[1st-mile-nm] NM's Digital Divide and Dividend and Future Solutions

Thu Feb 28 13:54:04 PST 2013

Hello Richard and Readers:

Richard, given your remarks below, I am also "provoked" to comment.  I believe an update on the antics of the New Mexico Broadband Program (NMBBP) may provide some clarity and substantive support to your narrative below.  This is with special regards to a "coordinated plan.

I was waiting to have all the puzzle pieces in place before providing a "report" to you all.  However, I believe the momentum has begun.  Once the instruments are in place we are going to implement the following activities:

Working Group:  The NMBBP will create a Broadband Working Group comprised with interested experts that represent diverse areas within the state and an understanding of NM Broadband Issues surrounding Health, Education, Economic Development, Governance, Industry, Digital Literacy, and Tribal.  These folks will meet a number of times together and in focus groups under a facilitated environment to cleanly identify issues and solutions (funding, administrative, legislative, etc.).  The initial framing of the issues will bounce from the August 2012 Broadband Summit hosted by the State Library.  Of special note from the "Broadband Summit" was the call within most of the Business Sectors for a coordinated plan that includes a public/private foundation not a refusal.  For a copy of the "Background Report" and the "Final Report" please access the State Library site at:

  - Final Report:  http://www.nmstatelibrary.org/docs/2012BroadbandSummitFinalReport.pdf
  - Background Report:  http://nmfirst.org/_literature_143278/Broadband_Summit_Background_Report

Mini-Strategic Plans: The NMBBP will create three Mini-Strategic Broadband Plans focusing on Health, Education, and Economic Development respectively.  Each one of the plans will incorporate elements of Tribal, Digital Literacy, and Governance.  They are referred to as "Mini" as there will be a final New Mexico Broadband Strategic Plan (see below) that will ingest these three plans and include other information.  Be assured that these plans will not be "shelf" paper, yet will provide actionable tasks to pursue funding, legislation, and changes in administrative framework.  These plans will incorporate the Working Group (see above) findings as a directive.  In addition, a series of Executive Briefings and Factsheets will be prepared and be available to the Working Group and other interested groups within the state.. Each plan will address broadband uses (existing and potential), conduct a "gap analysis" that will be facility based where appropriate, summarize emerging services, identify barriers/opportunites to service adoption, develop  business cases for key applications, survey/document funding sources, assess existing initiatives, articulate actionable recommendations, and contain appendices with data acquired from the gap analyses, list of providers, table of services, and a table of funding sources along with other information.

RBIP:  In addition to the above activities the NMBBP will be conducting two "Regional Broadband Implementation Plan" (RBIP) Pilots".  We'll be using a "Framework" document and a report titled "Community Broadband Master Plan Guidebook" both developed during previous contracts that will soon be provided on the NMBBP Portal.  

See:  http://www.doit.state.nm.us/broadband/news.shtml

These '"Pilots" will be objectively selected using data from the Broadband Map and a survey the NMBBP conducted to identify socio-economic and demographic indicators where service is inadequate.  The regional programs are intended to develop and pilot a model for regional planning and implementation, with state guidance and help, to serve as a guide for future programs beyond the pilot period and to serve as a means for regions to maximize the benefits of federal funding for rural broadband programs, applications, and infrastructure development.

Strategic Plan:  The larger NM Broadband Strategic Plan as mentioned above will house all of the work completed by the NM Broadband Initiative and will explore a range of issues and opportunities related to residential/commercial service, key anchor institutions (health, education, and economic development), governance, survey other state strategic plans for best practices, and encapsulate funding opportunities as a recipe book to ease the hunt for funds.

Ongoing efforts - the following are ongoing efforts that may be of interest to you all.

Train the Trainer:  The NMBBP has launched our Train the Trainer Program that currently includes two parts:  Digital Literacy Basic and Business.  Through the initial success of the State Library's end user Digital Literacy courses provided statewide, the NMBBP took that content, packaged into instructional digital booklets, and are now conducting nine sessions.  The first three (Espanola, Moriarty, and Espanola) have been scheduled, the classes are full, and the reviews have been excellent.  Note these are open to "communities" (librarians, teachers, small business incubators, etc.) who are willing to take these materials and knowledge back to train their communities.  The materials (PDF, PowerPoint, and Video) are excellent and can be obtain at no cost from our website at:

  - Digital Literacy:  http://www.doit.state.nm.us/broadband/training/t3toolkit.shtml
  - Business Success:  http://www.doit.state.nm.us/broadband/training/smallbiz.shtml

Adoption Survey:  The NMBBP has just completed a Statewide Broadband Survey that touched 1000 respondents and has provided "buckets" of data.  These data are currently being analysed, normalized, and cross tabafied.  A report will be forthcoming in April.  These data will be used in selecting and supporting the two RBIP Pilots.  Again, I'll be putting these information within our "News and Reports" section of the Broadband Portal.

Tribal Survey:  The NMBBP is completing a Tribal Broadband Survey.  The resulting report will not reveal any specific Tribal Data, yet will be used to conduct a Broadband Mapping and Training Pilot to three tribal entities.  In addition, the survey results will assist in the RBIP Pilots as well.

Mapping:  The NMBB Mapping Program is in the midst of Round Seven (7).  We have great participation from the providers, are sensitive to their time, yet getting full participation as not been achieved to date.  Anyhow, as a result of the last Round the NMBBP has made some significant changes to the Broadband Map that now include a Speed Test that is run locally, provider footprint by technology tool, radio frequency propagation modeling with specifications from the providers, and some simple statistics.  In addition, there are downloadable statewide availability maps by technology type and community anchor institutions by type that are downloadable "layered" PDF.  Also, downloadable are County Availability Maps with Statistics and other information.  All these are available at:  

  - NM Broadband Map:  http://nmbbmapping.org/mapping/
  - Statewide Maps:  http://www.doit.state.nm.us/broadband/map_statewide.shtml
  - County Maps:  http://www.doit.state.nm.us/broadband/map_county_availability.shtml
  - Speed Test:  http://nmbbmapping.org/speedtest/

The Speed Test is highly recommended for NM Residences and Business.  The NMBBP is harvesting these data, aggregating into larger areas to determine "Adequacy of Service".  In turn these data will also assist in selecting areas for our RBIP Pilots.

The NMBBP has other activities, yet above are some of the major affairs.  Please if anyone has some questions or "assumptions" that require clarification; I'd appreciate the contact.  In addition, any comments, advise, and/or requests; get them my way.  I do believe we are conducting some good business here in New Mexico that has the potential for important stuff to happen.  We are bringing together our best "thinkers" and "doers" to solve a complex problem.  So, let's have a group hug, let go of contentious behavior, and get it done.

Thank You,  Gar Clarke

Gar Clarke
Broadband Program Manager
Department of Information Technology
Simms Building
715 Alta Vista Street
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
Email:  george.clarke at state.nm.us
Desk:  505.827-1663
Cell:  505.690-1661
Fax:  505.827-2325
BB Web:  http://www.doit.state.nm.us/broadband/

-----Original Message-----
From: 1st-mile-nm-bounces at mailman.dcn.org [mailto:1st-mile-nm-bounces at mailman.dcn.org] On Behalf Of Richard Lowenberg
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 11:52 AM
To: 1st mile nm
Subject: [1st-mile-nm] NM's Digital Divide and Dividend

This morning's posting on this list, of today's article
in the ABQ Journal provokes me to comment here.

As the article makes clear, the broadband divide concerns
in NM and throughout the country are economic, not a
technical problem.   While much good work and support are
in process here, we are nowhere near where we all need to
be, with regard to broadband access, affordability and
lives and livelihoods improving applications and uses.
Once 'stimulus' funded and other investments are completed
later this year, we will still be years behind where we
ought to be, without a coordinated plan on leveraging those
investments for next-phase deployments and developments.

I and the 1st-Mile Institute have for many years been
recommending a coordinated statewide series of joint
public-private working meetings to address the economics
of NM broadband ways forward, with likely win-win outcomes.
The current Governor's Office has responded, "leave it to
the private sector", and organizers of last year's 'stimulus'
funded NM Broadband Conference refused to address this issue.

Much like our 'new energy' requirements, broadband development
is a long-term issue, but there is plenty of money to be made
for companies' shareholders, coop members, and right-of way
owning municipalities, while rates for subscribers can be reduced.
However, this will not be possible community by community, or
company by company.  Creating a viable economic strategy, is
a geographic (urban-rural) market-scaled approach, requiring
statewide (or even multi-state) aggregation and adoption efforts.

Little has been moved forward or realized in this regard.
Contentiousness and us-them responses, blaming bad economic
times will not get us to where we need or want to be.

Is there the will to move forward; to bring together our best
financial and economic thinkers and doers, to address this
matter.   If not, we will continue to see articles about the
digital divide for the next many years, as we have since the
rolling out of the Internet twenty years ago.

RL

--------------------------------
Richard Lowenberg, Executive Dir.
1st-Mile Institute, 505-603-5200
P.O.Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
www.1st-mile.com  rl at 1st-mile.com
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-----Original Message-----
From: 1st-mile-nm-bounces at mailman.dcn.org [mailto:1st-mile-nm-bounces at mailman.dcn.org] On Behalf Of Richard Lowenberg
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 10:41 AM
To: 1st mile nm
Subject: [1st-mile-nm] N.M.'S Daunting Digital Divide

Here's today's article from the ABQ Journal.
Log on to the link below for the entire story and images.
RL

-----

N.M.'S Daunting Digital Divide

By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer on Sun, Feb 24, 2013

http://www.abqjournal.com/main/2013/02/24/biz/highspeed-broadband-extension-moves-at-a-dialup-pace-in-states-vast-rural-areas.html

A wireless broadband tower in Bernalillo. The expense of running fiber 
optic cables in remote areas may mean more reliance on wireless 
technology to provide high-speed Internet access in many rural zones.

Rural New Mexico has benefited from roughly $400 million in broadband 
development in recent years, but the state still faces a huge digital 
divide.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, New Mexico received 
more than $200 million in federal stimulus funding to extend high-speed 
Internet in rural areas.

If matching dollars from telephone companies that won stimulus grants 
are included, plus development loans from the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service, broadband investments in the past 
five years surpass $400 million, according to the state Department of 
Information Technology.

But many of New Mexico's rural zones still have no Internet coverage, 
and many that do are still using dial-up modems, or aging digital 
subscriber line (DSL) technology, said USDA Rural Development State 
Director Terry Brunner.

"We have a long way to go nationally in developing broadband, but New 
Mexico is further behind than other states," Brunner said. "New Mexico 
has some of the slowest speeds in the nation, and in the West for sure."

For consumers, that creates a huge dichotomy in quality of life between 
urban and rural residents. While city dwellers have access to the latest 
in communications capability - from streaming video on smartphones and 
laptops to remote control of home thermostats and electric appliances - 
many families in New Mexico's vast expanses remain strapped to 20th 
century technology.

That's a critical impediment to economic stability.

"If local businesses, large or small, are going to compete nationally 
and internationally, they need Internet access with acceptable speeds," 
Brunner said. "Whatever industry they're in, whether it's tourism, 
manufacturing or auto repair, companies need to be able to transact 
business electronically. It's key to economic development in New 
Mexico."

It's also key to individual progress, because online access can provide 
rural New Mexicans with educational opportunities, health care and other 
services that may be difficult to get otherwise.

"If we don't provide communications in rural areas that are as good as 
in the cities, we'll continue to see the rural-to-urban migration we've 
experienced for years," said Charlie Ferrell, executive director of the 
New Mexico Exchange Carriers Group, which represents 11 rural telephone 
cooperatives.

New Mexico faces more hurdles than many other states in building remote 
connectivity because of its vast rural nature. The Exchange Carriers 
Group, for example, provides telecommunications service to 77,000 square 
miles of territory, with an average of 2.2 customers per mile.

Such broad distances and low population densities make digital 
infrastructure very expensive to install, preventing many commercial 
providers from laying fiber optics or other broadband technology without 
government assistance.

"New Mexico still has a digital divide because in some areas it's just 
so hard to go through mountains or rock formations, and then you get to 
the end of the route and find there just aren't enough homes and 
businesses to pay for the construction," said Valerie Dodd, CenturyLink 
Inc.'s vice president and general manager for New Mexico.

In addition, poverty and a lack of understanding about the benefits of 
Internet access often discourage many rural residents from paying for 
services even when broadband is available.

As a result, New Mexico ranked 46th in the nation for broadband use in 
the 2010 U.S. census. Only 53 percent of residents here said they access 
broadband at home, compared with 80 percent nationally.

Stimulus funds did make a dent in the digital divide. Thanks to federal 
assistance, members of the Exchange Carriers Group doubled the amount of 
fiber optics in the ground from 3,000 to 6,000 miles.

"In most cases, about 95 percent of customers can now get coverage if 
they want it, so they (the companies) have moved the bar up somewhat," 
Ferrell said.

Some providers got funding for very large projects. Kit Carson Electric 
Cooperative received a $44 million grant and a $19 million loan to 
create a 2,400-mile broadband network to connect about 20,500 
households, 3,600 businesses and 183 "anchor" institutions, such as 
schools and health clinics.

But a lot of needs remain unfulfilled. ENMR-Plateau Telecommunications 
in Clovis, for example, received $39 million in grants and loans for 
more infrastructure in its service area, allowing up to 100 percent 
coverage in some towns and villages. But services are still limited in 
many outlying areas, said Chief Technology and Network Officer Buddy 
Vaughan.

"We have 25,000 square miles to cover," Vaughan said. "About seven 
years ago, we estimated it would take more than $300 million to get 
broadband to all our members. It's less now, because technology has 
advanced more and become cheaper, but construction costs don't come 
down, and that's the biggest expense in getting fiber in the ground."

Peñasco Valley Telephone Cooperative and Leaco Rural Telephone 
Cooperative received a combined $56 million in loans and assistance for 
broadband infrastructure. But both companies still have many territorial 
pockets without coverage that might only be served in the future through 
wireless technologies, which are slower and less reliable than fiber.

"We're working to get (fourth generation) wireless solutions for many 
remaining customers, because it's impossible to build fiber to every 
rural area," said Leaco CEO Laura Angell.

Peñasco added about 200 miles of fiber with federal assistance, but 
with an average of less than one customer per mile in its 
4,700-square-mile territory, it could cost up to $150 million to lay 
fiber for everybody, said CEO Glenn Lovelace.

In addition, the company faces much red tape.

"We have to deal with many government regulations that make the job 
difficult, such of right-of-way issues," Lovelace said. "On one project, 
it took us 12 years to get the highway permit to lay fiber from Hondo to 
Lincoln."

Even endangered species protection can adds costs to laying fiber.

"We have to put 'lizard ladders' in every open trench," Lovelace said. 
"The dune sagebrush lizard has a limited number of scales under its 
armpits, and if we're in protected zones, we have to put two-by-fours in 
the ditches so if any of those little fellows fall into the ditch, they 
can climb out."

Federal money continues to flow to New Mexico. The Federal 
Communications Commission awarded $2.3 million last summer to 
CenturyLink and Windstream Communications to extend broadband access in 
rural areas. And, in December, it approved $15.4 million for the 
University of New Mexico's Center for Telehealth, San Juan Regional 
Medical Center and Presbyterian Healthcare Systems to jointly build a 
rural telehealth broadband network.

Still, experts say high-speed Internet access is moving at a dial-up 
pace in New Mexico.

"I don't think we're anywhere near where we need to be," said Richard 
Lowenberg, executive director of the First Mile Institute in Santa Fe. 
"We still have gaping holes with many underserved areas."

Gar Clarke, broadband program director at the Department of Information 
Technology, said an online mapping program financed with $4.7 million in 
stimulus funds has allowed the government to build the state's first 
public, interactive website that details technology availability 
geographically. That will help plan more broadband extension projects in 
critical zones.

"It will help focus our energy," Clarke said. "We'll look at existing 
conditions to determine future needs to then get funding and move 
forward."

The USDA's Brunner said that's an important step.

"There needs to be leadership from folks at the state level to 
determine needs and create targeted areas for investment," he said. "The 
USDA would be happy to meet some of those funding needs."

----------------------------------
Richard Lowenberg, Executive Dir.
1st-Mile Institute, 505-603-5200
P.O.Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
www.1st-mile.com  rl at 1st-mile.com
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