Title
Chief Administrative Office, Economic Development Division, recommending the Board approve a letter of support to the California Public Utilities Commission Advanced Services Fund in support of two proposals from Cal.Net to provide high speed broadband to underserved areas of El Dorado County. The County will not be financially implicated by providing support for the referenced proposals.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Support two proposals to the CPUC by the Cal.Net Corporation for broadband deployment northern and southern areas of El Dorado County that are categorized as being underserved in broadband speeds.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Commission Advanced Services Fund (CASF) grants and loans are designed to assist in the building and/or upgrading of broadband infrastructure in areas that are not served or are underserved by existing broadband providers. These grants fund planning and other activities to increase the availability of broadband technology throughout the region in a coordinated fashion. The El Dorado County based firm Cal.Net submitted a proposal to the CASF (presented as Attachment "B") for partial funding to serve approximately 2,000 County residents that are defined as "underserved" by CPUC definition. By CPUC definition, an "unserved" area is an area that is not served by any form of wireline or wireless facilities-based broadband, such that Internet connectivity is available only through dial up service. An "underserved" area is an area where broadband is available, but no wireline or wireless facilities-based provider offers service at advertised speeds of at least 6 mbps download and 1.5 mbps upload. A CASF grant would fund 60% of costs for the two "underserved" areas of El Dorado County. If successful, Cal.Net would provide greatly enhanced service at 25 Mbps download speeds, plus VoIP (the delivery of voice and multimedia services using the internet) services. If the approximately $1.3 million CASF grant is awarded, improvements would be targeted for completion between mid-2017 and mid-2020.
The attached letter (Attachment "A") to the Chair and Members of the PUC gives the County's general support for the current Cal.Net proposal for a CASF grant. Support from the County is contingent on the ability for the area's broadband infrastructure to be upgraded as funds and/or technology become available.
ALTERNATIVES
Not supporting the proposals by Cal.Net to the CPUC.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Recommend approval to submit the referenced letter of support with an understanding that the County will not be financially implicated in any way by providing such support.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact to the County with this letter of support.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Jeff McLaughlin, Economic and Business Relations Manager