Cities' Broadband Efforts Roll On

California cities have begun to build broadband networks across their jurisdictions. These three cities are in the process of doing so.

Davis

Davis and its community are making a strong effort to improve broadband access citywide, including a community-based advocacy group called Davis Gig.

“As other jurisdictions in the region can tell you, many of our communities have a much higher need than is being fulfilled, so the infrastructure needs are our priority,” Diane Parro, CIO for Davis, told Techwire.

Insufficient broadband is a roadblock to most of the innovations in technology. The residents of Davis are very “tech savvy," Parro said. 

The city has allocated funding for a feasibility study of a fiber-optic network in the fall.

San Jose

San Jose is planning broadband implementation citywide. The strategy is intended to address the ever-growing use for network connectivity in cities.

The city wants “to expand digital infrastructure to serve underserved and disadvantaged communities.”

On June 13, San Jose’s City Council authorized the beginning of negotiations with anyCOMM/Siemens. If these negotiations are successful, San Jose will be replacing nearly 70,000 poles with modern lights, built-in sensors, IoT ports, and distributed networking supporting cellular and Wi-Fi.

In the future, this project has potential to be a revenue stream for the city. It would begin in August and would be the largest city/county IoT development in North America.

A bill is pending before the California Legislature that would allow cell companies to take over local government poles.

“That single bill likely takes California from front-of-the-pack to a non-contender if the government signs it. Cellular carriers will consume pole space that would otherwise be assigned for the large mix of IoT use cases,” Rob Lloyd, San Jose’s CIO, told Techwire via email.

San Francisco

The city is exploring options for its broadband project, which would improve broadband connectivity to all residents and business owners. The principles for this project are listed on the city website as:

• Equity: Every resident and business in San Francisco has access to fast and affordable broadband connectivity necessary to participate and thrive in the 21st century. The city intends to prioritize providing service to traditionally underserved households.
• Jobs, Innovation, Growth: Investment in new connectivity will result in increased local employment and provide numerous economic development advantages for the entire city to continue to be the innovation capital of the world.
• Investing in the Future: Residents, businesses and nonprofit organizations have affordable options for high-quality connectivity that is faster than the broadband services currently offered. Stable rates will empower San Francisco residents, businesses and visitors to continue creating educational, economic and cultural opportunities.

In August last year, San Francisco’s Department of Technology solicited proposals from vendors for strategic, financial, technical and transactional advisory services. In November 2016, a consultant was hired to help the department understand the key decision drivers that potential industry participants and investors would employ, and the ability to critically evaluate all underlying assumptions for the project. According to the city's website, the three phases of this are: 1) Developing a business case; 2) Preparing and reviewing requests for qualifications and proposals; and 3) Conducting negotiations with vendors chosen for the Broadband for San Francisco Project.