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<p>Subject - DAVISGIG UPDATE - Task Force Positive - City Staff
Negative - Next Step for Community Broadband Needs your Help<br>
</p>
<p>
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<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">You can tell people to email
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:help@dcn.org">help@dcn.org</a> if they have questions.<br>
</font></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2"><br>
</font></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">Hi
Davisites </font>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">Last
Wed was the final Broadband Advisory Task Force meeting. The
BATF
unanimously approved its final product, a 3 page letter, which
unequivocally states a Fiber Based Community Broadband network
is
feasible, should be further analyzed and pursued by technical
and
financial professionals in coordination with city engineering
staff,
and urges timely action.</font></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">This
process went on 3 full years and was entering its 4<sup>th</sup>.
It
produced an excellent Feasibility Study Report, evaluated
information, talked to vendors, and generated and reviewed the
results of a phone survey and online poll in its final analysis.
</font>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">Personally,
I’m truly thankful these community leaders took their time to
evaluate and follow this process of evaluating feasibility to
this
conclusion, and now it is time for DavisGIG to be more active
again
with the Council to help move it onward. </font>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">In
stark contrast, the staff report that the BATF letter is
attached to
is very negative on cost alone. Not a surprise for a report that
states an $800 per house marketing cost just to get the customer
to
join the community fiber network. </font>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">This
is because it draws on the very conservative Feasibility study
report
which describes the costs of building the most expensive type of
fiber network, all at once, and with a business model of a
traditional ISP that competes against the Very Large ISPs. It
really
parrots points put forward by the large incumbent carriers, to
discourage municipal broadband, and does not refer to any of the
many
economic development, social justice, and pro competitive, smart
city
benefits a municipal fiber investment would make. The staff
report
does not examine any alternative designs, financing mechanisms
or
future needs which make local control of Internet infrastructure
desirable.</font></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">It
completely ignores further analysis put forward by a
subcommittee of
the BATF, as reported in a memo approved unanimously at the 3/27
meeting that shows that the electronics are substantially
cheaper,
and a phased installation approach allowing for project
expansion
based on revenues from the initial phase. That memo advocates
for the
construction of the core backbone ring and sub rings, that go
throughout the entire city, has substantial numbers of homes
businesses and apartments passed, and serves as an anchor ring
that
will generate immediate revenue and allow the build out
remaining
neighborhoods. <br>
</font><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">It
makes no mention of the network as a valuable asset that the
City
would realize revenue from from citizens, business, and other
companies through leases. It makes no mention of working with
community partners. It ignores the fact that city and school
buildings would have permanent usable Internet connections for a
one
time cost. City Community and Business Engagement staff, wants
to end the effort and bring in big fiber provider
Grande/Wave/RCN, owned
by private equity firm TPG Capital to just carry on with the
status
quo, cherry picking neighborhoods and giving away valuable city
conduit for little return. This will setup another monopoly
control
situation over physical Internet infrastructure and fiber will
be the
last one installed, like Comcast’s control of Coax, and ATT’s
control of Copper. </font>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">So
we need to put some effort into encouraging Council to do the
right
thing here, which is follow the BATF letter and not the staff
report.
Continue the effort of technical and financial analysis for a
phased
build approach to a city-owned, community-operated open access
fiber
ring or more. </font>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">This
will be presented at the City Council on 6/4/19. Please provide
public comment via email or in person at the beginning of the
meeting. The BATF item is at the end of the evening, and I’d
hate
for you all to be stuck at the meeting very late. </font>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">In
support of that, we have generated a “talking points” type
document which refers to benefits identified by the Feasibility
Study
and addresses concerns citizens identified in the DavisGIG
broadband
poll. We hope you can use this to educate your neighbors and
colleagues as to why this will make everyone's quality of life
better. As well, attached is a sample letter you can use to send
indicating your support for community owned broadband and
DavisGIG. </font>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">Talking
Points:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/Ring_Design_Principles.pdf">http://wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/Ring_Design_Principles.pdf</a></font></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">Template:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/Template_CC060419.doc">http://wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/Template_CC060419.doc</a></font></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"> </p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">Thank
you for your support </font>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2">Davis
GIG Committee of DCN</font></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%"><br>
</p>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Robert Nickerson
UCD Class of 1996
CEO, Om Networks
cell: 5308483865
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.omsoft.com">www.omsoft.com</a>
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