DATE:
February 25, 2025
TO:
Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM:
Christina Gilmore, Intergovernmental Relations
Manager
Arn Andrews, Assistant City Manager
VIA:
Kimbra McCarthy, City Manager
TITLE: Broadband Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis
PURPOSE
1. Receive a report on the key findings from the Broadband Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis.
2. Provide feedback to staff on elements of the key findings for further analysis and consideration.
BACKGROUND
As part of the Fiscal Years 2023 -25 Council Work Plan, Council adopted a priority project to explore expanding access to broadband under the Community for All strategic priority. On May 9, 2023, Council received a staff report recommending that an initial broadband needs assessment and gap analysis be performed. With information gathered from the needs assessment and gap analysis, the City Council would be in a better position to determine what role, if any, the City can effectively pursue on this project. The recommended scope of services was broadly designed around the following objectives:
— Assess community needs and identify gaps in City policies related to broadband infrastructure, services, and access.
— Present a range of options for the City to address broadband needs and gaps.
In February 2024, after releasing a Request for Proposal (RFP) and conducting a thorough review and evaluation of proposals, the City entered into a one -year agreement with Entrust Solutions (Entrust) to conduct a broadband needs assessment and gap analysi s to assist the City with evaluating policy options for broadband infrastructure improvement and the advancement of digital equity, and to evaluate the role of the City in these efforts and identify collaborative solutions with s tate and federal programs t o potentially increase broadband access and affordability.
Broadband Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis
February 25, 2025
DISCUSSION
Entrust, in coordination with City staff, conducted a broadband needs assessment and gap analysis from March 2024 through August 2024. The needs assessment and gap analysis study assessed strategies that explored leveraging and expanding fiber optic and wireless network assets, in cooperation with broadband service providers, to make more broadband available at affordable prices. The study focused heavily on how this network can be strategically employed to improve economic development, education, health care, public safety, and general quality of life in our community. Elements of the study included:
• Compiling a geodata inventory of the existing public and private broadband assets in the City that could be leveraged to expand digital access.
• Analyzing the current broadband market and the incumbent internet service providers, including their rates, speed tiers, and coverage areas.
• Conducting a community survey that assesses the broadband environment, costs, affordability, uses, trends, and needs. Between April and June 2024, the C ity received a total of 577 responses to the online survey. The online survey was available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Russian, and included an embedded speed test to assess internet performance.
• Outreach to community -based organizations, nonprofits , businesses, C hamber of Commerce, social services, schools, and anchor institutions to collect information about broadband uses and needs. The City and Entrust held four virtual stakeholder focus groups and engaged with a total of 18 stakeholders.
• Identifying City permitting and engineering processes and practices related to broadband and communications and assessing gaps and shortfalls that can improve private broadband investment.
• Outlining possible operational and business models for the expansion of broadband services and recommending preferred models.
The information gathered for the project was divided into four technical memorandums. The technical memorandums can be found at www.mountainview.gov/broadband.
— Asset Inventory: To identify, map, and evaluate public and private assets that could be leveraged to expand broadband access and services in the City.
— Broadband Market Assessment: To review the broadband environment in the City for existing market conditions and service gaps.
Broadband Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis
February 25, 2025
— Broadband Needs Assessment: T o identify indicators of need, survey community organizations and residents about their internet experiences, and host stakeholder focus groups which included a communitywide survey.
— Gap Analysis and SWOT Matrix : T o identify key issues and barriers to meeting the community’s broadband needs and outline steps that could address any deficiencies.
Details of the aforementioned analysis and technical memorandums are the basis of the Summary Report and Findings (Attachment 1). The gaps identified in the SWOT (Figure 1) matrix resulted in seven findings with the potential to close those gaps.
Figure 1: SWOT Matrix
A summary of the seven findings is below:
— Finding No. 1: The City Would Benefit from a City Fiber Network Conceptual Design. With the pending retirement of INET and the need for the City to ensure it has full control over its primary communications network for public safety, emergency response, and City services, the City will need to identify a strategy to replace the infrastru cture and ensure current and future City communication needs. A conceptual network design for a broadband fiber backbone can connect City facilities and anchor institutions (including City facilities and school buildings currently on INET), expand the traffic communication network (and other intelligent transportation systems), and address underserved neighborhoods.
Broadband Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis
February 25, 2025
Staff Insight:
Due to changes in state/federal franchise/lease agreements that previously governed INET, a privately owned fiber network, the City is currently researching alternative options for the existing INET Infrastructure.
A conceptual network design could provide a useful road map to understand incremental and opportunistic deployment of City-owned fiber network. A concept design would allow the City to better assess deployment coordination opportunities where needed and when resources are available.
— Finding No. 2: The City has Limited Access to Manage its Traffic Network. The City is in a major metro area with traffic congestion but has limited access to manage key traffic corridors because only a fraction of the 92 City -owned and -operated signalized intersections are currently connected via a traffic communication network. An expanded network, and one converted from copper to fiber, could provide comprehensive traffic management capabilities through use of intelligent transportation systems and devices, while simultaneously connecting more City facilities and anchor institutions.
Staff Insight:
While an expanded traffic network could provide greater efficiency , there would be a significant investment. This would include upgrading the existing traffic signals themselves prior to connecting them for communications purposes. Then the communication would need to channel back to a Traffic Management Center (TMC) which does not currently exist.
Similar to other budget processes, any consideration of expanding the traffic communication network would be taken in the context of other General Fund and Capital Improvement Project priorities during the budget process.
— Finding No. 3: Wireless Technology C an Help Address Short -Term Gaps. With lower capital costs and fewer infrastructure requirements, wireless technology could be an interim solution to target key areas and underserved neighborhoods in Mountain View.
Staff Insight:
Staff are researching and evaluating opportunities for the City to partner with broadband companies that provide next -generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) platforms that enable efficient delivery of high -speed broadband service to underserved and hard- to- reach communities.
— Finding No. 4: The City Has Not Formalized Broadband Coordination Across A ll Projects.
The City has not integrated broadband infrastructure planning into all projects within the City. There are opportunities for coordination and collaboration between Capital Broadband Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis
February 25, 2025
Improvement and City Utility Projects, private utility and telecommunications projects, and private development projects that require public improvements as part of an entitlement process.
Staff Insight:
The City already has several policies and processes that facilitate the efficient deployment of broadband infrastructure, such as implementing a joint trench policy to encourage telecom coordination on joint trenches. The City has also finalized master license agreements with several telecom providers for small cell deployment. In addition, the City established modern standards for newer and cost- effective construction techniques such as microtrenching. These policies, processes, and agreements minimize disruption and encourage private investment as telecommunication providers seek to deploy more infrastructure within the City.
The City recognizes that additional coordination opportunities exist and will seek collaboration when possible. However, as outlined in the finding, this approach also has challenges, such as placing additional demands on staff resources and potential longer project approval lead times. Budget constraints and grant limitations with the City’s Capital Improvement Program may limit the projects where coordination opportunities exist.
Balancing these factors is essential to effectively enhancing the City’s broadband infrastructure.
— Finding No. 5: A Technology Enterprise Fund Could Create a Mechanism for Broadband Projects. A dedicated Technology Enterprise Fund is a mechanism to support and finance broadband infrastructure projects within the City, particularly opportunities that arise through joint trenching where there may not be time for a conventional budgeting and planning process.
Staff Insight:
A new fund could be created by authorization from the City Council. Similar to other budget processes, any consideration of developing a Technology Enterprise Fund and dedicated revenue source for potential broadband expansion would be taken in the contex t of other General Fund and Capital Improvement Project priorities during the annual budget process.
— Finding No. 6: CASF Broadband Grant Funds C an Help Close the Digital Divide. The California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) was created in 2007 to bridge the digital divide.
With CASF as a potential funding source, the City could develop online resources, including a digital toolkit, to act as a central hub for information on broadband availability and resources.
Broadband Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis
February 25, 2025
Staff Insight:
The City does not currently receive CASF grant funds. However, the City can work with our state legislative advocate, California Public Policy Group (CPPG) , to evaluate program and eligibility requirements. For the past eight years, the Library has participated in the California State Library high -speed broadband initiative. This initiative ensures that every public library meets or exceeds California’s broadband standards and is connected to the California Research and Education Network (CalREN) or an equivalent service. In addition, the Library participated in a statewide initiative to publicize the Affordable Connectivity Program which helps eligible households secure low-cost or free home internet and offers technology training through digital services such as LinkedIn Learning and Coursera.
— Finding No. 7: Public -Private Partnership Discussions Could Address Resource Constraints. The City could investigate the feasibility of entering into a Public -Private Partnership (P3) with an ISP to address underserved areas in the City.
Staff Insight:
Proactively pursuing potential P3 opportunities would require considerable staff time and resources across multiple City departments to research, assess, and analyze the cost/benefit of entering into and executing a partnership. That said, staff frequently accepts private-sector requests to meet and learn about their business models and where there may be potential synergies.
QUESTION FOR COUNCIL
Staff seeks City Council input on the following question:
Are there any policy issues or priorities identified in the findings that Council would like staff to further analyze and develop?
NEXT STEPS
Dependent on Council a ction taken on this item , staff will return to Council with a feasibility analysis to determine if Council would like staff to pursue additional steps on any of the Findings.
Broadband Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis
February 25, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICING
The City Council agenda is advertised on Channel 26, and the agenda and this Study Session memorandum appear on the City’s website.
CG-AA/4/CAM
601-02-25-25CR
204338
Attachment: 1. Broadband Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis Summary Report