Administrative
Report
N.3., File # 24-0226 Meeting Date: 2/20/2024
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: MIKE COOK, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR
TITLE
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON BROADBAND, WI-FI, AND OTHER
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENT AND BUSINESS USE IN THE
CITY AND WATERFRONT AREA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As part of the strategic planning process, the City Council adopted several objectives to assess and improve access to broadband internet access for residents, government, and businesses within the City and waterfront. This item provides an opportunity to discuss the current state of services available in the community and the status of upcoming service improvement projects. A presentation on these subjects, including broadband and cellular coverage maps, will be provided at the February 20 City Council meeting.
BACKGROUND
The City’s strategic plan includes objectives to investigate the availability of broadband internet services to residents, government agencies, and businesses within the City and to expand Wi-Fi connectivity in the harbor for businesses and the public. These objectives were created in response to reported connectivity limitations in certain locations, limited or poor cellular connectivity at the Pier and International Boardwalk, and a lack of wired broadband internet connectivity options for businesses and some residential areas of the City.
The City has conducted a great deal of research on this topic, which has included drive-test data collection by City staff, analysis of data provided by the State of California’s Broadband for All initiative, independent data from Broadbandnow and BestNeighborhood, and through discussion with telecommunications service providers, including Boingo, Kajeet, Crown Castle, RACE Communications, Sonic, All Covered, T-Mobile, Vector, Spectrum, Frontier, and the South Bay Cities Council of Governments. The results of this research are included in the tables below:
Cellular Service
Service Providers Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket,
Spectrum, Mint, Others
Cellular Tower Infrastructure Service-Provider Owned, Operated or Leased from Crown Castle
Wired Internet
Coaxial Cable Spectrum
Telephone/DSL Lines Frontier
Above Ground Fiber OpticSpectrumFrontierCrown Castle
N.3., File # 24-0226 Meeting Date: 2/20/2024
Wired Internet
Coaxial Cable Spectrum
Telephone/DSL Lines Frontier
Above Ground Fiber Optic
Networks
Spectrum, Frontier, Crown Castle,
Sonic, AT&T
Wireless service within the City is generally very good with a narrow strip of poor service availability and slow internet speeds on the coast from the north end of the beach to Redondo’s border with Hermosa Beach. The infrastructure for hardwired broadband internet access is generally very good City-wide, with most addresses capable of subscribing to at least 2 broadband internet service providers. No large-scale service gaps were identified outside of the Pier, Waterfront, and City parks.
Most constraints lie within the “last mile,” meaning that connectivity is available at the nearest major street with no pathway under, or over, private properties and other structures.
The City has been working to improve the availability of additional service providers and to provide free public Wi-Fi for businesses and guests at the Pier and on International Boardwalk. Staff is currently in the final planning stages of a project to provide free public Wi-Fi service for the Pier and International Boardwalk that leverages line of sight technologies to overcome obstacles and traverse waterways. The service is expected to go live this Spring.
The Information technology Department is also exploring options to improve cellular service on the Pier and in the Harbor with a number of short and long-term options being investigated. Singlecarrier improvements may be implemented as soon as this Spring.
The City is also continuing to engage local broadband service providers to identify barriers to improving service in key areas and is exploring the new infrastructure technologies, such as microtrenching. As capital projects are initiated throughout the City, staff is working to include telecommunication infrastructure needs into the design/planning process to reduce the need for stand-alone construction projects to improve underground infrastructure.
COORDINATION
This report was coordinated by the Information Technology Department with discussion from Public Works Department staff and various third-party service providers.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. The implementation of Wi-Fi and other technologies is included in the Information Technology Department’s operational budget.
Adjustments to future budgets may be required depending on the operating costs of any new systems.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHEMENTS
· City Council Presentation, February 20,2024