Solutions: Infrastructure - Build-Out Analysis

Perform a Broadband Build-Out Analysis and Validate Demand for Broadband Service in Underserved Areas

GOAL: Determine the reasons why some areas of the community remain unserved, determine the feasibility of deploying various Internet systems in the defined area, and generate a business case for deployment.

DESCRIPTION: Perform an analysis of unserved areas to understand local assets and any barriers to broadband deployment. The local team should solicit feedback from residents of the unserved territory on their demand.

ACTIONS:

Field Validation: Conduct onsite visual assessments of the defined geographic areas unserved with broadband coverage. The assessment determines the feasibility of deploying various Internet systems in a defined area. Gather site specific information required for (i) determining use of existing infrastructure, (ii) designing wired and wireless Internet system using these assets, and (iii) expanding the broadband coverage in the defined area.

Community Broadband Survey: Use the results of the Residential Technology Survey to identify pockets of demand in areas without service. Survey results can also provide information on currently adopted speeds and costs. Stakeholders can also elect to perform a door-to-door survey of residents who live in neighborhoods in the unserved area to determine exact need, or in communities where more residential survey data is needed.

Market Analysis: A market analysis should also be performed to identify potential broadband providers, understand potential service offerings, and respective rates.

Investment: Results of the studies should be analyzed and released to providers to inform a business case for expansion or upgrades.

Conversations: Community broadband team members should include broadband providers in discussions of access expansion. Providers may have expansion plans that communities may not be aware of, or may be expanding infrastructure due to federal commitments, (e.g., Connect America Fund).

RESPONSIBLE PARTIES:

County and local units of government with high number of underserved households; Broadband providers; Residents and businesses

RESOURCES:

Guide to Federal funding for broadband projects: http://bit.ly/1QJ1asb.

Fiber to the Home Council toolkit for communities looking to expand broadband infrastructure: http://bit.ly/2d18QL6.

Pure Broadband builds access through cooperation: http://bit.ly/2cCgzBk.

Building community broadband subscribership, from the University of Wisconsin: http://bit.ly/2dCUUsX.