League of Cities

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• League of Cities Towns Conference

March 2008
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Vermonts Bold Initiative!

• To promote
• Econ. Development
• Web based commerce
• Education for young life-long learners
• Cost-effective health care
• Public safety
• Participation of citizens in civic life

• Affordable, upgradable broadband mobile
  voice/data
• in EVERY part of VT by end of 2010

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Vermonts Challenge The white space indicates no
broadband coverage at all. The other areas show
broadband coverage based on service provider data.
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Authority Must Ensure That

• the entire state has fixed high speed Internet
  access, nomadic Internet access mobile phone
  coverage by end of 2010
• fixed Internet access is at least 1.5meg per sec.
  in one direction
• infrastructure supports affordable service
• infrastructure be upgradable
• both public private resources used
• open access encouraged

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Powers

• All State agencies WILL ASSIST VTA
• 40M in revenue bonding
• 200,000 loans, grants to local, regional, public
  private entities
• Access, at reduced prices, to facilities owned by
  the State, i.e. right-of-ways, tops of buildings,
  property, easements
• Easier environmental approval of towers
• Invitation to return to Legislature with ideas
  for future legislation to help cause

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How?

• Work with incumbent national phone companies
• Work with Vermont independent phone companies
• Work with local and national cable companies
• Work with power companies
• Work with colleges and hospitals
• Work with new entrants like Google, M2Z,
  ClearWire, Sprint, ATT
• Work with community organizations
• Work with corporations
• Search out federal money
• Build out what is left with State Revenue Bonds

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How Can Towns Help?

• Declare your town an e-community
• Learn about Act 79 (Chapter 91 of Title 30)
• Apply for Broadband Grant
• Conduit installed with new construction
• Make town property available at low/no price
• Build network of 3 towers rent to carrier
• Identify people in town willing to allow a tower
  on their property
• Use E-rate
• Local content

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E-community

• Officially declare
• Small budget
• Appoint committee
• Set goals
• Hold neighborhood educational meetings
• Take a town inventory

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Stowe Example

• Identify what is acceptable level of internet
  cell phone coverage
• Map areas without access
• Determine the most economic timely means of
  extending service
• Assess the level of demand within areas now
  without access
• Assist companies providing internet cell phone
  service to extend service
• Communicate to landowners, regulatory bodies and
  other entities the importance of universal access
  to the general well-being of the Town

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Learn about Act 79

• Act 250 trigger increased to towers/antennae of
  over 20 ft above building or 50 ft from ground
• 3 tower network before PSB
• Built in 3 yrs support structures over 50 ft
• De minimis impact clause
• Town may issue permit regardless of size if no
  impact or merely a de minimis impact Cabot,
  Maidstone
• Property owner may attach an antennae
• If largest face is not more than 8 sq ft.
• If antennae and mast does not extend more than 12
  ft above roof of that portion of bldg. to which
  attached
• Antennae in ski area and under 20 ft. -
  unregulated

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ISPs Wireless Antennae on Residence
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Unicel pays farmer in Cabot enough to help with
property taxes
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Make town property available at low/no price

• ROWs
• Tops of buildings
• Towers
• Parks
• Recycling facilities

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Become a Muni Tower Company

• Build 3 towers in carefully chosen locations
  around town
• Apply for permit to PSB
• Let Telecom Authority help you rent the space to
  phone companies and ISPs

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Broadband Grant Program

• 200,000 allocated for 2008
• Municipal organizations, corporations, groups may
  apply
• No grants over 100,000 given
• Should leverage other participation
• Should serve everyone in affected area

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E-rate

• Federal reimbursement of cost of broadband access
• Provider must be registered
• School or library gets reimbursed at end of year
  for of expense, amount dependant on sliding
  scale
• Following year bandwidth can be increased
• Some school districts share buildout of needed
  infrastructure with providerLamoille

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New Construction/ Extra Conduit

• Create policy of putting in during all road
  construction projects

• Require for all new development
• Required when burying phone lines

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Local Content

• Podcast selectmens meetings
• Meter reading
• Issue town report electronically
• Advertise openings on committees
• Email reminders for tax payments
• Email reminders payment of licenses
• Town records converted to electronic gradually
• Road work or accidents sent out as text messages
• Public safety en route communication, better
  burglar alarms

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• Vermont Needs All of Our Help!

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• Vermont Telecommunications Authority
• One National Life Drive
• Records Center Bldg.
• Montpelier, VT 05620-3201
• 802-828-1788info_at_telecomVT.org
• www.telecomVT.org