telecommunications initiatives
TRANSCRIPT
Act 183 Update
Telecommunications Initiatives
TCCP Telecommunications Summit June 7,
2007
Luc M. Miron DCED Technology Investment Office
• Act 183 expands original Chapter 30
• Authorized several ambitious initiatives which will substantially increase the investment in telecommunications infrastructure within the Commonwealth
Reauthorization of Chapter 30 (aka Act 183 of 2004)
33 Pennsylvania ILECs filed Amended NMP (4 ILECs exempt due to size)
• Option One: Rural ILECs commit to 100% broadband availability by 2008 29 companies
• Option Two: Rural ILECs commit to 80% broadband availability by 2010 and 100% by 2013 plus offer BFRR and Business Attraction & Retention Program (BARP) Embarq & Windstream
• Option Three: “Nonrural ILECs” commit to 100% by 2015, plus offer BFRR and Business Attraction &
Retention Program (BARP) Verizon and Verizon North
Regulatory Options for Amending NMPs
Several new programs administered by DCED:
– Outreach & Aggregation Fund (BOAF)– Bona Fide Retail Request Program
(BFRR)– Inventory of Telecommunications
Services– Business Attraction & Retention Program
(BARP)
New Telecom Programs
BROADBAND OUTREACH & AGGREGATION FUND (BOAF)
Overview
– Grant program to help communities aggregate the demand for broadband service to generate new demand for services in a more timely fashion
– Mission & Purpose: “outreach programs concerning the benefits, use and procurement of broadband services”
– Approximately $2.2M available FY 2006-07; approximately same amount for FY 2007-08
Program Administration Update:
– Guidelines available at: www.newpa.com/broadband or www.broadbandinpa.com
Broadband Outreach & Aggregation Fund (BOAF)
Grant Considerations – The Six “Cs” of BOAF
– C apability & Commitment– C ommunity Need– C atalyst for Change– C oordination with Act 183– C urrent Local Connectivity– C onsideration of Other Issues
Broadband Outreach & Aggregation Fund (BOAF)
FY06-07 Grantees
– 13 grant awards in FY 06-07– Good distribution in terms of:
• Geographic location (local, regional, statewide)• Type of recipient (LDD, EDC, non profit assn,
tech council, college, etc)• Focus of project (econ dev; education; health
care)
Broadband Outreach & Aggregation Fund (BOAF)
Broadband Outreach & Aggregation Fund (BOAF)
BONA FIDE RETAIL REQUEST PROGRAM (BFRR)
BFRR: How does it work?– Any person, business, local government, LDD,
IDC, etc, may submit written request for advanced services to the ILEC
– BFRR is request for advanced service by residents/entities representing 50 access lines, or 25% of a ‘community’, whichever is less
– Quid Pro Quo:• Customer must commit to take service for
one year• ILEC must provide service within one year
Bona Fide Retail Request Program (BFRR)
Assessment:
– Currently 90 BFRR thresholds achieved = accelerated deployment
Examples:• Lake Wynonah; Standing Stone; Shade Gap; Shohola;
Brave; Rogersville; Corsica; Barrville; Sandy Creek; Pine Grove; Michaux Oaks; Big Run; Numidia; Confluence; Girard; Patton; etc
– Verizon: 58 BFRRs– Embarq: 21 BFRRs– Windstream: 11 BFRRs
Bona Fide Retail Request Program (BFRR)
BFRRs – Deployment Across Pennsylvania
Bona Fide Retail Request Program (BFRR)
BUSINESS ATTRACTION & RETENTION PROGRAM (BARP)
Overview:
Provides mechanism for DCED to accelerate deployment for economic development purposes
“ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRIGGER”
Priority Areas”
Deployment to areas identified by DCED as ‘lacking adequate access to advanced or broadband services which would be important in order to promote economic development projects in those areas’
Business Attraction & Retention Program (BARP)
Practical Illustration of BARP Program
– Family practice location in Sheffield, PA (Warren County) – DCED submitted request to Windstream (Alltel) on
behalf of Warren General Hospital– Hospital system wanted to implement electronic medical
records (EMR) system, access hospital records and result, distance medicine (teleradiology, etc) - impossible without broadband access
– July 2006 - Windstream now providing telecom access to physicians’ office in Sheffield, PA
– Deployment achieved via BARP process - direct result of DCED-issued request to ILEC on behalf of constituent
Business Attraction & Retention Program (BARP)
INVENTORY OF TELECOM CARRIERS & SERVICE
AVAILABILITY
• Act 183 imposes mandate for DCED to create an Inventory of Services database
• “Collection, compilation and maintenance of a comprehensive listing of advanced and broadband services available from all advanced and broadband service providers operating in the Commonwealth, irrespective of the technology used”
Inventory of Services
www.newpa.com/broadband
or
www.broadbandinpa.com
For More Information
