, over 80% of the City has no competition for high -speed broadband services; the only gigabit provider is Comcast -Xfinity . In about 20% of the city, there is a n alternative, competitive gigabit provider - AT&T - that has a fiber - based option . The majority of the City only has outdated AT&T DSL as an alternative.
In most cases, testing revealed speeds met the FCC minimum data rates ; download speeds of 25 to 100 Mbps were common throughout the City.
Achieving 25 -100 Mbps over DSL indicate s that AT&T has at least deployed fiber to neighborhood cabinets to form a fiber backbone . This should reduce the costs and time of a fiber to the premises upgrade.
Given the current and anticipated environment in Fresno, the City would benefit from a new full -fiber competitor, either public or private. Figure 4 shows the National Technology and Information Administration map for areas in Fresno that are below the FCC’s minimum 25/3 speed.
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15 Figure 4. NTIA Underserved Map 5
More critically, there are more dispersed areas within Fresno that do not meet the California minimum of 100/100 Mbps (see Figure 5).
5 https://broadbandusa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer
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16 Figure 5. Gigabit Broadband Availability 6
The city is fully covered with 4G/LTE by the major US providers: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. This competitive environment should put Fresno toward the front of the line for 5G upgrades.
FACILITIES -BASED SER VICE PROVIDERS IN
FRESNO
This section will discuss the current state of “facilities -based” internet service providers serving Fresno. Facilities -based service providers own their cables , wires , cabinets and other telecommunication infrastructure .
6 https://www.broadbandmap.ca.gov/
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17 Comcast Corporation
Comcast is a multinational telecommunications and media conglomerate and is the largest cable TV company and internet provider in the U.S. They have over 30 million resid ential subscribers and 2.2 million business customers across 40 states. Their headquarters is in Philadelphia, where they’ve just completed a 1,121 -foot addition to their existing headquarters , making the new Comcast Technology Center the tallest building in the city. Total annual revenues exceed $100 billion with approximately 65% from cable and telecommunication services.
The remaining revenue is split between their other major holdings - NBC Universal and Sky (UK). Net income in 2020 was over $10 bi llion.
As the legacy cable TV provider in Fresno, Comcast has near 100% coverage of the city. They provide the traditional “Triple -Play Bundle” of voice, cable TV and Internet services. They have leveraged their hybrid fiber -coax (HFC) network and the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS ) standards to provide a common set of services throughout the city.
The focus of this study is on internet access only , as Magellan projects cable TV will continue to transform into primarily a stre aming internet application. For Internet access services in Fresno , Comcast’s recent offerings start at 50 Mbps for $20/month with a one -year agreement , which assumes a discount of $10/month for automatic electronic billing. This package includes 1.2 terabytes (TB) of data per month with 50 gigabit ( GB) blocks automatically added at $10 each.
Beyond this entry level offer, their recent promotional rates were 600 Mbps, 900 Mbps and 1 ,200 Mbps for $50/mo., $60/mo., and $70/mo. respectively. These rates are guaranteed for 24 months with a one-year contract. They jump an additional $30/mo. after the first two years. These offers include a data cap of
1.2 TB per month with 50 GB blocks automatically added at $10 each.
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18 Table 2. Comcast Offerings in Fresno
SPEED PROMO
MRC*
CONTRAC
T TERM
MRC TERM MRC AFTER
PROMO
ENDS
DATA
CAP
DATA
OVERAGE
CHARGES
50 MBPS
$20/ mo 12 months 12 months $50/month 1.2 TB $10/mo per $50 GB
100
MBPS
$40/m o 12 months 24 months $70/month 1.2 TB $10/ mo per $50 GB
600
MBPS
$50/ mo 12 months 24 months $80/month 1.2 TB $10/ mo per $50 GB
900
MBPS
$60/mo 12 months 24 months $90/month 1.2 TB $10/ mo per $50 GB
1200
MBPS
$70/mo 12 months 24 months $100/month 1.2 TB $10/ mo per $50 GB
*MRC –Monthly Recuring Rate
The upstream rates are not published by Comcast. These tend to be in the 5-20 Mbps range due to inherent limitations in their Hybrid -Fiber -Coax (HFC) network architecture. For Comcast to offer significantly higher upstream rates , outside plant upgrades wo uld be required. These include deploying new fiber deeper into each neighborhood as well as upgrading all existing amplifiers in the field.
Comcast, and the cable industry in general, has a straightforward and comparably inexpensive upgrade path or roa dmap to gigabit and 10 gigabit services, including the addition of higher speed symmetrical services.
Cable Labs, the research and development organization of the cable industry, has recently certified DOCSIS 4.0 with deployment expected to start in 2025 .
This will enable Comcast to increase aggregate and per home data rates without massive outside plant upgrades or new construction . New equipment at the centralized headend and new customer premises equipment are all that’s required. The more advanced f eatures, highest speeds, symmetrical services, and advanced capabilities of DOCSIS 4.0 do require outside plant upgrades and will likely be concentrated initially in the more affluent neighborhoods and commercial centers. Many of these requisite upgrades are part of a general planned upgrade to push fiber closer to homes and eliminate as many costly analog RF signal amplifiers and aging coaxial cable as possible.
In addition to higher speed modems, Comcast is investing in technologies and solutions to imp rove the overall customer experience and raise the bar for competitors and new entrants. For example, they are offering enhanced secure whole -home Wi -Fi to improve performance throughout the home and reduce Wi - Fi related call center activity.
They are also adding new consumer services to enhance their ‘bundle’ and increase consumer switching costs when moving to a new provider. New services include home security with 24 -hour monitoring and mobile cellular
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19 offerings. The mobile offerings are based on a n MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) agreement with Verizon Wireless that gives them a Comcast -branded national wireless footprint on the Verizon Network. As of the Second Quarter in 2021, Comcast has over 3.4 million wireless customers generating ove r $2 billion annually in revenues.
AT&T
AT&T is the Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) , or the legacy telephone company in Fresno. AT&T has a large ILEC footprint across the USA as well as in California. AT&T is, in reality, SBC, Southwestern Bell Corporation, which bought AT&T Long Distance years ago and kept the well -known AT&T brand name. SBC also bought fellow ILECs Pacific Bell , Ameritech and Bell South resulting in their huge national footprint .
Typically, ILEC s have nearly 100% coverage and this is true with AT&T in Fresno. Additionally, AT&T has deployed fiber to the home or premises across 20% of Fresno.
Table 3. AT&T F iber Services
SERVICE DATA RATE COSTS EXTRAS
AT&T FIBER
INTERNET 1000
1Gbps $60/mo. +$10/mo. Modem
Fee
AT&T FIBER
INTERNET 500
500 Mbps $45/mo. +$10/mo. Modem
Fee
AT&T FIBER
INTERNET 300
300 Mbps $35/mo. +$10/mo. Modem
Fee
For at least 80% of the city, AT&T offers internet access over their legacy investments in DSL (Digital Subscriber Lines) technologies which enable data services over copper phone wires. The data bandwidth supported by DSL depends on the length of the cop per wire and the type of DSL deployed. AT&Ts DSL offerings start as low as 768 Kbps (less than 1 Mbps) at locations such as North 6th Steet and reaches a maximum advertised speed “up to” 100 Mbps at locations such as West Lexington Ave nue. 10, 25, 50, and 75 Mbps speeds were the most common ly found in Magellan’s research of AT&T DSL services in Fresno .
Although AT&T offers at least seven (7) different DSL packages with advertised speeds ranging from “up to 768 Kbps” all the way to “up to 100 Mbps,” AT&T charges the same $45/month for all DSL subscriptions, regardless of the actual data rate provided. These fees do not include the DSL modem/Wi -Fi router , which adds another $10/month “modem lease” fee , and a $10/month charge for each 50 GB of data over the cap of 1 Terabyte (TB, or 10,000 MB), making their offering even less competitive with Comcast .
These relatively fast DSL speeds of “up to 100 Mbps” imply that AT&T has deployed significant amounts of fiber to neighborhood pedestals and cabinets,
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20 relying on copper only locally within neighborhoods for the last few hundred feet to get into the home or business. Existing fiber backbones could reduce the cost and time for them to upgrade more areas to true gigabit fiber networks.
Since the pandemic a nd the accompanying wide -spread realization that broadband and internet access were essential to modern life, AT&T has made numerous public statements about their goal to deploy fiber to millions of customers throughout their footprint. AT&T also has a nat ionwide mobile network and are deploying fiber to support towers and small cell antennas as they expand their 5G coverage.
AT&T’s annual capital budgets are in the tens of billions of dollars, but this is disbursed throughout their footprint , including national 5G rollouts. The challenge for Fresno is when , and wher e, AT&T will deploy fiber in the City.
Magellan believes that AT&T is focused on overbuilding fiber in the larger cities in their ILEC footprint , and projects that Fresno is one higher -priority regions based on the size of the residential market. During discussions with AT&T , they noted that in 2021 they added over 60 miles of fiber serving dozens of neighborhoods in Fresno . In 2022, they are targeting over 80 miles of new fiber .
They also have 39 retail locations in the city, which includes AT&T Wireless as well.
CVIN /Vast
Magellan and the City of Fresno also met with CVIN /Vast , a major provider of business connectivity services. CVIN (Central Valley Independent Network) has an agreement with the City to maintain their existing fiber. It also has a dark fiber ring for the Fresno Unified School District that connects 85 school s.
Throughout the central valley’s 18 counties, CVIN has a 1,300 + mile fiber backbone. Their network assets in Fresno are extensive , as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6. CVIN/Vast Network in Fresno
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21 CVIN/Vast does not target the single -family home market ; however, they do serve the large multi -dwelling unit (MDU) market and are in discussions with the Fresno Housing Authority to serve the City’s public housing. They anticipate bring ing gigabit fiber to some of Fresno’s affordable housing developments, with the Housing Authority deploy ing and manag ing a campus -wide Wi -Fi network.
New Fiber Entrants
Given the current dynamics in Fresno, Magellan anticipates that a new fiber entrant would find the city an attractive investment and would gain sufficient market share (take rate) to achieve sustainability. A new entrant with a full fiber architecture, including ubiquitous services to residential and business premises, would create a vibrant three -way gigabit market in the City.
According to the U.S. Census Depar tment, there are 168,800 households in Fresno. A new entrant would need roughly a 35% take -rate to achieve steady - state operations, or about 57,000 households. The neighborhoods in Fresno are dense in grid -like arrangements with 20 to 34 homes per 1,000 f eet of road.
This enables the fiber construction costs to be amortized over more households reducing the cost to pass and serve each one.
While the City should support and encourage new facilities -based entrants, they must ensure that the benefits rea ch the entire city and is not limited to the more affluent neighborhoods. The City should also be careful not to give any single entity an unfair economic advantage in the process.
Other issues with that must be addressed with private companies include, b ut are not limited to:
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22 The critical nature of fiber as civil infrastructure Universal coverage and deployment timing
Cybersecurity, neutrality, and privacy
Transfer of ownership
Summary of Feedback from Facility -based Providers in Fresno
1. All three service providers are interested in sharing construction. If the city was digging a trench along the streets of Fresno, all service providers would be interested in deploying their own conduit. This would apply to any trench (water, sewer, etc.), even i f the city was not deploying their own telecommunications conduit. A 90 -day notice, or longer, was requested. Comcast stated a specific interest in the downtown areas, since, as a legacy cable TV company , they lack assets in dense commercial areas.
2. Current C ity policies may be actually increas ing the cost to deploy assets in Fresno : there is a City ordinance that mandates underground conduit be installed a minimum of 10 feet from water pipes. This exceeds State regulations and can add substantial costs to constructing new assets in Fresno , as well as negate opportunities for joint trench ing.
3. It was noted by service providers that the restorations and moratoriums on newly paved streets can be excessive. A long -term paving schedule was requested in order to plan pre -moratorium construction.
4. The two incumbent ISPs, Comcast and AT&T, both expressed interest in working with, or partnering with, the city to address the affordability issue.
Both have a low -priced offering for qualified low -income households, and both have programs built around the $30/month Affordable Connectivity Program ( ACP) subsidy.
5. Educating the community on the availability of the ACP subsidy can increase the number of households connected to the internet . To be neutral and non -discr iminatory, it would be worth exploring a City-led ACP educational outreach program with both Comcast and AT&T.
WIRELESS BROADBAND S OLUTIONS
This section highlight s the wireless broadband solutions in Fresno , including 4G, 5G, fixed wireless , and satellite.
Mobile Network Operators 4G & 5G
According to the FCC, the City of Fresno is well covered with 4G mobile offerings from AT&T, Verizon , T-Mobile , and US Cellular. The FCC uses Form 477, a self -reporting instrument , to assess and determine coverage areas.
Although Figure 7 shows complete coverage of the Fresno area, the FCC’s
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23 disclaimer notes that “the coverage map is based on propagation modeling, a user’s actual, on -the-ground experience may vary due to factors such as the end-user device used to connect to the network, cell site capacity, and terrain. ”7 Figure 7. 4G Coverage of all providers
Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISP)
WISP s offer internet access over a point -to-point wireless connection. These line -of-sight technologies deploy a radio antenna at the customer premises that creates the wireless radio frequency (RF) connection to a centralized antenna typically located many mile s away. WISP s need to backhaul data to the same interconnect facilities that hardline fiber optic networks use – data centers in major cities like San Jose and Los Angeles. When fiber backhaul is not available , some WISPs use point -to-point wireless micr owave links. WISPs currently offering services in Fresno include:
unWired Broadband covers close to the entire city with plans starting at $60/month and speeds of up to one gigabit.
Sebastian covers about 3.6% with 100 Mbps for $135/month.
Satellite
7 https://www.fcc.gov/BroadbandData/MobileMaps/mobile -map -How the map was prepared.
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24 Historically, there are two satellite internet companies servicing the entire continental U .S.; HughesNet and ViaSat. These are based on geosynchronous satellites (GEO) that orbit ~23,000 miles above the earth. Even though the signals travel at the speed of light, the 23,000 miles up and 23,000 miles down adds substantial latencies (600 -700 milliseconds) and signal degradations that minimizes the effective bitrates.
There are at least two Low Earth Orbit Satellites (LEOS) constellations being deployed to day. One is Starlink , from Elon Musk’s SpaceX Corporation, and the other is OneWeb, a UK -based consortia. These satellites orbit the earth at altitudes of about 350 -500 miles. Thus, latencies have been reduced to 30 -50 milliseconds (as compared to the 600-700 milliseconds latencies of the GEO offerings ). Data rates of 50 -100 Mbps downstream are expected once the full constellation of satellites is launched over the next few years.
Starlink is currently in beta testing and has limited availability in most locations.
Subscriber costs are $99/month with a $500 upfront charge for hardware.
Magellan does not consider GEO or LEO satellite broadband as a viable primary option for urban and suburban users. However, they could be considered as a redundant and/or back -up link for city government, businesses, or residences.
MIDDLE MILE AND EDGE DATA CENTERS
The broadband network begins at a home or business, but it does not end at the local central office or fiber aggregation point. The end of the broadband network , or the “edge ,” is where it connects to the internet (and also where the cloud services interconnect) . These edges reside in data centers and interconnect facilities in select U.S. cities. While there are more regional data centers in Fresno or in nearby cities, the nearest major internet peering center is in San Jose, approximately 125 miles from Fresno , or in Los Angeles, approximately 210 miles way .
There are limited data centers outside of San Jose and Los Angeles. Most of those shown in F resno, Modesto and Bakersfield are legacy Level 3 and Time - Warner inter -connect facilities. This is not an immediate concern assuming sufficient connectivity to San Jose and Los Angeles. However, the city and region should encourage and facilitate data c enter development over the long term.
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25 Figure 8. Regional Data Center Locations
Figure 9. Local Data Center Map
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26 Figure 10 shows backhaul fiber that is capable of carrying data to peering centers running through Fresno along and parallel to Highway 99. There are multiple providers of middle mile fiber , as well as redundant routes to San Jose.
Similarly, for redundancy and resiliency purposes, connecting to Los Angeles is prudent to ensure there is not just a single connection to the internet that can b e disrupted . There appears to be abundant fiber heading to Los Angeles as well.
Figure 10. Long Haul Fiber
The internet peering centers in San Jose and Los Angeles are two of the best - connected centers in the world. Fresno would be well served with redundant connections to each.
A major trend in data and software applications is the migration of services to “the cloud .” By moving data resources closer to the edge, end users are able to reduce latency and improve application per formance. Thus, data centers and peering points are increasingly being established further from the major internet centers to enable better cloud services in areas further from major US cities .
To illustrate the value of hosting a data center , these larg e interconnect facilities in the Los Angeles area provide an aggregation point for more than 250 service providers and cloud companies that interconnect at One Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. In addition, the Meet -Me-Room (MMR) at One Wilshire has attr acted a cluster of data centers in the surrounding buildings.
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27 Figure 1 1. Los Angeles Data Center Cluster
The City of Fresn o could benefit from the creation of a similar vibrant MMR and data center ecosystem . San Jose and Los Angeles data center users would benefit from the Fresno location for redundancy and disaster recovery. Fresno and Fresno County would benefit from having “the Edge” in the city.
Figure 12. Meet -me Room as Driver for Ecosystem Creatio n
Summary
The City is considered well served by Federal and State definitions since all residents of Fresno have access to Comcast. However, only 20% of the City has access to direct fiber and multi -gigabit providers. From a mobility
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28 perspective, the City is well covered by the three major mobile network operators. There also appears to be sufficient fiber to ensure the City has redundan t high -speed connect ions to major internet peering points.
The City should encourage incumbents to accelerate fiber deployments and encourage a new fiber entrant, public or private, to compete in the city. The City should work with all entities deploying fiber in to ensure there is sufficient infrastructure for all mu nicipal and smart city purposes.
Fresno is strategically located and in the long term, the City and region would benefit from having data centers to ensure Fresno, and the county, are in the early deployment waves of new digital services and applications that will enable economic growth and development .
GAP ANALYSIS
Magellan analyzed the broadband market in the City of Fresno and identified four broadband -related gaps :
1. Lack of Competitive Broadband Providers
2. Lack of Data Centers and Interconnect Facilities.
3. Lack of Digital Infrastructure in the South Central Fresno
4. Lack of Internet Access Among a Portion of Fresno Households GAP 1 – Lack of Competitive Broadband Providers
According to the FCC, the City is adequately served , as almost all residents have access to Comcast internet services with advertised speeds up to 1.2 Gbps. However, Magellan considers that ‘served’ should imply at least two ISPs with gigabit offerings in order to offer service options and ensure competiti ve pricing . Today, only 20% of Fresno with access to the second option of AT&T Fiber meets Magellan’s definition of “adequately served. ” The remaining 80% of Fresno has only a single provider - Comcast – for high - speed internet access. In these areas, the only competition is through AT&T DSL subscription over their legacy copper telephone network , which is only able to offer inferior data speeds of 25 to 100 Mbps . While these speeds meet the FCC’ s minimum definition of broadband, they are not sufficien t, and do not meet the California minimum standard for high -speed broadband . As noted above, AT&T is deploying substantial amounts of fiber each year. However, Fresno is a large city , and most areas will not have competition for many years.
Comcast typ ically has regional pricing and will not unnecessarily increase prices in uncompetitive areas. However, facilities -based gigabit competition will drive incumbents' timing for distribution and equipment upgrades, customer service, and top-tier broadband speeds .
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29 GAP 2 – Lack of Data Centers and Interconnect Facilities Fresno is strategically located and there is sufficient backhaul /longhaul fiber connecting the region to the rest of the State and , concurrently, the Internet.
However, despite significant fi ber cables providing data transport, the City does not host many data or peering centers that can enable carrier interconnectivity and encourage entry of new carriers or private investment .
In the long run, The City of Fresno will benefit from having an interconnect facility in the city to drive the development of data center infrastructure and to participate in the evolution of the cloud and edge computing.
GAP 3 – Lack of Digital Infrast ructure in South Central Fresno South Fresno, also known as the South Industrial Priority Area, is identified in Figure IM -1 of the Fresno General Plan as a priority area that is in need of infrastructure investment. The South Central Specific Plan includ es three policies that relate to “Internet Access and Computer Literacy .” However, Magellan ’s analysis shows that this area needs the requisite digital infrastructure in order to achieve many of the other goals and policies stated in the South -Central Spe cific Plan and should be a top priority equal to other utilities (e.g., water, electricity, and sanitation ).
Fiber should form the foundation for the area’s digital infrastructure. It will facilitate the Specific P lan’s stated priorities of improving quality of life, maximizing economic benefit, and reducing environmental impact.
GAP 4 - Lack of Internet Access Among a Portion of Fresno Households Fresno residents lacking broadband access are not constrained by service availability , as the entirety of the City has access from either Comcast or AT&T or through wireless provider . Households reporting no internet access , including substantial socio -economic segments of the population (low income, seniors and the disabled ) are primarily the result of financ ial ability and digital literacy .
The cost of digital devices such as laptops, PCs, or tablets , as well as the monthly recurring fees, can be cost prohibitive for some households and result in the lack of any internet access . Digital literacy , or the knowledge and ability to use devices to access the internet , can also deter households from engaging in the digital world – particularly senior and immigrant populations with fewer opportunities to use, learn and develop digital skills .
Although b oth Com cast and AT&T are willing to work with the City to promote federal ACP subsidies, this can only address household finances, not the digital literacy challenge . Partnering with non -profit organizations and other community -based organizations can help the C ity provide more training and
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30 educational opportunities to help digitally -marginalized communities close the gap.
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31 5. Business Model & Partnership Assessment
Cities are realizing the importance of next -generation broadband services to support the future of their communities. Evidence demonstrates that broadband services have a net positive economic and social impact to communities by enhancing competitiveness, workforce development, educational capabilities, municipal operations, and smart city deployment.
Figure 13. Factors to Consider when Choosing a Broadband Business Model
To determine which business model for municipal broadband is best, local governments should understand various factors, shown in Figure 13, such as:
community needs, competitive market factors that define infrastructure options, and o rganizational and operational capabilities of the local government itself .
The various business models, illustrated in Figure 17, involve different levels of investment and control that come with varying risks and rewards. The City of Fresno has numerous options – from a lassie -faire, public policy -only approach all the way across the spectrum to a full retail internet business . The key factors that defin e a public -private partnership, as opposed to simply a customer -vendor relationship, is that : (a) all parties contribute, (b) each parties’ benefits are based on their contributions, and (c) one partner does not pay another; there are few or limit ed transactions between partners.
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32 Figure 1 7. Broadband Business Models Differing Levels of Control a nd Investment
BUSINESS MODEL S 8
Public Policy Only
The municipality utilizes its public policy tools to influence how broadband services are likely to develop in its community. Public policies are shaped to streamline the processes of designing, construct ing, and managing broadband infrastructure in a local government’s jurisdiction. Focus areas include right -of- way access, permitting processes and costs, construction practices and placement methods, franchis e agreements , and utility fee assessments.
Examp les of broadband policies and standards include: joint trenching and “dig once” policies, utility relocations, road moratoriums, and funding mechanisms for design, labor, and materials. This option is not considered a true business model but does impact the local broadband environment and is therefore included as one option.
The key to successful policy development and implementation is inter - departmental coordination and communicating the shortcomings in current practices and policies. With a better understanding of interdependent
8 Case studies for each business model are included in Appendix C.
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33 responsibilities, policies can be improved. In addition, changes often come with an associated cost, so municipality will often need to est ablish a fund to assist in the early adoption of certain policies.
Infrastructure Provider
Cities that provide conduit and dark fiber services to local organizations are generally considered infrastructure providers. They lease these assets to community o rganizations, businesses , and broadband providers. These organizations use municipal fiber to connect to one another and to data centers to reach the Internet, cloud services , and other content networks. Many municipal providers who have deployed these ser vices began by building their own fiber networks to serve purely municipal functions. As their networks grew, they realized that these networks could provide access to local organizations needing fiber connectivity.
Dark fiber is the core product of most infrastructure providers and is generally utilized by businesses and community anchor organizations in order to reduce their telecommunication expenses and achieve higher bandwidth speeds .
Typically dark fiber strands are leased using a simple mileage -base d price calculation to the end user. However, customers may require new construction to reach their facilities, resulting in construction costs to be incurred by the municipality and which will be charged back to customers to allow the municipality to reco up its investment.
Public Services Provider
Public service s provider s utilize publicly -owned fiber and broadband resources to interconnect multiple public organizations with fiber or wireless connectivity.
These organizations are generally limited to the community anchors within their jurisdiction, including local governments, school districts, higher educational organizations, public safety organizations, utilities , and healthcare providers.
The majority of these anchors require substantial connectivity a nd often, the local government’s network can provide higher capacity at lower costs than these organizations are able to obtain in the commercial market.
Open-Access Provider
Local governments that ad opt the open -access model generally own substantial fiber -optic network s in their communities. Open -access allows these local governments to “light” the fiber and equip the network with the electronics necessary to establish a transport circuit to interconnect service providers with the local network.
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34 The concept of open -access enables competition a mong service providers across a network that is owned by the local government . The municipality remains neutral and non -discriminatory , and is open equally to any providers that seek to deliver services over the network. Service providers lease access to the network based on the amount of bandwidth required by the end customer and an establishe d standard rate structure and terms of service . Open -access networks generally charge wholesale rates to retail broadb and providers. They publish rates for competitive service providers, charging a monthly recurring fee based on bandwidth of the service utilized or a flat fixed fee per month. Services offered may include Internet, telephone, data connectivity (transport), and dark fiber.
Municipal Retail Provider – Business Only
A common goal for municipalities that deploy broadband networks is to support local economic development needs. Local governments equip their business and industrial districts with fiber infrastructure through which they can provide cost effective, high -speed Internet and other data services to local customers.
Municipal business providers offer competitively priced Internet and communication services that are generally very competitive in the small and medium business market against other provider offerin gs. They compete on both price and quality, generally focused on the following value proposition, all at a lower monthly cost:
Higher bandwidth, scalable to Gigabit speeds
Symmetrical service, the same upload and download
Higher quality fiber connections w ith less downtime and a stronger service level agreement
Responsive local customer service
Municipal Retail Provider – Residential
Municipalities that provide end user services to residential and business customers are considered retail service providers. Most commonly, local governments offer triple -play services consisting of phone , television, and Internet services , essentially becoming an equal competitor to incumbent cable and broadband providers . As a retail provider, the organization is responsible f or a significant number of operational functions, including management of retail services , network operations, billing, provisioning, network construction, and general management .
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35 Public -Private Partnerships
Public -private partnerships (P3s) are an emergi ng business model that provides an innovative solution to an ongoing municipal broadband issue: how does a local government invest in municipal broadband without operating a broadband network? Generally, P3s create a cooperative platform for a local govern ment and one or more private organizations to plan, fund, build , and maintain a broadband network within the municipality’s jurisdiction. To make a P3 successful, each organization should align on negotiable agreements, which can include:
Who has rights to access the network – is it exclusive or non -exclusive? What are the public and private partners’ goals and how are they incentivized?
What roles and responsibilities does each partner have? What assets are financed through the public?
What revenue model is used to recoup investment?
What requirements must the private partner meet, in terms of service availability, speed, price, build locations, and performance schedules ? How will the partners determine future buildouts and who pays for them?
PROSPECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
County of Fresno
The county of Fresno is in the process of developing a fiber master plan that highlights opportunities to work with county stakeholders, including the City of Fresno. Fresno is the largest city in the county , holds the most assets , and has a vision of expanding broadband access and competition, and should take the lead in partnership discussions with the County . The IT department in the City of Fresno has a n existing relationship with the County , and the timing of both entit ies simultaneously undertaking broadband strategic projects offers tremendous potential for coordination and regional approaches. Magellan recommends forming a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) with the County, with an authoritative board that ca n align major c apital projects for cost savings and joint build opportunities, coordinate public policy for broader, more consistent outcomes and impacts, and act as the region’s advocate and organizer for broadband access and digital literacy .
Fresno Coalition for Dig ital Inclusion (FCDI)
FCDI is a non-profit organization that is focused on improving digital inclusion in the County of Fresno and affiliated with other regional organizations with similar goals . The City of Fresno has communities in need of better, more affordable
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36 access to digital technology and education , helping individuals and businesses acquire the knowledge and skills needed to compete and thrive in the digital age, particularly among marginalized socio -economic groups. Alignment and collaboration with FCDI would greatly benefit both groups and open new opportunities for outreach, engagement, and education .
San Joaquin Regional Broadband Consortium (SJVRBC) 9
SJVRBC has the charge of expanding broadband throughout the San Joaquin Valley. San Joaquin is an adjoining county with the same purposes and goals as the City and County of Fresno, and better communication and coordination can aid both groups in understanding and expanding broadband and digital literacy in the region.
Private Providers
AT&T was interviewed and provided updated information regarding the plans to extend the fiber -to-the-home footprint in Fresno. They also noted their interest in helping with d igital literacy projects and offered to work on partnering with the City to close the digital divide. AT&T also showed an interest in doing joint build opportunities with the City when possible. AT&T has a good working relationship with the City of Fresn o, and the City should leverage broadband policies and standards that align with AT&T’s plans to quickly expand its fiber network while working together on growing ACP participation for affordable access .
CVIN/Vast is a local ISP that has a large fiber n etwork in the City of Fresno and has partnered with the City on many occasions . CVIN/Vast is ready and willing to continue the partnership opportunities in utilizing city assets and sharing resources reach underserved areas of Fresno that have the most imm ediate needs. This is a partnership that needs to be further explored , particularly since City assets could be leveraged in a public -private partnership arrangemen t, including potential data center s and operations .
9 https://www.sanjoaquinvalleynetwork.org/
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37 6. Network Design & Cost
Magellan’s team developed a high -level design (HLD) that incorporated the findings from the asset inventory, needs assessment, market assessment , and gap analysis . The HLD is a conceptual network to connect City facilities to a common network while supporting adjoini ng areas with improved broadband access and competition .
The first step in the design process was to identify the sites and areas that need broadband upgrades . Once the sites, goals, and areas were identified, the existing infrastructure was plotted and assessed to determine how to best utilize it for cost savings and quick deployment. Magellan approached the design assessing the existing environment in order to utilize the most cost -effective construction methods : existing fiber, existing conduit, new aerial, microtrenching, and, if needed, new underground boring.
CONSTRUCTION METHODS
Existing Assets and Infrastructure
Existing assets consist of any conduit, cable, pole, tower, handholes, and rights - of-way that have been previously constructed and ha ve the capacity to be used to add additional or new broadband technologies. Existing infrastructure are the first construction methods considered when starting a design due to the benefits of cost savings and speed to market. It was importa nt to investigate a nd analyze all possible infrastructure , regardless of which department or company owns the asset .
Existing conduits do not have to be built specifically for fiber , or even be empty ; if the conduit has a large enough diameter , a new cable can be pulled in even if there already is a cable installed . Existing fiber cables with very low strand availability can be used effectively with the use of wave division multiplexing and very high bandwidth technologies , reducing the need for high strand co unt.
Power p oles can be used for aerial cable placement and wireless technology deployment . Poles have some inherently attributes that can determine their feasibility for use . The cost for aerial construction is substantially less expensive than other methods , and time to market can be considerably faster.
However, some poles may be overloaded and/or unsafe, and thus not suitable to add new cables ; poles are also vulnerable to vandalism, weather, and rodent damage. When a pole is overloaded and unsafe for construction, the pole has to be replaced or new underground has to be used to avoid the bad pole , adding to the costs . Due to the physical vulnerabilities , aerial construction is only recommended when the cost savings far outweigh the exposure.
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38 New Construction
New construction is the last option considered when designing a broadband network for two reasons : it incurs a higher cost, yet is slower to deploy due to added permitting, engineering, and construction requirements .
For underground condui t/cable placement, the simplest method is ploughing , which uses a tractor with a blade and conduit or cable is placed as the blade is drug through the ground . However, this method is typically used in greenfield areas without any existing underground infra structure that might be damaged during the ploughing process .
Microtrenching can be used in places with existing infrastructure; it uses a carbide tipped saw blade that cuts a 24” deep trench through asphalt, dirt, concrete, etc ., in which conduit or cab le is then placed in the trench and restored back to the original state. However, microtrenching is still an invasive excavation technique that assumes no interconnecting/crossing infrastructure is placed within the 24” area being cut.
Boring can be used to tunnel underneath or between existing underground infrastructure, using a machine that drills rods through the ground at any depth needed and places a conduit in the hole the drilling just created. This is a very expensive method for many r easons , including the high cost of operating and maintaining these machines and the level of engineering required . The liability of underground boring is high because the drilling process is not always precise , and hitting other existing utilities is a re al and fairly common possibility .
HIGH LEVEL DESIGN (HLD)
Most HLD’s are broken down into phases that allow for logical systematic construction priorities . In order to meet the needs and goals of the City of Fresno, Magellan has developed a unique HLD that is not as formulaic as typical approaches . The conceptual HLD is based on connecting city facilities, parks, and other youth and senior centers that currently have no or inadequate internet access , as well as two pilot areas . The pilot areas have been selected by the City based on the number of households that qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and/or the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) .
Existing Assets
The existing City -owned/controlled fiber in Figure 15 is depicted in orange and varies in strands availability from 12 to 96 (available strands need to be verified with field engineering); existing conduit is depicted in purple. By leveraging the City’s fiber and/or existing conduit through a public private partnership (P3), the City has opportunities to efficiently reach some underserved areas. Existing
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39 conduit can be leased to a private partner (rather than constructed on their own), thereby reducing the capital required, and consequently, improving the return on investment for private companies to build into high -cost areas.
Figure 15. Existing Fiber and Conduit
HLD – Connecting City Facilities
One of the goals of the City was to have the parks and community centers connected to broadband with at least 100 Mbps speeds. There are a couple of options to accomplish this goal . The option shown in Figure 16 proposes the City build laterals off the existing infrastructure and connect the 10 sites identified by the City that are currently without service . An alternative option is to use a public -private partnership where the City’s local ISP partner undertakes the service drops/lateral connections and provide the services.
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40 Figure 16. City Construction Needed
Clovis
Highway city
HWY 180
HWY 41
N Clovis Ave
N Blackstone Ave
New City Sites
to be Connected
1) Mary Ella Brown
Center
2) Mosqueda
Center
3) Lafayette Park
4) Einstein Park
5) Quigley Park
6) El Dorado Park
7) Melody Park
8) Fink White Park
9) Sunset Park
10) Highway City
Science Ctr.
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41 Table 4. New City Sites to Connect with Broadband Services New City Sites to be Connected Address
Mary Ella Brown Center 1350 E Annadale Ave.
Mosqueda Center 4670 E Butler Ave.
Lafayette Park 1516 E Princeton Ave
Einstein Park 3566 E Dakota Ave
Quigley Park 808 W Dakota Ave.
El Dorado Park 5161 N. 6th Street
Melody Park 5935 E Shields Ave.
Fink White Park 535 S Trinity
Sunset Park 1345 W Eden Ave.
Highway City Science Ctr. 5140 State Street.
The estimated costs to connect the 10 City facilities is approximately $4.7 million and includes utilizing more than 7,000 feet of existing conduit to reduce the capital required.
Table 5. Estimated Costs to Connect City Facilities
Connect City Facilities Construction Cost
Construction Type Footage Per Ft $ Total Estimated Cost Existing Conduit 7,184.00 25 $ 179,600.00 New Underground 50,460.00 90 $ 4,541,400.00 Total 57,644.00 90 $ 4,721,000.00
HLD – Support for Underserved Areas
The City seeks to support underserved area s as defined by the National Technology and Information Administration (NTIA ), and Figure 17 identifies a strategy to accomplish this goal . The main reason areas remain underserved is because private companies weigh the capital costs against the market and timeline for a return on their investment; areas that are costly to build but that don’t have high projected revenues are often ignored. Ho wever, public investment offsets the private capital required, and encourages market entry.
The City can utilize the existing conduit shown in Figure 17 through a public - private partnership with an ISP, thereby lowering the cost of construction to these ta rgeted areas. Notably, t hese underserved areas can be accessed without any additional construction, but simply by utilizing existing City infrastructure .
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42 Figure 17. Fiber Paths to Reach Underserved Areas
Table 6. Underserved Existing Conduit Totals
Underserved Support Area Estimated Footage
Construction Type Feet
Existing Conduit 104,524.00 Total 104,524.00 HLD – South Central Fresno
The City’s South Central Specific Plan (SCSP) contains the following two policies that will be addressed to some degree as part of the Fiber Master Plan and implementation .
E-11: Increase public access to quality internet service.
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43 E-12: Prioritize fiber connectivity in the plan area.
More specifically, the Fiber Master Plan has the potential to ease industrial truck traffic through the Plan Area along corridors that utilize traffic signal controls connected by fiber. Additionally, the SCSP policy relate d to quality internet service will be addressed in the Fiber Master Plan with high -speed broadband through a robust fiber optic network .
Figure 18. South Central Fresno HLD
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44 Table 7. South Central Fresno – Fiber Network Estimated Cost South Central Fresno Estimated Footages and Cost
Construction Type Footage Max of Price/Ft Estimated Total Existing Conduit 18,766.00 $ 25.00 $ 469,150.00 New Underground 50,460.00 $ 90.00 $ 4,541,400.00 Total 69,226.00 $ 90.00 $ 5,010,550.00 HLD – PILOT AREAS 1 AND 2
Fresno has economically marginalized areas identified by a higher -than -average household enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP ). To help support these areas , the City of Fresno has identifie d two locations with high density apartments, or multi -dwelling unit s (MDUs), that have a need fo r broadband connectivity. MDUs were the focus of these Pilot Areas because constructing fiber to one building can service potentially hundreds of customers and is more cost effective then building to single family homes one at a time. Conceptually, these areas have been designed with a FTTH architecture by suppl ying fiber connectivity to each detached structure .
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45 Figure 19. Pilot Area 1
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46 Figure 20. Pilot Area 2
Table 8. Pilot Areas Cost Estimates
Pilot 1 and 2 Estimated Footage and Cost
Focus Area Construction Type Est. FT Max of Price/Ft Sum of Total Pilot Area 1 - Path New Underground 10,636 $ 90.00 $ 957,240.00 Pilot Area 1 - Path Total 10,636 $ 90.00 $ 957,240.00 Pilot Area 2 - Path New Underground 20,171 $ 90.00 $ 1,815,390.00 Aerial 5,018 $ 30.00 $ 150,540.00 Pilot Area 2 - Path Total 25,189 $ 90.00 $ 2,267,010.00 Total 267,219 $ 90.00 $ 3,224,250.00
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47 7. Recommendations & Next Steps
Based on Magellan’s analysis and research, the following seven recommendations can help the City of Fresno attain its goals of enabling the City to better allocate its information technology resources and to obtain greater benefits for its investments in information technology .
8. City Broadband Oversight Committee . Form or designate a committee tasked with broadband advancement and decision -making powers.
Create roles and responsibilities, including taking the lead working with local, county, and regional stakeholders for cooperative broadband development and deployment. The committee should research, analyze and advise the City on broadband opportunities and policies, and work to refine workflows and policies that encourage private investment in broadband infrastructure.
9. Apply & Secure Grant Funding For Phase 1, Pilot Area 1 & Pilot Area
2. Research and apply for state and federa l grants to aid in the planning, design, and construction of fiber assets, particularly grants that target underserved areas and development zones.
a. Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) – The City of Fresno was recently awarded the LATA grant in the am ount of $496,874 to conduct planning work in preparation for new broadband
deployment. The City will utilize the LATA grant funding to complete the full design engineering for Phase 1, Pilot Area 1, and Pilot Area
2. b. SB 156 Last Mile Grant Funding – Comp leting the design engineering through the LATA grant will allow the City to submit a competitive grant application for project construction funding through the California Last Mile program, anticipated to be released in late 2022/early 2023. The Last Mile grant program targets un - or under -served areas, such as Pilot Area 1 & Pilot Area 2, as well as the required backbone fiber network to serve those areas.
10. Connect City 10 City Sites Not Currently Served. The City identified 10 parks that currently have no broadband service; the High Level Design in Section 6 proposes network expansion to connect these 10 sites into the City’s fiber network.
11. Establish a Data Center . Offer the space at the historical Bee Bui lding at 1555 Van Ness Ave or the DPU O&M Building complex at 1626 E Street , including through the Golden State Network/ Middle -Mile Broadband Initiative , as a data center/colocation building for a Fresno connection point.
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48 12. City Policies & Standards. Creat e workflows and city policies that aid and encourage broadband infrastructure development through dig once policies, updated construction standards, developer agreements and requirements , joint builds on CIP projects, and any other policy needed to further broadband. These policies should be applied to the private and public sectors including any work being performed in the public -right -of- way (PROW). Ensure incremental fiber builds during City -wide projects by creatin g a mechanism to ensure new builds are fully funded before the incremental build opportunities arise.
13. Solicit and Nurture Partnerships. Continue partnership discussions with incumbents and local ISPs , creating a positive environment for unhindered broadba nd expansion. Solicit new partnerships by l everag ing city fiber and conduit infrastructure to connect City facilities, and encourage private expan sion into underserved areas , including the South Central Fresno .
14. Create a Formal Partnership with the Count y. Explore formal partnership structures with Fresno County, who is simultaneously undertaking their own broadband strategic planning process, including possibly establishing a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) that can act as a single lead in grant application s and coordination efforts. Interconnecting County facilities within the City of Fresno to existing City facilities will ensure not only significant cost savings, but create a coordinated, robust, and redundant communications network for public safety, eme rgency operations, and regional planning.
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49 8. Appendix A: Glossary of Terms
3G – Third Generation The third generation of mobile broadband technology, used by smart phones, tablets, and
other mobile devices to access the web.
4G – Fourth
Generation
The fou rth generation of mobile broadband
technology, used by smart phones, tablets, and
other mobile devices to access the web.
5G – Fifth Generation The fifth generation of mobile broadband technology, used by smart phones, tablets, and
other mobile devices to access the web. It is
believed that this technology will significantly
increase bandwidth to users, up to 1 Gig.
ADSL – Asymmetric
Digital Subscriber Line
DSL service with a larger portion of the capacity
devoted to downstream communications, less to
upstream. Typically thought of as a residential
service.
ADSS – All-Dieletric
Self -Supporting
A type of optical fiber cable that contains no
conductive metal elements.
AMR/AMI – Automatic
Meter
Reading/Advanced
Metering Infrastructure
Electrical meters that measure more than simple
consumption and an associated communication
network to report the measurements.
ATM – Asynchronous
Transfer Mode
A data service offering that can be used for
interconnection of customer’s LAN. ATM provides
service from 1 Mbps to 145 Mbps utilizing Cell Relay
Packets.
Bandwidth The amount of data transmitted in a given amount of time; usually measured in bits per second, kilobits
per second (kbps), and Megabits per second (Mbps).
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50 Bit A single unit of data, either a one or a zero. In the world of broadband, bits are used to refer to the
amount of transmitted data. A kilobit (Kb) is
approximately 1,000 bits. A Megabit (Mb) is
approximately 1,000,000 bits. There are 8 bits in a
byte (which is the unit used to measure storage
space), therefore a 1 Mbps connection takes about 8
seconds to transfer 1 megabyte of data (about the
size of a typical digital camera photo).
BPL – Broadband over
Powerline
A technology that provides broadband service over
existing electrical power lines.
BPON – Broadband
Passive Optical
Network
BPON is a point -to-multipoint fiber -lean architecture network system which uses passive splitters to
deliver signals to multiple users. Instead of running
a separate strand of fiber from the CO to every
customer, BPON us es a single strand of fiber to
serve up to 32 subscribers.
Broadband A descriptive term for evolving digital technologies that provide consumers with integrated access to
voice, high -speed data service, video -demand
services, and interactive delivery serv ices (e.g. DSL, Cable Internet).
CAD – Computer
Aided Design
The use of computer systems to assist in the
creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a
design.
CAI – Community
Anchor Institutions
The National Telecommunications and Information
Administration defined CAIs in its SBDD program as
“Schools, libraries, medical and healthcare
providers, public safety entities, community colleges
and other institutions of higher education, and other
community support organizations and entities.”
Univers ities, colleges, community colleges, K -12
schools, libraries, health care facilities, social
service providers, public safety entities, government
and municipal offices are all community anchor
institutions.
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51 CAP – Competitive
Access Provider
(or “Bypass Carrier”) A Company that provides
network links between the customer and the Inter -
Exchange Carrier or even directly to the Internet
Service Provider. CAPs operate private networks
independent of Local Exchange Carriers.
Cellular A mobile communications s ystem that uses a
combination of radio transmission and conventional
telephone switching to permit telephone
communications to and from mobile users within a
specified area.
CLEC – Competitive
Local Exchange
Carrier
Wireline service provider that is autho rized under
state and Federal rules to compete with ILECs to
provide local telephone service. CLECs provide
telephone services in one of three ways or a
combination thereof: 1) by building or rebuilding
telecommunications facilities of their own, 2) by
leasing capacity from another local telephone
company (typically an ILEC) and reselling it, and 3)
by leasing discrete parts of the ILEC network
referred to as UNEs.
CO – Central Office A circuit switch where the phone lines in a geographical area come toget her, usually housed in
a small building.
Coaxial Cable A type of cable that can carry large amounts of bandwidth over long distances. Cable TV and cable
modem service both utilize this technology.
CPE – Customer
Premise Equipment
Any terminal and associ ated equipment located at a
subscriber's premises and connected with a carrier's
telecommunication channel at the demarcation point
("demarc").
CWDM – Coarse
Wavelength Division
Multiplexing
A technology similar to DWDM only utilizing less
wavelengths in a more customer -facing application
whereby less bandwidth is required per fiber.
Demarcation Point
(“demarc”)
The point at which the public switched telephone
network ends and connects with the customer's on -
premises wiring.
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52 Dial -Up A technology that provides customers with access to the Internet over an existing telephone line.
DLEC – Data Local
Exchange Carrier
DLECs deliver high -speed access to the Internet,
not voice. Examples of DLECs include Covad,
Northpoint and Rhythms.
Downstream Data flowing from the Internet to a computer (Surfing the net, getting E -mail, downloading a file).
DSL – Digital
Subscriber Line
The use of a copper telephone line to deliver
“always on” broadband Intern et service.
DSLAM – Digital
Subscriber Line
Access Multiplier
A piece of technology installed at a telephone
company’s Central Office (CO) and connects the
carrier to the subscriber loop (and ultimately the
customer’s PC).
DWDM – Dense
Wavelength Division
Multiplexing
An optical technology used to increase bandwidth
over existing fiber -optic networks. DWDM works by
combining and transmitting multiple signals
simultaneously at different wavelengths on the same
fiber. In effect, one fiber is transfor med into multiple virtual fibers.
E-Rate A Federal program that provides subsidy for voice and data circuits as well as internal network
connections to qualified schools and libraries. The
subsidy is based on a percentage designated by the
FCC.
EON – Ethernet
Optical Network
The use of Ethernet LAN packets running over a
fiber network.
EvDO – Evolution
Data Only
EvDO is a wireless technology that provides data
connections that are 10 times as fast as a traditional
modem. This has been overtaken by 4G LTE.
FCC – Federal
Communications
Commission
A Federal regulatory agency that is responsible for
regulating interstate and international
communications by radio, television, wire, satellite
and cable in all 50 states, the District of Rock Falls, and U.S. territories.
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53 FDH – Fiber
Distribution Hub
A connection and distribution point for optical fiber
cables.
FTTN – Fiber to the
Neighborhood
A hybrid network architecture involving optical fiber
from the carrier network, terminating in a
neighborhood cabine t which converts the signal from
optical to electrical.
FTTP – Fiber to the
premise (or FTTB –
Fiber to the building)
A fiber -optic system that connects directly from the
carrier network to the user premises.
FTTx – Fiber to the X All fiber optic topologies from a provider to its customers, based on the location of the fiber's
termination point
GIS – Geographic
Information Systems
A system designed to capture, store, manipulate,
analyze, manage, and present all types of
geographical data.
GPON - Gigabit -
Capable Passive
Optical Network
Similar to BPON, GPON allows for greater
bandwidth through the use of a faster approach (up
to 2.5 Gbps in current products) than BPON.
GPS – Global
Positioning System
a space -based satellite navigation system that
provides location and time information in all weather
conditions, anywhere on or near the Earth where
there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more
GPS satellites.
GSM – Global System
for Mobile
Communications
This is the current radio/telephone s tandard
developed in Europe and implemented globally
except in Japan and South Korea.
HD – High Definition
(Video)
Video of substantially higher resolution than
standard definition.
HFC – Hybrid Fiber
Coaxial
An outside plant distribution cabling concept
employing both fiber -optic and coaxial cable.
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54 ICT – Information and
Communications
Technology
Often used as an extended synonym for information
technology (IT), but it is more specific term that
stresses the role of unified communications and the
integra tion of telecommunications, computers as
well as necessary enterprise software, middleware,
storage, and audio -visual systems, which enable
users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate
information.
IEEE – Institute of
Electrical Engineers
A profession al association headquartered in New
York City that is dedicated to advancing
technological innovation and excellence.
ILEC – Incumbent
Local Exchange
Carrier
The traditional wireline telephone service providers
within defined geographic areas. Prior to 19 96,
ILECs operated as monopolies having exclusive
right and responsibility for providing local and local
toll telephone service within LATAs.
IP-VPN – Internet
Protocol -Virtual
Private Network
A software -defined network offering the appearance,
functional ity, and usefulness of a dedicated private
network.
ISDN – Integrated
Services Digital
Network
An alternative method to simultaneously carry voice,
data, and other traffic, using the switched telephone
network.
ISP – Internet Service
Provider
A company providing Internet access to consumers
and businesses, acting as a bridge between
customer (end -user) and infrastructure owners for
dial -up, cable modem and DSL services.
ITS – Intelligent Traffic
System
Advanced applications which, without embodying
inte lligence as such, aim to provide innovative
services relating to different modes of transport and
traffic management and enable various users to be
better informed and make safer, more coordinated,
and 'smarter' use of transport networks.
Kbps – Kilobits per
second
1,000 bits per second. A measure of how fast data
can be transmitted.
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55 LAN – Local Area
Network
A geographically localized network consisting of
both hardware and software. The network can link
workstations within a building or multiple computer s
with a single wireless Internet connection.
LATA – Local Access
and Transport Areas
A geographic area within a divested Regional Bell
Operating Company is permitted to offer exchange
telecommunications and exchange access service.
Calls between LATAs are often thought of as long
distance service. Calls within a LATA (IntraLATA)
typically include local and local toll services.
Local Loop A generic term for the connection between the customer’s premises (home, office, etc.) and the
provider’s serving ce ntral office. Historically, this has been a copper wire connection; but in many areas it
has transitioned to fiber optic. Also, wireless
options are increasingly available for local loop
capacity.
MAN – Metropolitan
Area Network
A high -speed intra -city network that links multiple
locations with a campus, city or LATA. A MAN
typically extends as far as 30 miles.
Mbps – Megabits per
second
1,000,000 bits per second. A measure of how fast
data can be transmitted.
Middle Mile Network Middle mile is a term most often referring to the network connection between the last mile and
greater Internet. For instance, in a rural area, the
middle mile would likely connect the town's network
to a larger metropolitan area where it interconnects
with major carriers.
MPLS – Multiprotocol
Label Switching
A mechanism in high -performance
telecommunications networks that directs data from
one network node to the next based on short path
labels rather than long network addresses, avoiding
complex lookups in a routing table.
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56 ONT – Optical
Network Terminal
Used to terminate the fiber -optic line, demultiplex
the signal into its component parts (voice telephone,
television, and Internet), and provide power to
customer telephones.
Overbuilding The practice of building excess capacity. In this context, it involves investment in additional
infrastructure projects to provide competition.
OVS – Open Video
Systems
OVS is a new option for those looking to offer cable
television service outside the current framework of
traditional r egulation. It would allow more flexibility in providing service by reducing the build out
requirements of new carriers.
PON – Passive Optical
Network
A Passive Optical Network consists of an optical line
terminator located at the Central Office and a set of
associated optical network terminals located at the
customer’s premise. Between them lies the optical
distribution network comprised of fibers and passive
splitters or couplers. In a PON network, a single
piece of fiber can be run from the serving exch ange
out to a subdivision or office park, and then
individual fiber strands to each building or serving
equipment can be split from the main fiber using
passive splitters / couplers. This allows for an
expensive piece of fiber cable from the exchange to
the customer to be shared among many customers,
thereby dramatically lowering the overall costs of
deployment for fiber to the business (FTTB) or fiber
to the home (FTTH) applications.
PPP – Public -Private
Partnership
A Public –Private Partnership (PPP) is a government
service or private business venture that is funded
and operated through a collaborative partnership
between a government and one or
more private sector organizations. In addition to
being referred to as a PPP, they are sometimes
called a P3, o r P 3.
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57 QOS – Quality of
Service
QoS (Quality of Service) refers to a broad collection
of networking technologies and techniques. The goal
of QoS is to provide guarantees on the ability of a
network to deliver predictable results, which are
reflected in Ser vice Level Agreements or
SLAs. Elements of network performance within the
scope of QoS often include availability (uptime),
bandwidth (throughput), latency (delay), and error
rate. QoS involves prioritization of network traffic.
RF – Radio Frequency a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of
radio waves, and the alternating currents which
carry radio signals.
Right -of-Way A legal right of passage over land owned by another.
Carriers and service providers must obtain right -of-
way to dig trenches or plant poles for cable systems,
and to place wireless antennas.
RMS – Resource
Management System
A system used to track telecommunications assets.
RPR – Resilient
Packet Ring
Also known as IEEE 802.17, is a protocol standard
designed for the optimized transport of data traffic
over optical fiber ring networks.
RUS – Rural Utility
Service
A division of the United States Department of
Agriculture, it promotes universal service in
unserved and underserved areas of the country with
grants, loans, and financing. Formerly known as
“REA” or the Rural Electrification Administration.
SCADA – Supervisory
Control and Data
Acquisition
A type of industrial control system (ICS). Industrial
control systems are comp uter controlled systems
that monitor and control industrial processes that
exist in the physical world.
SNMP – Simple
Network Management
Protocol
An Internet -standard protocol for managing devices
on IP networks.
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58 SONET –
Synchronous Optical
Network
A family of fiber -optic transmission rates.
Streaming Streamed data is any information/data delivered from a server to a host where the data represents
information that must be delivered in real time. This
could be video, audio, graphics, slide shows, web
tours, combinations of these, or any other real time
application.
Subscribership Subscribership is how many customers have subscribed for a particular telecommunications
service.
Submarine Network Submarine networking is the process by which data is carri ed on subsea cables to connect continents.
Submarine networks carry 95 percent of the world’s
intercontinental electronic communications traffic.
Switched Network A domestic telecommunications network usually accessed by telephone, key telephone systems,
private branch exchange trunks, and data
arrangements.
T-1 – Trunk Level 1 A digital transmission link with a total signaling speed of 1.544 Mbps. It is a standard for digital
transmission in North America.
T-3 – Trunk Level 3 28 T1 lines or 44.736 Mbps.
UNE – Unbundled
Network Element
Leased portions of a carrier’s (typically an ILEC’s)
network used by another carrier to provide service to
customers. Over time, the obligation to provide
UNEs has been greatly narrowed, such that the most
common UNE now is the UNE -Loop.
Universal Service The idea of providing every home in the United States with basic telephone service.
Upstream Data flowing from your computer to the Internet (sending E -mail, uploading a file).
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59 UPS – Uninterruptable
Power Supply
An electrical apparatus that provides emergency
power to a load when the input power source,
typically main power, fails.
USAC – Universal
Service Administrative
Company
An independent American nonprofit corporation
designated as the administrator of the Federal
Universal Service Fund (USF) by the Federal
Communications Commission.
VDSL – Very High
Data Rate Digital
Subscriber Line
A developing digital subscriber line (DSL)
technology providing data transmission faster than
ADSL over a single flat untwisted or twisted pair of
copper wires (up to 52 Mbit/s downstream and 16
Mbit/s upstream), and on coaxial cable (up to 85
Mbit/s down and upstream); using the frequency
band from 25 kHz to 12 MHz.
Video on Demand A service that allows users to remotel y choose a movie from a digital library whenever they like and
be able to pause, fast -forward, and rewind their
selection.
VLAN – Virtual Local
Area Network
In computer networking, a single layer -2 network
may be partitioned to create multiple distinct
broadcast domains, which are mutually isolated so
that packets can only pass between them via one or
more routers; such a domain is referred to as a
Virtual Local Area Network, Virtual LAN or VLAN.
VoIP – Voice over
Internet Protocol
An application that e mploys a data network (using a
broadband connection) to transmit voice
conversations using Internet Protocol.
VPN – Virtual Private
Network
A virtual private network (VPN) extends a private
network across a public network, such as the
Internet. It enables a computer to send and receive
data across shared or public networks as if it were
directly connected to the private network, while
benefitting from the functionality, security and
management policies of the private network. This is
done by establishing a virtual point -to-point
connection through the use of dedicated
connections, encryption, or a combination of the two.
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60 WAN – Wide Area
Network
A network that covers a broad area (i.e., any
telecommunications network that links across
metropolitan, regional , or national boundaries) using
private or public network transports.
WiFi WiFi is a popular technology that allows an
electronic device to exchange data or connect to the
Internet wirelessly using radio waves. The WiFi
Alliance defines WiFi as any "wireless local area
network (WLAN) products that are based on the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers'
(IEEE) 802.11 standards".
WiMAX WiMAX is a wireless technology that provides high - throughput broadband connections over long
distances. W iMAX can be used for a number of
applications, including “last mile” broadband
connections, hotspot and cellular backhaul, and high
speed enterprise connectivity for businesses.
Wireless Telephone service transmitted via cellular, PCS, satellite, or other technologies that do not require
the telephone to be connected to a land -based line.
Wireless Internet 1) Internet applications and access using mobile devices such as cell phones and palm devices. 2)
Broadband Internet service provided via wireless
conn ection, such as satellite or tower transmitters.
Wireline Service based on infrastructure on or near the ground, such as copper telephone wires or coaxial
cable underground or on telephone poles.
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61 9. Appendix B: Service Addresses Tested
ADDRESS PROVIDER
TECHNOLOGY
PROVIDER
3247 E
MONO AVE,
FRESNO, CA
93702
AT&T Fiber Comcast
4009 ARDEN
DR S,
FRESNO, CA
93703
AT&T Fiber Comcast
1007 E
FAIRMONT
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93704
AT&T Fiber Comcast
288 W SAN
RAMON AVE,
AT&T Fiber Comcast
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62 FRESNO, CA
93704
1133 E
PONTIAC
WAY,
FRESNO, CA
93704
AT&T Fiber Comcast
566 E
TERRACE
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93704
AT&T Fiber Comcast
732 W
CORTLAND
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93705
AT&T Fiber Comcast
2815 E SWIFT
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93726
AT&T Fiber Comcast
4567 E
FAIRMONT
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93726
AT&T Fiber Comcast
4881 E
FLORADORA
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93727
AT&T Fiber Comcast
1544 N
PACIFIC AVE,
FRESNO, CA
93728
AT&T Fiber Comcast
1122 E
BREMER AVE,
FRESNO, CA
93728
AT&T Fiber Comcast
2084 E
BRANDYWINE
LN, FRESNO,
CA 93720
AT&T DSL Comcast
7540 N 8TH
ST, FRESNO,
CA 93720
AT&T DSL Comcast
346 W
LEXINGTON
AT&T DSL Comcast
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63 AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93711
7270 N
SEQUOIA
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93711
AT&T DSL Comcast
5234 W
SPRUCE AVE,
FRESNO, CA
93722
AT&T DSL Comcast
1672 W
VARTIKIAN
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93711
AT&T DSL Comcast
4753 W
MESA AVE,
FRESNO, CA
93722
AT&T DSL Comcast
5232 N LEAD
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93711
AT&T DSL Comcast
4165 N
CONSTANCE
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93722
AT&T DSL Comcast
3114 W
HOLLAND
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93722
AT&T DSL Comcast
4306 W
HARVARD
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93722
AT&T DSL Comcast
1266 E MESA
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93710
AT&T DSL Comcast
529 E
HOLLAND
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93704
AT&T DSL Comcast
5556 N 6TH
ST, FRESNO,
CA 93710
AT&T DSL Comcast
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64 3786 E
PONTIAC
WAY,
FRESNO, CA
93726
AT&T DSL Comcast
227 E
OLEANDER
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93706
AT&T DSL Comcast
2370 S IVY
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93706
AT&T DSL Comcast
155 S
MERIDIAN
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93702
AT&T DSL Comcast
2525 S PAGE
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93725
AT&T DSL Comcast
4648 E
WOODWARD
AVE, FRESNO,
CA 93702
AT&T DSL Comcast
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65 10. Appendix C: Case Studies
Public Policy Case Study: Santa Cruz County, California In 2013, t he Santa Cruz County B oard of Supervisors approved an overhaul of its broadband infrastructure plans and regulations. Specific areas of focus include d permitting fee reductions and joint -build opportunities.
The initiatives were crafted into a comprehensive set of policies that addressed :
A “dig once” process that requires notification and an opportunity for broadband companies to joint build or add infrastructure whenever excavation takes place, making it easier to install fiber -optic cables during other scheduled work on roads or utilitie s lanes.
Development of master lease agreements to simplify access to county facilities.
Including fiber -optic conduit requirements as part of all public works projects, new developments, and land divisions.
Public Services Provider Case Study: Seminole Co unty, Florida Seminole County owns and operates a 450 -mile fiber -optic network that was installed over the past 20 years primarily to serve transportation needs. The County’s Traffic Engineering Group initially developed the network by connecting traffic s ignals to fiber in the early 1990s to provide enhanced communications and better reliability. What was originally conceived to be a transportation upgrade ultimately became a telecommunications resource that now connect s public organizations across the C ounty.
To date, t he network connect s 26 fire stations, 58 county buildings, 44 schools, 4 Seminole State College campus es, 41 city buildings , and 17 water treatment plants . In addition, the department maintains over 375 traffic signals, 148 school flashers at 73 locations, 46 beacons and flashers , and 29 variable message signs. The fiber network consists of different types of cables and strand counts:
single mode, multi -mode , and hybrid , result ing in approximately 1,246 active strand pair miles of fiber.
Seminole County’s network has saved its public service organizations millions of dollars and has enabled the county and its cities to:
Share resources between the county, cities, schools and community colleges
Aggregate demand for public procurements to attain volume purchasing power
Provide inter -jurisdictional public safety communications between the county and cities
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66 Reduce public organizations spend on communications services Future -proof the communications needs of all organizations connected to the network
Infrastructure Provider Case Study: Santa Monica, California In 2002, when Santa Monica renewed its franchise with the local cable provider, it also included a lease of fiber -optic network capacity to connect various schools and community college sites. The city paid construction costs of $530,000 and shared the ongoing costs with the schools and community colleges but were then able to switch off of circuits leased from private telecom companies, saving a combined $400,000 in annual telecommunicat ions costs.
The savings was used as seed capital for the development of the city’s own fiber -optic network.
Today, 126 businesses are connected to Santa Monica’s CityNet. The network covers approximately eight square miles and soon will be delivering up t o 100 Gbps of symmetrical broadband access. Prices for services are negotiated for each business customer individually. CityNet was able to achieve the following goals for the community:
Lower costs of Internet access for the city and schools Establish fre e Wi -Fi in 35 public hot zones as well as distribute 375 computers in kiosks and libraries in town for free access Nurture existing businesses, attract new businesses, support startups, VCs, and incubators
Create an environment for other incumbents to inve st in city infrastructure Open Access Provider Case Study: Palm Coast, Florida
In 2006, the Palm Coast City Council approved a 5 -Year , $2.5 million fiber -optic deployment project. The network was developed to support growing municipal technology needs acro ss all p ublic organizations, including city, county, public safety, and education. The city utilized a phased approach to build its network using joint build and dig once opportunities, and aligning installation with other CIP projects . As each phase was c onstructed, the City connected its own facilities as well as coordinated connections to other public organizations.
Through deployment of this network since 2007 , the City has realized a savings of nearly $2 million, while simultaneously generating over $5 00,000 annually in new revenue from other network users .
In a market where local fiber was scarce and unaffordable for all but the largest businesses, Palm Coast FiberNet now provides fiber access to the local area .
Service providers utilize the network to deliver Internet and business communications services for significantly lower costs than were previously
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67 available. The city has enabled new competition and introduced a competitively priced fiber product into the wholesale market.
Municipal Business Retail Provider Case Study: Hudson, Ohio Similar to other communities that have recently decided to invest in municipal networks, Hudson’s focus is solely on Internet and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). The gigabi t network will be deployed incrementally by Hudson Public Power focusing on downtown and areas of high demand. Through the reinvestment of service fees from customers, the city plans to grow the network as a self -sustaining venture.
Hudson’s municipal netw ork is marketed under the name Velocity Broadband and is one of the first cities in the Midwest to offer gigabit connectivity.
Municipal Residential Retail Provider Case Study: Morristown, Tennessee
At the time of Morristown’s initial deployment in 2004, fiber -to-the-home was not a common practice. However, once the City realized that fiber was a way to secure the network investment for the future , it was an easy decision . Nearly a decade later, the future -proofed network was able to quickly and easily upg rade to gigabit speeds without touching the fiber but by simply replacing the electronics .
Morristown Utility System (MUS) FiberNet started signing up customers in 2006, and by 2008 had a take rate of 33%, with take rates in 2015 over 44% of homes passed, and a greater percentage of businesses. Out of the four service providers that Morristown has for broadband, 80% of residents have availability to choose from at least two of those providers 10 and 100% of Morristown households have access to broadband Inter net.
FiberNet’s have had numerous positive impacts, including:
Cash flow positive two years after launch , net income positive after five years
Revenues of $8.6 and $8.9 million in 2013 and 2014, respectively Businesses and residents saving $3.4 million annually $840,000 in savings from a smart meter program
Attracting major employers and private investment that have added hundreds of jobs and brought in 21 st Century industries, including biotech firms
10 http://www.musfiber.net
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68 Public Private Partnerships Case Study: Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, C alifornia
The cities of Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga in California both contracted with Inyo Networks DBA: Onward in P3 agreements , where Onward function s as the network operator and retail pr ovider of business and residential fiber service , but the cities remain owner of the asset. The cities receive a percentage of gross revenues generated from the network assets, and in turn are responsible for all capital cost associated with fiber expansio n.
Onward provides a full suite of IP enabled services , including cable TV, phone (VOIP) and symmetrical gigabit Internet services . Retail 1 Gbps residential service starts at $69 per month, and a 1 Gbps business service at $250 per month.