Broadband Access

Broadband access has been a long standing priority for regions for many years.  While its often thought of as a rural issue, the recent pandemic has daylight gaps in urban areas as well.  Governor Newsom recently elevated the issue by setting a statewide access goal.  Here we have collected a number of resources that might help our members and others get “up to speed” on the issue.  As always, we encourage anyone to recommend a document or resource that should be included in this list.  Thank you for visiting.

Executive Order

Executive Order setting a minimum broadband access standard goal (100 Mbps download speed ), ordering a broadband action plan, to minimum broadband Access, expand mapping resources, leverage funding resources, and use state resources to deploy broadband infrastructure.

• Executive Order N-73-20.  See also Government Technology: Governor Signs Order to Spur Broadband Improvements  (2020)
• Electronic Frontier Foundation: Broadband Order Lays Important Foundation (2020)
• CTC Staff Deck: Overview of Executive Order

Broadband Action Plan

• California Broadband Council: Action Plan Engagement & Comments
• South Bay Cities Council of Governments: Comments on Action Plan
• California Forward: Story on Focus on Community Based Engagement around the Plan

Regional Activities

• CALCOG: Mapping Transportation Projects to Address Broadband Gaps
• CETF-Valley Vision-California Forward- CALCOG: Recommended Strategic Broadband Corridors (2019) .
• SCAG: Draft Model Ordinance (draft presented to SCAG’s Emerging Technology Committee on October 29, 2020; Final Regional Council approval expected in January 2021)
• SCAG:  Broadband Review Project: Overview Presentation (2020)
• SJV Partnership: Regional Broadband Consortium: Primer (2012)
• Central Coast Consortium: A Connected Coast (2012)
• California Broadband Council: Central Coast Success Story

Case Study: Valley Vision – Sacramento Area
Valley Vision–a member of California Forward’s Stewardship Network–has been a leader in the state on the broadband issues. The following is a set of resources they have developed for the Sacramento Region.

• Overview: A Strategic Approach to Connecting the Region
• SACOG-Valley Vision: Provider-Local Official Roundtable on Accelerating Investment.
• SACOG-Valley Vision: Roundtable Presentation Deck.  and Summary Points.
• Implementation: Six County Broadband Infrastructure Report Card 
• Broadband Action Plan: Connecting the Delta (2019)
• Sacramento Area Broadband Coverage Maps

Broadband Access: General Resources, Policies, & Primers

• CETF: Getting Connected: A Broadband Deployment and Resources Guide for Local and Regional Officials (2021). See also Launch Presentation Deck.
• Benton Institute for Broadband & Society: Broadband for America’s Future (2020)
• FCC – Measuring Broadband Speed: 8th Report:  (In 2017, the national average was 72 Mbps download speed)
• Pew Charitable Trusts: How States Are Expanding Broadband Access (updated March 2020)
• NACO & NADO: Understanding the True State of Connectivity in America (2020)
• Launch of TestIt App:  Test Download Speeds (from NACO)
• Congressional Research Service: Federal Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs (2019)
• USDA Report Ag Report  A Case For Rural Broadband (Precision Ag emphasis) (2020)
• USDA Toolkit:  E-Connectivity @ USDA: Broadband Resources for Rural America (2020)
• USDA and Dept of Commerce American Broadband Initiative: Milestones Report (2019)
• Brookings Institution: Signs of Digital Distress: Mapping Broadband in American Neighborhoods (2017)
• HighspeedInternet.com  The Consumers Guide to Internet Speed. (good overview of terminology)
• More.net:  Download Speed Comparison Simulator (Plugin the File size and see how long it takes)
• Google: City Fiber Checklist (2014)

California Resources

• California Emerging Technology Fund Report: Quest for Digital Equity (2020)
• California Forward: Multiple Point-of-View Articles (Current)
• USC Annenberg: Who Gets Access to Fast Broadband: Evidence from LA (2019, EQUITY)
• CPUC: California Broadband Access Map (Interactive)
• OPR General Plan Guidelines-Circulation Element (pp 81 & 82) (2017)
• CETF: Can the Internet Help Save the Environment? (Yes) (2014)
• Case Study: The Last Mile Problem–$3,000 per residence! (Mt Shasta News, November, 2018)
• CPUC: Regional Broadband Consortia Map (2017)
• CPUC: Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act Reports (Annual Reports)
• National Broadband Plan (Dated: Released in 2010)

Roads, Rights-of-Way, and Dig Once Policies

• Caltrans:  Incorporating Wired Broadband Facilities in the State Right of Way (2018)
• Caltrans – Resources: Wired Broad Facilities on State Highways (website)
• CalSTA:  Dig Once Policies (2019)
• Broadband Now: Dig Once: A $126 Billion Savings Solution Congress Squandered (2019).
• Legislation: AB 1549: State Highway Rights of Way: Broadband (2016)

Funding Programs

• California Advanced Service Fund. CASF provides $100 million in grants to “telephone corporations” to expand broadband into unserved areas. Monies for the Fund are collected via a 0.25% all-end-user-surcharge on telecommunications customers’ bills.
• California Teleconnect Fund.  CTF supports the provision of infrastructure for digital divide projects via a 50% discount on monthly recurring charges for high-speed telecommunications services incurred by schools, libraries, hospitals and health clinics that are owned and operated by a municipal or county government, a hospital district, or a community based organization.
• USDA Reconnect Program.  The Broadband ReConnect Program furnishes loans and grants to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas. The application window for the second round of funding closed on April 15, 2020. (See also:  Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture).