Official description from agenda:

Track II: Technology – The Infrastructure, The Applications
Suite 2
Community Transformation via Portals
Projects are underway throughout Minnesota to help connect people online to their local communities through online citizen engagement and citizen media. A panel of participants in Blandin Foundation’s Get Broadband grants program will talk about their plans, their hopes and their experiences to date.
Panelists: Jill Klinger, Mankato, Sheila Howk, New Ulm, Bill Carlson, Moose Lake, Maggie Montgomery, KAXE
Moderator: Bill Coleman, Community Technology Advisors

Notes from the session. I think I will be able to follow up with their PowerPoint presentations soon. I don’t have them yet – but I think I will soon (by soon I mean tomorrow or next week).

Bill Carlson of Moose Lake (http://ci.moose-lake.mn.us/):

We looked at our emergency plan and realized that broadband wasn’t mentioned. We need a proven model so we looked at the local public access channel, which has worked well in Moose Lake.

Our web site opened us up to global challenges. We needed to know that we could control access. We know the rules for using the library; we don’t know the rules for the online portal. SO, we’ve had to make that up.

We broke it up into 3 aspects:

What do residents need to know?
What do visitors need to know?
What do first responders need to know?

We created an e-information center at the public library. It’s a community server and provides email.

Jill Klinger of Mankato (http://www.greatermankatosourcelink.com)

We had a business that lost opportunities because they couldn’t get the information they needed – the information was actually available from a local resource but they weren’t able to find it. So they created a portal that connects businesses with other businesses and with local education resources.

Found a technology provider. Also needed to provide expertise to highlight on the portal to create a database of knowledge.

Numbers were low because we didn’t want to use newspaper to get false hits. So we plan to take the rest of our money to create a manufacturing directory online – as requested. MSU plans to use the SourceLink tool in house.

Sheila Howk of New Ulm (http://www.newulm.com/)

New Ulm had two great providers – we needed to make a connection with the retailers to get them online. We wanted to increase number of retail businesses online. We had 103 businesses. We also wanted to create an online marketplace by revamping the Chamber web site.

We struggled with the term broadband so we renamed the effort Local-e-Shop.

We looked at the usability of the existing portal (the chamber site) and realized that the retail was hidden. We are in the process of creating a new site that is much clearer.

We provided training to retail business: 1) build a web site, 2) e-marketing, and 3) how to sell online. The classes were a great success. We planned on 6 classes and ended up with 11.

Local-e-Marketing is the last phase. We’ve had events and articles published in the local news.

Maggie Montgomery & Scott Hall from KAXE (http://www.kaxe.org/)

See Hall’s presentation on KAXE 

KAXE is a community owned, member-based 100,000 watts radio station located in Grand Rapids. They are interactive or web 2.0 on radio.

We have volunteer training classes. Last week we had 20 new volunteers. One volunteer had only been in town for a month – and the radio as a big draw.

KAXE wants to foster a process where small communities can create community web sites that convey the same sense of home that KAXE does. On the world wide web, if you’re everywhere then you’re really nowhere. Creating a sense of place on the web is a different approach.

Citizen Journalists – Doug McGill has provided some training to get people involved with media to add to its breadth.

Young people get news and music online. Radio listeners are going down – but we can move to listen online.

Small markets are losing their newspapers and they need a medium for local news and for local marketing.

Local community groups will manage the sites.

The business model is the public radio model with pledge and business underwriters.

What were the challenges?

SH: Awareness and need. People were afraid of costs and were too busy to look into much.

MM: We were surprised with the number of people who came to the classes.

JK: The relationships that were built were amazing.

What about the digital divide issue? Have you thought about the folks who don’t have access to a computer?

SH: At the beginning of the project we focused on that issue. We planned to tell folks about public kiosks but some of the kiosks were removed so there are areas that we can go.

BC: We have the e-information center at the library.

How do you get people involved?

SH: We hope to have a hook that will entice people with a wide range of content.

How does KAXE reach the region?

MM: We use our contacts that we have through the radio. Just people who are on the radio is a base to market events and news. We have an online newsletter.

Why go with a new address for KAXE?

MM: We don’t want to lose people who might not be interested in the radio.

How do you organize the web site?

SH: It’s hard to build a web site by committee.

BC: We will let anyone get top billing.

The description from the official agenda:

Track II: Technology – The Infrastructure, The Applications
Suite 2
Community Transformation via Broadband Applications
Hear first hand about new projects underway to deliver to rural Minnesota the broadband promise. A panel of awardees from Blandin Foundation’s Light Speed grants program will talk about their plans, their hopes and their experiences to date.
Panel: Light Speed Grantees
Panelists: Peter Royer; Hutchinson, Pat Wickham ; Lakewood Hospital, Staples, Peter Walsh; Winona, Tom Riordan; Windom
Moderator: Geoff Daily; Assistant Editor, Killer Apps
Get descriptions of the LightSpeed programs: http://blandinonbroadband.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/intro-to-lightspeed/#more-394

What are you going to do with the money?

PW: Money will go to purchases telemedicine unit we need. Want to reimburse folks for in-home care.

TR: We are creating an Internet-ready classroom. The infrastructure is there in the city. One of the first classes will be meteorology. It’s a unique offering and potentially could become a money maker for the school.

Kids will get homework from on-call teachers via web conference in the off hours. Money will go to cameras and equipment needed to facilitate

Setting up a Mass Media class and need the technology required for that. The class will capture school events and publish on the community video server.

PR: We do online learning. We offer Mandarin Chinese – so we’re buying an IP-VCR to allow kids to access the curriculum at the right time. But when you’re working with people all over the world the timing can be an issue. Also now we can record the activities to archive them.

PW: Working on fiber to the household (FTTH) through Hiawatha Broadband. This will provide the infrastructure to allow for a wide range of applications. This will open the door to new ventures – staff training, more communication, videoconferencing with our clients and among clients.

Plan to do video health with local clinic. Plan for visits from social worker through work with the county. Electronic filing system is another project.

The second phase will be train the trainer implementation.

How important is broadband to get communities to connect?

PW: High speed is critical. Access to bandwidth and money were barriers. Blandin match has helped with training.

PR: The speed of the network has gone from 100Mbit to a Gig. And we’re not there yet – but it’s nice to have it. It’s like garage space – once you have it, you use it. School to school connections are nice because they are faster than connecting via Internet.

TR: Broadband is a vital piece to going into the future – especially to keep a small rural community alive. We have a lot of bandwidth and now we want to use it.

PW: We worked with U of M on a telemedicine project but it was first generation – it was too slow to use. Greater broadband will make these tools usable.

What are the other challenges?

PR: Getting people to understand that the technology will get used is tough. Sometimes the supply comes before the demand. But now people understand that they don’t have to get in the car to meet.

PW: MPR interviewed us (Digital Divide) and at that time 50 percent of use of broadband was determined by an age barrier. SO, teaching folks how to use it and why to use it was a challenge.

What marketing have you done?

PW: Not much, we’re already very busy. Get 10-20 customers a month and there is a waiting list. But we know we’ll have to market at some point. Right now we’re a little cheaper than the incumbent.

How are patients reacting to the technology?

PW: A few years ago with the old telemedicine – the customers were wary and it wasn’t very successful. But with the baby boomers people are expecting the hospital to have telemedicine options and glad to participate.

The patients get a telemedicine unit (on loan) – not really a computer. They get virtual visits – not a huge amount of training is required.

What do you think of the current state of applications? Are applications ready to go – or is it still in development?

PW: We have a hard time finding applications. So we invent them. Getting initial buy in as been a challenge. Getting people when they can use the technology soon is key. You learn when there is an urgency.

PR: A lot of the applications are there but the teachers don’t necessarily think it’s easy to use. We went through a technology in the curriculum push – and some folks have taken to it easier than others. The teachers who are users are the best to convince others.

TR: The pieces are there – it’s just a matter of putting it all together. There is a wireless provider in Windom that can provide access for the kids at home – so many kids have the infrastructure and home and homework helpers can also answer email.

PW: The more technology makes life easier or better the easier it is to sell and it’s just a matter getting them to use it.

What’s the role of school librarians?

PR: Some of our trainers were librarians.

TR: Our librarian has not been involved. We only have one and he is very busy.

What can other areas do to promote broadband? Any advice?

TR: We have city council meetings on cable. The next step is to have them live online so that people can ask questions online. It would help get people involved.

PW: Call you senator to get senate funding. We want it for telemedicine and we need contact legislators to sustain it. Medicare doesn’t reimburse for telemedicine. Some/many others do reimburse.

PR: We participate in Internet2 – they signed up to watch the knee replacement online. We need to pay $35,000 to belong to Internet2 – the state wouldn’t it pay for it so a bunch of schools got to get together to get the money – without state help. But we need to get money from the state.

Any info on best practices?

PW: Rural TeleHealth Center is out there with info on QIO that works between homecare providers and medicare.

GD: These programs really highlight the ability of the Internet to bring the community together not just bring outside resources in.

Description from Agenda:

Track III: Considering the Business
Suite 3
Determining Project Feasibility
Mike O’Connor; President, O’Connor Company
Success requires starting with the end in mind. Get an insider scoop on understanding the decision-making process; conducting and interpreting market studies; and developing a successful design, costing and financial modeling processes.

Notes from the Session:

During the session we filled out the following chart: 

The problem we have is complicated. We try to solve it at once – but it’s too big. We need to divide the problem into smaller chunks. Engineers do this – and solve similar problems in similar ways to avoid mistakes that already happened and to build upon the method that’s there.

Needs Assessment should be quick and cheap and give a good assessment of need. Then you can decide if it’s worth it to carry on.

Feasibility study is like Needs Assessment – but not really. Feasibility can get you into projects that are too big or too small – it doesn’t address the issue of need. It really fits in between the Requirements Definition and Procure or Design stages. Or even better – it makes sense to be a feasibility study after each stage on an ongoing basis.

Breaking this big project into chunks makes it easier to manage cost and time expectations. Blandin can help foster this methodology. Communities would benefit from example deliverables, examples phases – estimating guidelines.

One of the tasks of regional broadband group is to crease a history of broadband projects to help to communities learn from other projects.

Timelines are very important.

David Russell was good enough to share his PowerPoint presentation (Wireline Broadband Technologies) with me in advance so I am posting it online. Because I had his PPT, I was able to attend another session during this breakout time.

Here are notes from this morning’s events.

Started with a welcome from Bernadine Joselyn

People need ultra high speed connections to work. Location is no longer the mantra – now it’s connectivity, connectivity, connectivity… The Blandin Foundation recognizes the shift supports locally led efforts to build broadband.

The strategy board has a vision for broadband: http://www.blandinfoundation.org/documents/Vision_Statement_FINAL_022806.pdf

Big challenges require collaborative solutions. We need to get started – the world is not waiting for us.

Then we went on to a great discussion on OANs

Description from the official agenda:

Panel Discussion: Understanding Open Access Networks
Panelists: Tobey Johnson; Manager of Collaborative Solutions, PacketFront, Tim Nulty; Bulington Telecom
Moderator: Steve Kelly, Director, Center for Science, Technology and Public Policy, Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota
Learn how open access networks can increase the economic development impact of telecommunications investment

And on with the notes…

Steve Kelley:
Got involved with telecommunications in 1989, when his committee recommended that MN by 2005 get 45Mbit of service. Introduced a telecommunications bill to move towards 45Mbit in 1993, but that clearly didn’t work out.
Now we need to think about greater speeds and that means overcoming barriers of economy and politics.

Tim Nulty from Burlington:
Vermont is a small state – 600,000 people and the most rural state. Burlington is the largest city (population 40,000). Vermont is not well served with broadband. It’s not a rich community.

Burlington had/has cable modem across the city and DSL throughout the city but the city built a network because that bandwidth wasn’t sufficient. They built government network in 2005. In December 2004 got funding for municipal network. In Feb 2006 they signed on first customers. Now is cash flow positive and serves 2000 customers. 95 percent of houses are served. Will be profitable next year.

It’s not impossible. The challenges are surmountable. Time just resigned from Burlington and plans to help other Vermont communities get connected.

How did we do it?

• Focus on what is the goal here. Build infrastructure for the 21 century.
• Make the network - universal, open access, financially self-sufficient and future proof.
• Open access is common carrier – started in the Middle Ages with canals.
• Existing carriers do not like universal, open access so if you want these you have to build it yourself (municipal/public).
• Vermonters are frugal so the network needed to pay for itself.
• Any infrastructure that had clear limits is tough to grow

• You cannot make wholesale network work financially.
• Public network is forbidden in 12 states.
• The bank won’t give you the money with a wholesale plan because it doesn’t cash flow so you need to be able to serve customers asap to pay off debt.

• Creating the infrastructure of a telecommunications business is hard to do in the confines of the city.
• The city is too slow moving to operate a telecommunications business

• Public/private partnerships – he’s not in favor because the different bodies have such differing goals.
• Public has a utility goal to serve customers
• Private wants to make money.
• Both goals are fine – but mutually exclusive.

Tobey Johnson from PacketFront:
PacketFront set out to build FTTH in Stockholm. As network deployed we offered more service and ran into more problems. The more we built out the less it was valued.

What did they learn?
• Needed a way to automate business process
• Needed to mitigate finical risk
• Needed a way to separate service – infrastructure from support

How do we make operation of networks cost effective? How do we align the right business partners?

Entered North America market and realized that the market was different. We developed an open network type model. When you give consumers a choice – they choose. Allowing one organization to focus on infrastructure and another to focus on applications.

Incumbents needed to join the network to remain competitive and found that from a business perspective it made more sense because it allows each provider to focus on their core competency.

Need to align your self with business partners that will make you successful.

Questions
Incumbents – have you seen an evolution?

TN: Verizon wanted to get out of New England and was open with that. (Fairpoint is trying to buy them.) Adelphia was disliked and bankrupt so they didn’t matter much. When they were taken over by Comcast it was too late. They tried with regulation to stop Burlington – but have not tried in the marketplace.
One advantage in Burlington is that the market has been too small for the incumbents to focus on them. The major incumbents are ratcheting up for war on broadband. The incumbents here are not as enlightened as in Stockholm.

What did incumbents do with infrastructure in Stockholm?

TJ: They move at carrier speed (slow) and the shift to the open access network was slow. And the change is still going on – gradually. Without a national broadband strategy – it’s tough to see how the incumbents will get involved in an open network. In some ways that affords an opportunity.

On a regional basis, we’ve had better luck with local providers. Innovation is being done on the local level. They recognize that barriers to entry are easier to overcome with the coalition/OAN.

TN: We give away cable channels to publics, and cheap for commercial service. They can carry all cable channels in the world right now. They have lots of space and it is used by local organizations such as schools. That leads to innovation.

What’s the bundle of services that Burlington is selling and at what price?

TN: Basic = basic cable (35 channels), dial tone (not VoIP) need to pay for calls, Internet is $45/month
Standard = cable, phone, Internet $130/month
Top of the line is $180/month

How did Stockholm start selling services?

TJ: User pay model – in some service areas homeowners pre-register for services and once the critical mass had signed up – they went into the area. That worked well.

How did you finance the Burlington project?

TN: Financing in Vermont meant using no tax payer money. The lender owns the network and leases it to the city. They payment is like a mortgage. At the end of the lease the renter can buy the network. If you miss a payment, the lender can repossess.

In reality it’s not that crystal clear but if trouble arises they will negotiate. And the finance doesn’t go into the book as a debt; it’s an operating expense.

What’s been the economic impact on Burlington?

Been offering for business for 22 months – so info is only antidotal. General Dynamics will only move to places with networks like Burlington. Dealer.com went from $12,000 a month bill to $4,000. Web developers started a business couldn’t afford Verizon costs but could afford Burlington and were able to stay in business.

Did you seek state funding in Vermont?

Money is available from RUS. But it was an inferior way of financing – partially because it’s too hard to work with the feds. Also there was an cash equity issue. In the end the financing they had was best.

$40 million is available from Vermont for broadband with a goal of border to border real broadband by 2010. It created a state-owned corporation to assist and promote the funding.