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MBI “Ramping Up” Activities
MBI Board of Directors The MBI board has convened once (the five ex officio members only) on October 3, 2008, to approve the first-year operating budget and deal with some administrative / “housekeeping” matters for the MBI. Since that meeting, Governor Patrick appointed four individuals to complete the 9-person MBI board on January 14, 2009. As required by the Broadband Act, these individuals have knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: telecommunications, broadband infrastructure, public-private partnership development, information technology, or other fields of experience consistent with the mission of the MBI. The MBI is in the process of coordinating with board members to schedule the second meeting of the MBI board of directors, at which time we expect the proposed MBI Director candidate will be submitted for board approval. MBI Director Search The MBI is seeking someone with the stature and capability to lead this complex initiative, and someone who shares the Governor’s sense of urgency of the problem. The job specification was developed and the position posted on October 6, 2008. It was advertised through multiple channels and networking groups and shipped to over 1,000 individuals and entities who are currently receiving MBI correspondence. Over 125 applications were received and reviewed against the job specifications, of which over a dozen individuals received interviews (multiple interviews by different parties in most instances). The MBI is close to making a consensus recommendation to Governor Patrick of the person believed to be best positioned to lead the MBI and assume operational ownership of the Massachusetts broadband initiative. Once presented to, and approved by, the Governor, the new Director will be formally recommended by MTC to the MBI board of directors for approval. We are expecting this to happen at the first meeting of the full 9-person MBI board (including the Governor’s four recent appointments), hopefully in the next few weeks. Call for Solutions The MBI launched a Call for Solutions, or RFI, in October 2008 to solicit concept papers from industry and others to identify practical solutions to lack of access for un-served citizens in western Massachusetts, the area of the state where the digital divide is most acute. This RFI was important to achieving forward momentum on broadband development for many reasons. First, it helped to engage the private sector and condition the marketplace for the important work to come. Second, the Call for Solutions sought to identify practical, real-world solutions for eliminating the lack of access to broadband infrastructure for all un-served citizens and businesses in western Massachusetts. Finally, developing and maintaining a dialog around broadband solutions is critical to the success of any targeted public investment in broadband. In collaboration with the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED) and the Department of Telecommunications and Cable (DTC), the MBI worked to understand the views of existing companies and other organizations on the most appropriate and feasible technical and business models that can and should be used for the deployment and management of a broadband network serving un-served citizens and businesses of western Massachusetts. We believe the Call for Solutions has also helped to identify organizations that are capable of implementing proposed solutions to the lack of broadband in western Massachusetts and that are adept at operating sustainable business models which leverage public sector investment. Ultimately, the Call for Solutions has helped the MBI garner specific and informed recommendations as to the Commonwealth’s optimal role and timing in an investment in broadband in Massachusetts. This was an open and transparent process, and included stakeholder conference calls and a free, half-day public forum in Northampton on December 4, 2008. All proposed solutions were submitted by respondents in late December 2008. The MBI received 27 diverse responses ranging from large telecommunications providers to network systems integrators. Findings have been made publicly available. Federal Advocacy and Engagement The MBI has been actively engaged, in close partnership with Governor Patrick and his Washington, DC, office, to advance the broadband initiative via potential federal stimulus funding. DTC Commissioner Sharon Gillett, EOHED Assistant Secretary Stan McGee and others have been helping to inform and advise policy makers in Washington – both in Congress and in the White House – on proposed federal stimulus intervention and national broadband policy. Particularly close partners in our advocacy efforts include Senators Kennedy and Kerry and Congressmen Markey and Olver. On December 23, 2008, EOHED submitted a white paper to the Obama-Biden transition team with specific recommendations for national broadband policy and any potential federal stimulus legislation. On February 6, 2009, Patrick Administration officials traveled to Washington and met with staffers of key members of the House and Senate (prospective conferees) to provide our recommendations on preferred funding models and perspectives on different aspects of the House and Senate versions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. An additional broadband white paper was prepared and circulated by the MBI to President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid on February 9, 2009. We will not know whether our advocacy efforts have been successful until the final version emerges from conference committee and is signed into law by the President, but the Patrick Administration and the MBI have been fully engaged at all levels for arguing for a broad infrastructure definition (that includes non-traditional infrastructure, such as broadband) and helping to inform national policy makers on this potential game changing event for the Massachusetts broadband initiative. In addition, the MBI and EOHED have been active participants in the relevant Project Delivery Task Force established by Governor Patrick in December 2008 to prepare the Commonwealth for an infusion of federal funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Through these efforts, the MBI has reviewed and developed additional “shovel-ready” broadband projects, recommended next steps for expedited project delivery, and commenced advance planning to take advantage of this historic opportunity to not only create jobs but achieve longer term economic benefits for Massachusetts (read more here, go to page 56 for broadband discussion). Mapping and Assessment The MBI is currently working on an extensive and detailed broadband mapping project. A final agreement with an approved entity should be completed by late February with a projected three month timeframe for completion. To target its public investment most efficiently, the MBI must identify and assess areas of the state that are unserved and underserved and inventory existing assets to better inform investment decisions. While the MBI currently has mapping data and maps that identify unserved communities, the MBI will require much more sophisticated maps that can incorporate multiple data sets into one map, provide interactive functions and assess broadband availability on a more granular level – by street address and unserved citizens rather than unserved communities. The mapping project will allow the MBI to refine reporting metrics for progress and required areas of focus. It is intended to help guide investments to areas of the highest need, provide a baseline for measuring the effectiveness of this initiative, to publicly communicate where needs are greatest and why the MBI is focusing initially on western Massachusetts, and to demonstrate incremental progress towards ultimate goals of ubiquitous, affordable broadband to unserved citizens by August 2011. Broadband Network Design The MBI has been working to develop cost, schedule, and risk/benefit analyses for alternative network designs for western Massachusetts. The analysis is helping the MBI understand the benefits and tradeoffs inherent to each solution and will guide us in deciding where best to place our investments in order to realize a strong public-private partnership. This work is also necessary to inform the RFP that is being developed to be rolled out in spring 2009. Network architectures are being considered that combine a variety of ring and last mile technologies, including fiber and wireless. Miscellaneous EOHED and DTC have been engaged with EOPS, Transportation, DCAM, EOEEA, DCR and other state agencies to work collaboratively on possible broadband solutions that reach across agency boundaries. The MBI, in coordination with EOHED, has also commenced initial planning around the need to work with cities and towns on permitting issues, right-of-way concerns, zoning, pole attachments, and other local and regional implementation of infrastructure issues that present possible roadblocks to progress and opportunities for potential time and cost savings if addressed appropriately. We are also exploring ways in which EOHED and the MBI can more effectively partner with other state agencies, in particular DTC and DPU potentially, as well as other agencies that may have real estate or publicly-owned infrastructure (such as DCAM, DCR, EOT, MassHighway, etc.) that can be leveraged to accomplish the broadband initiative’s goals. |
