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Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs Tony Perez, Director Seattle Office of Broadband Communications Presentation to Digital Cities Conference Bilbao, Spain November 8, 2005

Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

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Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs. Tony Perez, Director Seattle Office of Broadband Communications Presentation to Digital Cities Conference Bilbao, Spain November 8, 2005. Telecommunications Residential Survey, May 2004. 83% use Internet somewhere 81% of employed have access at work - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

Tony Perez, DirectorSeattle Office of Broadband Communications

Presentation to Digital Cities Conference Bilbao, Spain

November 8, 2005

Page 2: Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

Telecommunications Residential Survey, May 2004

• 83% use Internet somewhere • 81% of employed have access at work• 76% have Internet access at home• 42% with home Internet have DSL or

cable modem (55% of all Internet users) • Internet access perceived to be too

expensive. Cost is barrier to high speed access

• Digital Divides still exist

Page 3: Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

Broadband Task Force FindingsMay, 2005

• “High Speed Internet Service” is not Broadband

• “True” Broadband begins at 20 Mbps-25 Mbps

• Seattle bandwidth demand to increase• Broadband network is critical infrastructure• Incumbents not likely to provide “true”

broadband network• City needs to act now• Elements are in place

Page 4: Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

Seattle Goal2015: Broadband for All

Within a decade, all of Seattle will have affordable access to an interactive, open, broadband network capable of supporting applications and services using integrated layers of voice, video and data, with sufficient capacity to meet the ongoing information, communications and entertainment needs of the city's citizens, businesses, institutions and municipal government.

(Task Force Report: www.seattle.gov/cable)

Page 5: Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

Attaining Goal

• (FTTH) is the long term (10 year) answer. Wireless will be a component

• Role of Wireless:

-Complementary/Extension of FTTH-Portability, Mobility-Seamless connectivity-Interim Solution (for lack of competition)-Potential hybrid opportunities-Digital Divide

Page 6: Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

Broadband Wireless • Seattle #1 Wireless City in America (Intel)• No Municipal Citywide Wi-Fi at this time• Current strategy: Address market deficiencies; focus on

specific identified needs

Wi-Fi Pilots:Business Districts (Economic Development)Wi-Fi in parks; public spaces (Public Safety)

LibrariesLow income and senior housing - ThroughCommunity technology programsCommunity Centers (Telecentres)

Page 7: Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs
Page 8: Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

Facts on Wi-Fi business district and parks pilots: July 2005

• Initial City investment: $115,000 • UW , and non-profits pay for bandwidth

(5 year commitment)• Portal linked to their pages• Business districts pay electrical and

marketing costs• Average 235 logins/day; 125 distinct

users with limited marketing• Some technical problems

Page 9: Addressing Seattle’s Broadband Needs

Broadband: Next Steps for Seattle

• City may build fiber within 2000 feet of every residence.

• City developing Request for Interest. To be advertised in April 2006.

• Goal is to find private sector partners willing to leverage City assets to provide competitive, affordable broadband services to citizens the City and businesses.