TMCnews Featured Article


November 25, 2009

Santa Monica Seeks to Expand WiFi through Broadband Stimulus Funds

By Michael Dinan, TMCnet Editor


Officials in Santa Monica, Calif., are seeking about $1 million in federal broadband stimulus grant money to expand their free service throughout the Los Angeles area city and to connect more than 200 ISPs to affordable broadband options.
 
According to Jory Wolf, CIO of Santa Monica’s information systems department, the key cost driver and prohibitive factor in secure advanced broadband adoption continues to be the construction costs to build out infrastructure to the end user.
 
“The City of Santa Monica has already adopted the practice of extending its fiber optic network when constructing any related City projects such as street renovations, water and sewer main installations, and traffic signal systems to leverage public funds,” Wolf told TMCnet in an interview, printed in full below. “By removing this barrier to entry, ISPs have the opportunity to offer affordable broadband solutions to an expanded market. In addition, having an open access fiber optic connection offers ISPs the ability to offer advanced IT services such as cloud computing, disaster recovery solutions, data storage and so on.”
 
Wolf also talked about how the National Telecommunications and Information Administration – the U.S. Department of Commerce agency that oversees the broadband stimulus program – deserves recognition following its inaugural year deploying the monies.
 
Our full exchange follows.
 
TMCnet: We’ve read the Executive Summary of your application, and clearly the organization feels there’s a strong need for funding. Take us a little bit beyond the numbers. How will U.S. citizens, consumers and businesses benefit if you’re awarded this grant money?
 
Jory Wolf (pictured left): Our Santa Monica City Net and City WiFi (News - Alert) project will provide the equipment and connections required to expand the City’s free WiFi service that delivers Internet access to the public at our libraries, open space areas, community centers, homeless shelter, senior centers and animal shelters. In addition, our project will provide a connection to over 200 ISPs to obtain affordable broadband options to local businesses and increase the competitiveness of our country’s preeminent post-production companies and intellectual exports located in Santa Monica, Calif.
 
The key cost driver and prohibitive factor in secure advanced broadband adoption continues to be the construction costs to build out infrastructure to the end user. The City of Santa Monica has already adopted the practice of extending its fiber optic network when constructing any related City projects such as street renovations, water and sewer main installations, and traffic signal systems to leverage public funds. By removing this barrier to entry, ISPs have the opportunity to offer affordable broadband solutions to an expanded market. In addition, having an open access fiber optic connection offers ISPs the ability to offer advanced IT services such as cloud computing, disaster recovery solutions, data storage and so on.
 
It is my belief that it is incumbent on governments and municipalities to facilitate delivery of IP services to their communities for stimulating the local economy, facilitating creation of jobs and educational and life-long learning initiatives and assure that all constituents have access to advanced broadband as defined by Section 6002 of the House Bill, 45/15MBPS.
 
As long as there is an Open Access policy, it serves the best interests of both the public, ISPs, and delivery partners. When I talk to prospective post-production and tech businesses seeking to relocate to Santa Monica, they tell me it is no longer the cost of real estate, but the cost of IP driving the decision. Municipalities that fail to offer an infrastructure where businesses have all components essential for operations – space, power, water, broadband, etc. risk losing the most stable industries in the current economy. Furthermore, if the United States is to compete globally, a fiber optic network is the backbone and requirement of all educational, business, and civic operations in the future.
 
TMCnet: How did you find the application process? What would you recommend the U.S. government tweak in the process, if anything?
 
JW: Most project implementations tend to include rescheduling, change orders, and process revisions. I think the NTIA deserves recognition for their ability to encourage and require electronic submission of the application, respond to inquiries in a timely manner, and adjust deadlines to accommodate the needs of a diverse set of applicants. Given the high response rate due to the historic nature of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, current economic conditions, and outdated broadband infrastructures, it was likely a daunting task. The City of Santa Monica utilized our relationships with other municipalities, memberships in IT organizations such as the Public Technology Institute, NTIA workshops, vendors and professional networks to exchange information related to the application process. If possible, offering an opportunity for applicants to exchange information directly during the application process could be beneficial in the future.
 
TMCnet: What would you tell reviewers at NTIA about your organization if you could have one minute to talk to them moments before they looked at your application?
 
JW: Our grant application provides quantifiable data that indicates funding will result in a complete and successful project, to a considerable degree of confidence. Santa Monica has past and present experience implementing leading edge technologies to a full service City whose customer service standard is to “Do the Right Thing Right.” Santa Monica’s Information Systems Department continues to receive recognition for its efforts to provide innovative, sustainable, and secure technology and information management to City departments and the community. I believe Santa Monica’s project management and technical expertise, combined with our open communication channels to our public, create the optimal environment to advance BTOP’s broadband goals.

Santa Monica’s ISD operates a fiber optic network that supports over 55 City, School District and College facilities and well as a dozen local hospitals and businesses. The network also supports deployment of leading edge technologies for the community, including traffic signal synchronization systems, comprehensive geographic information systems, imaging systems, public safety systems, maintenance management systems, intelligent transportation systems; fleet management systems, Internet and intranet services, Voice Over Internet Protocol telephony, Unified Messaging, WiFi and many real-time IP based communications systems such as parking advisory and security and traffic video applications. There are more than 90 buildings and 7,000 IP enabled devices on the network, directly serving more than 10,000 users daily.
 
We engage our community for project ideas, recommendations, and feedback during neighborhood meetings, local festivals, and business/technology expos. Our communication efforts create stronger programs by identifying stakeholders that help increase program awareness and assist with program goals. The dark fiber and colocation leasing programs have resulted in new partnerships dedicated to the expansion of our fiber optic network for the public benefit. Santa Monica’s free City WiFi service is by far the most appreciated IT program by our public, local businesses, and travelers from around the globe. Public feedback is central to the expansion of our wired and wireless networks and planning for service enhancements.
 
Santa Monica ISD is very capable of completing our Santa Monica City Net and City WiFi projects to serve as a model municipal broadband project given the financial resources. In fact, our projects regularly generate questions from other government officials seeking similar solutions for their communities. When our current WiFi service was reviewed on National Public Radio, the segment was entitled “Municipal WiFi isn’t dead yet.” In the segment, the reporter compared our City WiFi to the status of Philadelphia’s efforts to do the same. After our projects receive coverage in the media, I regularly get calls and discuss methodologies with other local and regional governments. The goal of the BTOP and BIP projects should be not only to help an organization’s stakeholders, but also to establish a toolbox of solution-based models that we can all learn from and replicate.
 
TMCnet: Tell us in plain terms how important it is for your organization to receive this grant money. If you do not receive government funding, what will you do to improve services in the way you’re seeking?
 
JW: I can speak for the City of Santa Monica and the other municipalities and organizations I talked to that requested NTIA funding, when I state that receipt of funding is extremely critical. The nation’s current broadband infrastructure is outdated and requires a coordinated effort of best practice implementations to offer models for future development. I believe this effort needs to start at the local level since the responsibility is incumbent upon municipalities to do what the CLECs have failed to accomplish. The broadband projects need to not only focus on development of rural infrastructure, but also advancement of our metropolitan networks that transport the bulk of our nation’s IT based economy. Otherwise, our business and personal lifestyles depreciate in comparison to our global peers.
 
The success of our Santa Monica City Net and City WiFi project goals are contingent upon NTIA funding. ISD’s Operational and Capital Improvement Project budgets do not offer the opportunity for the model network we envision and very much need to implement. If we do not receive funding, we will strive to advance our project goals incrementally given the resources we have and continue to seek partnerships. Any interested readers can request information regarding our project through www.smcitynet.com.

Michael Dinan is a group managing editor for TMCnet, overseeing TMCnet's Web editorial team and covering news in the IP communications, CRM and VoIP industries. He also oversees production of e-Newsletters in the areas of 4G wireless technology and smart products. To read more of Michael's articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Michael Dinan