The Broadband-Driven Economy: How to Plan It, Fund It, Measure It

Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters) Response Count 105

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Page 6, Q1. Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters)

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1- Work regionally with other EDO's to inform on need for public support of broadband efforts. 2-Actively market future or existing open access networks to improve the take rate and help the networks to financially succeed.

2

Help end users/ED professionals, community groups understand HOW Broadband can improve cmmunity Economy. Training end users, community groups on HOW to use the Internet, Computers for ED. Use Kansas City, etc/Google as prototypes for Best Practices.

Mar 31, 2014 9:35 PM

3

1. We are all aware of the need for access, I think the expansion of the understanding of what governments do best (provide infrastructure ) should be reinforced and private industry needs completion in most areas of this state. Availability and access to broadband is essential to the health of the democracy. We all need access to information to be active engaged citizens. Economic development is still in some sectors as the infrastructure starting gate. 2. Education of young entrepreneurs, mentor groups to help people looking to start a business to have a place to get the information that may not be part of a class, such as how to get help writing a business plan, what state and federal programs my be there to assist me in the process of my start up. Does my community support the ideas I want to pursue, will I have customers. Government programs are there to help but private partners are so important. Ideas and money move fast, some times help is slow.

Mar 31, 2014 11:57 AM

4

Build use case development into the planning and build marketing and education to the end user into the implementation strategy.

Mar 31, 2014 11:55 AM

5

Economic Development practitioners need to continue to show how broadband can be used to positively affect a community's economy.

Mar 31, 2014 11:41 AM

6

In our area, midwest US, where manufacturing leads employment, broadband is an amenity that businesses need. We're well equipped here, with optic fiber access. More importantly for us, we need to develop real estate, where businesses can expand or be attracted. We have great access to markets and transportation. We may also need workforce training. One local employer, engaged in metal fabrication, can't find enough qualified employees. When one is found, he or she is hired with excellent compensation. But after a couple of years of employment, he or she takes off to a metropolitan area. Would could also improve upon the quality of life amenities that make our community more attractive to people.

Mar 31, 2014 7:14 AM

7

Help business owners understand and leverage their broadband access and help government establish better interactions with constituents via the Internet.

Mar 31, 2014 6:10 AM

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1) educate electeds and opinion leaders about the need to invest in the necessary infrastructure 2) demonstrate the value by developing case files: finding examples of companies who want to or have expanded; or who have looked at our community and gone elsewhere because of insufficient broadband capacity.

Mar 30, 2014 8:45 PM

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Digital Hubs Program that provides various levels of digital literacy training to the residents through our libraries and community centres. Digital Enterprise

Mar 30, 2014 7:52 PM

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Apr 7, 2014 8:09 AM

Page 6, Q1. Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters)

Program that provides digital marketing training to small business, not-for-profit community groups, sport and recreation groups. Digital Local Government Program funded high definition video conferencing facilities in shire chambers and funded wireless trials from fibre enabled hubs out to outlying centres. 10

Create a model to fulfill a need for broadband services. Take small steps to servicing those needs with the intent to connect all the small pieces at a later date. This will effect the most amount of change in the least amount of time with the least amount of capital.

Mar 30, 2014 6:04 PM

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Do a gap analysis to understand the low speed/high cost/low access areas in the region - organize business and institutional interests to back strategies to correct gaps, create a "network" effect of providers Promote our Gigabit City/region status.

Mar 29, 2014 4:51 PM

12

Continually ask questions and stay abreast locally

Mar 29, 2014 2:37 PM

13

Identify the needs areas with real data, not the published data that companies provide. This is often incorrect in terms of speed and coverage and makes areas ineligible for certain grants. We must spend time advocating to elected officials of the importance of this infrastructure. There is no doubt that areas with gig services are attracting job creation and have on average a greater source of talented workers.

Mar 29, 2014 7:34 AM

14

Talk up the need.pursue grants.

Mar 29, 2014 7:33 AM

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Assist with planning/implementation of infrastructure upgrades..and applying for grants. Our city is quite poor.

Mar 28, 2014 3:23 PM

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1. Understand that start-up business entrepreneurs can only provide economic growth by taking advantage of higher broadband speed if they are unencumbered and allowed to explore new ideas. 2. Old metrics don't always work in new technology start-ups. Don't worry about gauging results, but more about helping open the doors to experimentation and innovation. If you are just looking for specific outcomes, try coaching a sports team.

Mar 28, 2014 1:16 PM

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????

Mar 28, 2014 12:37 PM

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Clearly communicate the need to elected officials Assist the private sector in closing any gaps and moving them closer to finding a business case to move into an unserved or underserved area.

Mar 28, 2014 12:29 PM

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Education and training

Mar 28, 2014 11:54 AM

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Help drive adoption by businesses, schools, healthcare, education and government. Educate the public about the benefits of broadband adoption.

Mar 28, 2014 11:28 AM

21

Just having broadband and being able to tout having it would be a key factor.

Mar 28, 2014 11:10 AM

22

Private sector lenders, investors, and banks need to better understand broadband business so that it becomes easier to get commercial loans on reasonable terms.

Mar 28, 2014 11:08 AM

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Page 6, Q1. Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters)

23

Make sure that at the end of the day your community has real competition and at least one fiber-based provider.

Mar 28, 2014 10:25 AM

24

Help the policy makers see through the telco hype. We cannot connect everyone through obsolete copper telephone lines. We need to invest in futureproof networks for the digital revolution, otherwise our economic development will stagnate and we'll become a third world country in a very short time.

Mar 28, 2014 10:23 AM

25

Being an under-non served community, ANY high-speed (fiber) network will have a positive economic impact. However, a regional / locally derived solution (which is what we are currently planning & developing) will keep the $$$ within the region / state and have a significant impact,

Mar 28, 2014 10:18 AM

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Education Businesses need to buy/use it

Mar 28, 2014 10:05 AM

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I try to tell participants that do not limit their imagination, think outside the box. Do not limit broadband to schools, libraries, or hospitals, see how it can help rural folks. The only thing that is limited is your imagination.

Mar 28, 2014 9:43 AM

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Attract more private carriers and companies. Continue investment in infrastructure and commercialization of new technologies.

Mar 28, 2014 9:34 AM

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Educate the reluctant generation about the potential economic growth that broadband will provide. Repeal anti-competition laws.

Mar 28, 2014 9:33 AM

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We need to keep an educational process up of informing the public of why it is important that we have advanced communications services and how it will impact them. We also must continue an aggregation process so the majority of the anchors are working together to accomplish our goal of a integrated fiber and wireless system that covers the entire county.

Mar 28, 2014 9:25 AM

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1. develop a demonstration center to showcase the use of business applications using unlimited bandwidth. 2. Develop a commuinity Intranet connecting differerent sectors of the community to promote low cost , local data exchanges without payment to an ISP.

Mar 28, 2014 9:24 AM

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import best practices from gigabit cities; varied kinds of eye-opening training (note one multiple answer question did not allow multiple answers and one had 4 bad answers to choose from)

Mar 28, 2014 9:16 AM

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Look at applications and uses for the fiber Public private partnerships with local governments to enable dig once policies providing open access to promote completion.

Mar 26, 2014 1:28 PM

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We have commissioned a broadband study that will be completed in early May. Would be better prepared to answer many of these questions with the information that will come from our study.

Mar 26, 2014 6:02 AM

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1 - publicize it with new business prospects 2 - work with local businesses to get their buy-in and support for the idea.

Mar 25, 2014 4:40 PM

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Our area is serviced by three individual broadband providers but they do not

Mar 24, 2014 7:27 PM

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Page 6, Q1. Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters)

compete in any of our communities ... each has their own service area where they dominate. On the positive side Broadband service is available anywhere you live in our community. We have one of the highest penetration rates of broadband service in our State. The cost of Basic Broadband is, on the whole, comparable to other Counties within our region but large business customers pay as much as double (sometimes more) the cost found in adjacent counties for large telecom requirements. Having failed at encouraging competition we have pursued a strategy of aggregation where we have been able to negotiate large savings for many of our clients ... in some cases we have been able to use the massive needs of our healthcare industries to benefit the general business community. But it remains an uphill slog and there has been only pockets of improved competitiveness ... there has been little across the board improvement of our competitive position with other counties in our region. 37

It is a hard process do to.

Mar 24, 2014 2:37 PM

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Plain and simply it needs to be offered by more than one company with competitive rates. This gives us incentive to attract and retain more companies. You will see this most often in medical records or companies that send large files over 1gig that could lower their productivity if it takes to long to send a file or can't send it at all

Mar 24, 2014 1:22 PM

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Stimulate universal access and propre training for small businesses

Mar 22, 2014 8:40 AM

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Letting others know that the network exists and how it can be an asset to their business but also understanding what additional requirements businesses need besides broadband/fiber networks to succeed.

Mar 21, 2014 9:11 AM

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Connect Business with the Broadband and teach them how it can help their business.

Mar 20, 2014 3:07 PM

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Be involved in the legislative process - have our voices heard. Seek outside the box ideas and funding sources to implement strategies as the big box providers are not going to do it for us in rural areas.

Mar 20, 2014 1:48 PM

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Use high speed fiber optics as a differentiater to attract and to retain companies and to inform them of the capacity of the fiber. Many of the companies are still using 100mbps, (which is slow) and not accessing or purchasing higher capacity in the Gbps.

Mar 20, 2014 8:13 AM

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Know the areas served and underserved, assist with identifying needs and identify resources to address those needs

Mar 20, 2014 6:47 AM

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Partner with private providers where possible to extend/improve services; get broadband to all homes, insure access to internet literacy training to all residents, advertise/promote internet literacy and access; market the network to targeted businesses; strive to provide the highest level of broadband service to distinguish .the community. We are participating with our County in a Broadband Strategic Plan, and our urban city is largely "served", and does not qualify as "unserved or "underserved" for purposes of federal and state PUC funding for broadband. Our community has mediocre broadband service, and

Mar 19, 2014 8:20 PM

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Page 6, Q1. Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters)

poor service with 1 or less provider in outlying areas. Major telecoms won't extend the fiber to less populated business areas; and many are using wireless hotspots, or expensive T1 telephone lines as alternatives. The rural areas will likely quality for state/federal funding but our area will not due to the criteria for un and underserved as defined. 46

Help SME aggressively adopt technology improvements. Create collaboration center combined with telework center.

Mar 19, 2014 6:49 PM

47

Community buy in of the network as well as incorporate its use in other services provided by the municipality to increase efficiency and saving in other areas which will benefit residents and local companies.

Mar 19, 2014 5:10 PM

48

Fiber is essential to consistent internet service. We need to stop regulators from saying the cellular service is just as good. It is not. Line of sight is a poor way to provide service.

Mar 19, 2014 3:56 PM

49

Build the products customers will buy. Develop products that generate new revenue from outside our community. Economic development is NOT recirculating existing revenue. It is new revenue coming into our community

Mar 19, 2014 12:20 PM

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Keep the lines of communication open between all parties and track changes at the state and federal level on behalf of local stakeholders.

Mar 19, 2014 12:14 PM

51

I think training on industry specific to broadband usage and targeted marketing to those business once in place is most likely to have a positive result.

Mar 19, 2014 12:06 PM

52

The ability to provide easy access to free, public spaces with wifi and co-working space for would be entrepreneurs, and the ability to provide fiber to hi-tech and heavy data users to attract them to our market.

Mar 19, 2014 11:09 AM

53

Educating constituents and increase training opportunities for using broadband networks. Be sure to stress the ROI to public & communities.

Mar 19, 2014 10:38 AM

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We have been working at improving our telecom infrastructure for some time and it is never clear what the results are. Studies have shown that our area has almost ubiquitous broadband coverage but then you hear there are areas that are underserved. I think the best thing that would help us is a way to understand the industry better and how it applies to our community.

Mar 19, 2014 10:13 AM

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Job with livable wages, infrastructure including local and state support

Mar 19, 2014 8:46 AM

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Work on establishing a way to quantitatively track outcomes. Conduct a survey that establishes a base and then survey again following improvements to determine what impact has been on businesses.

Mar 19, 2014 7:40 AM

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Be aware of the need and follow-up to insure that the community is aggressively pursuing improvement/installation of a solid, workable broadband network.

Mar 19, 2014 6:16 AM

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Seek available funding resources and ROW

Mar 18, 2014 7:06 PM

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1. Promote alternatives such as satellite broadband for hard to reach rural areas,

Mar 18, 2014 6:26 PM

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Page 6, Q1. Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters)

2. Investigate data center co-location as a related community need. 60

Understand the full impact before making a decision and seek legislative policy direction

Mar 18, 2014 5:03 PM

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Target network to specific areas. Work with local NGOs to deliver information on importance of broadband.

Mar 18, 2014 3:22 PM

62

It all comes down to "the last mile" issue- getting quality internet services to the last 25--30% of users. This is both a cost and technology issue for providers. Do we need to do something like congress did in the mid-20th century and create an REA/RUS for broadband? Private sector providers will and should balk at this approach. I wonder if DOD- technology transfer is a possible answer? I don't think Iraq and Afghanistan are exactly broadband havens, but our service people are still able to fight with internet-dependent technology.

Mar 18, 2014 2:27 PM

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Promote it through our programs targeting specific industries; growth in areas that are suffering could be impacted with the aggressive implementation of broadband

Mar 18, 2014 2:24 PM

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Promote availability

Mar 18, 2014 1:52 PM

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education of constituents and promotion of these assets.

Mar 18, 2014 1:35 PM

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A complete well-balance economic development plan sync'd up with marketing, governance/legislative and regulatory and funding/venture capital enablers.

Mar 18, 2014 1:15 PM

67

Fed's built a fibe spine and gave it to a local authority which is sitting on it!! Priced through the roof with no debt.

Mar 18, 2014 1:11 PM

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1.provide necessary infrastructure funding which can be re-paid over time by private sector but controlled by public sector 2. Attempt to provide simliar quality of service and access no matter where you are in the community

Mar 18, 2014 1:03 PM

69

Engage the community to become more entrepreneurial and innovative. Fibre is a platform for the creative unknown, unlocking our broader socio-innovative capacities is the promise of next generation network deployment. LEDC, Canada.

Mar 18, 2014 1:03 PM

70

Broadband is still a huge need in rural communities. Where my office is located, we have the best of these services.

Mar 18, 2014 12:51 PM

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1) Let industry do it 2) Get Federal Government out of theway

Mar 18, 2014 12:36 PM

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1) Be able to tie the current broadband capacity and speed to a business cost model. 2) Better understand the security protocols with broadband so company data is secure.

Mar 18, 2014 12:28 PM

73

Work to ensure equal access at a reasonable cost. Development of publicprivate partnership to build out network and provide expanded services.

Mar 18, 2014 12:13 PM

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1 - Assist small businesses in the transition to more web-based small business

Mar 18, 2014 12:10 PM

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Page 6, Q1. Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters)

practices that increase productivity and lessen costs 2 - Market availability to attract more web-based businesses and entrepreneurs, larger industrial prospects 75

Educate prospects as to its benefit/Marketing and make sure as roads are redone we continue to work on expanding fiber

Mar 18, 2014 12:03 PM

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No comment at this time.

Mar 18, 2014 11:58 AM

77

Develop a sonet-ring of fiber to provide redundancy; market available high-speed access

Mar 18, 2014 11:55 AM

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1.build it and they will come, won't work, we need to insure that a strong business climate exists and that there is a strong entrepreneurial eco-system in place 2. Workforce Development has to be a driving force, net adds will make the final difference and a strong broadband helps support that.

Mar 18, 2014 11:53 AM

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1. Create a community environment conducive to entrepreneurial development activity through incubators, angel capital, and eventual access to traditional bank financing. 2. A high quality of life community capable of becoming a cultural magnet to young entrepreneurs.

Mar 18, 2014 11:51 AM

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1. An economic development professional should know what the local major employers need for broadband. 2. if the community doesn't have what the business needs, facilitate to get it.

Mar 18, 2014 11:48 AM

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Where to start? What is our role? At what point does this become a local issue that local elected leaders see as important?

Mar 18, 2014 11:45 AM

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Increase residential density in urban cores.

Mar 18, 2014 11:44 AM

83

Leverage utility companies, both municipal and investor owned. Collaboration between the entities that own the poles and ROW can only improve things.

Mar 18, 2014 11:37 AM

84

We assist the private providers with financing due to the lenders fear of the collateral

Mar 18, 2014 11:33 AM

85

Promote the connectivity that is available and promote high levels of speed being available with high capacity

Mar 18, 2014 11:23 AM

86

see this link of the regional approach we are taking http://sjvpartnership.org/partnership-work-groups/advanced-communicationsservices/

Mar 18, 2014 11:22 AM

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Identify potential opportunities, and continue to promote collaborations

Mar 18, 2014 11:19 AM

88

Sell the credibility of a broadband network and its advantages to the community collaborate and build consensus to develop the network

Mar 18, 2014 11:18 AM

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1) We need to encourage that K-12 programs are building skill sets that companies will need. We have a disconnect in K-12 where traditional methods of teaching (books, blackboards, pencil/paper homework, etc.) are common

Mar 18, 2014 11:13 AM

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Page 6, Q1. Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters)

practice, then we ask the students to leap into the broadband network. We need to encourage a streamlined approach to integrate the use of technology in K-12, and make broadband easily accessible. 2) Gain a better understand of where there are underserved regions in the state and how to bridge the broadband gap. 90

Increase availability in rural communities

Mar 18, 2014 11:10 AM

91

Educate ourselves to know if it is a quality network. Promote the network through our marketing materials and interface with prospective clients. The challenge is getting maps from anyone. All companies want to act like it is private data and will not openly share the maps of who services what. Thus, we don't spend our time on marketing it unless a client specifically asks. We often wonder how many lost opportunities exist due to most clients viewing a website before considering a community.

Mar 18, 2014 11:10 AM

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We need to be aware of locations and capacity of services as the information is not freely available. Work in conjunction with providers to communicate advantages.

Mar 18, 2014 11:09 AM

93

survey businesses and residents to determine need establish growth areas in plans to prioritize

Mar 18, 2014 11:09 AM

94

1) design the network to serve business and industrial parks 2) re-invest any municipal/community profits from the network into future upgrades of the system and into expanding the availability of tech resources in schools (who all too often can't keep up with tech upgrades).

Mar 18, 2014 11:07 AM

95

Foster an entrepreneurial eco-system

Mar 18, 2014 11:06 AM

96

Get a network built, make it as fast as now possible.

Mar 18, 2014 11:01 AM

97

1. Enhance entrepreurial support programs 2. Develop free wifi systems

Mar 18, 2014 10:54 AM

98

have developable sites and buildings

Mar 18, 2014 10:51 AM

99

Promote the access your community has in regards to broadband. Continue to communicate with local companies to ensure their needs are met.

Mar 18, 2014 10:49 AM

100

To bring broadband and fiber capability to some older industrial parks with below ground utilities. To enable training for communities to more fully utilize broadband.

Mar 18, 2014 10:32 AM

101

Be a leading advocate. Bring the public and private sectors to the table to identify workable solutions

Mar 18, 2014 9:17 AM

102

1. Try to ensure the network is a ubiquitous as possible 2. Make sure your local networks are not islands... but are part of the global archipelago.

Mar 8, 2014 1:35 AM

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1) Get buy-in from business community to use and promote the features and resulting benefits of broadband 2) Convince broadband providers that educating businesses and consumers via training equates to increased adoption resulting in more ARPU

Mar 7, 2014 7:36 AM

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Page 6, Q1. Building a broadband network by itself does not guarantee a community's economy will improve. What are two things economic development professionals such as yourself need to do to help the network impact specific outcomes? (Limited to 3500 characters)

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As a municipal government, we maintain and will continue to build utility corridors, and we need to ensure that fiber is welcomed, solicited, and laid. If the private sector won't, then the public sector should lead. In our city, we have a small but strong tech sector. For it to survive, it needs to grow to a certain size, so that the tech "ecosystem" is large enough to support a pool of talent that does not need to look elsewhere for opportunity. High-speed fiber is the foundation, the lure, the anchor that will nurture that small sector to grow. The local desire is there. Note: Question 23 (check all that apply) would not accept multiple answers

Mar 6, 2014 11:32 PM

105

Understand utilization behaviors. Work to improve utilization throughout region.

Mar 6, 2014 6:09 AM

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