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Broadband Expansion in St. Croix County
Eric Biltonen, Ph.D.CNRED EducatorSt. Croix County
January 4, 2017
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
Initial Start for Broadband Programming
• April 14, 2015 – Presentation on Broadband for St Croix EDC • Explained what is broadband.
• Emphasized potential importance for economic development
• Explained current situation in St. Croix County
• May 12, 2015 – EDC Created a Broadband Committee for St Croix County• Board create a broadband committee and elected
me as Chair
• Purpose is: to increase broadband access, reliability, and speeds throughout St Croix County, including consumer, commercial, agricultural and organizational users, from a perspective of economic development. The general idea is to remove obstacles and match consumers with providers.
• June 3, 2015 – Broadband Boot Camp in Eau Claire
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
Generating the knowledge• Between July and December
2015, the Committee focused on research concerning:• Actual coverage maps
• Economic impacts
• Technical options
• Options for moving forward
• The first part of a two-part survey
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
A Two-Part Survey
• October, 2015 – Administered a survey on broadband access and use in St Croix• Survey was designed to gather data to identify areas
conducive for a successful grant application
• To provide information in support of that application
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
Spreading the word• January – March, 2016, Informational
Presentation:• Results of phase 1 survey;
• What is broadband;
• Potential economic impact; and,
• What local governments can do.
• Presented to:• St. Croix Wisconsin Towns Association
• Community Development Department
• County Board
• St. Croix Summit
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
An Apple Pie Resolution
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
A growing movement• In 2016, the EDC Board voted to
allow non-Board members to join committees
• Concerned citizens are the most active
• Became involved with Region III Broadband Implementation Group
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
A Two-Part Survey
• 22 question survey mailed out to 1,021 households with a 34% response rate.
• Opportunity for respondents to volunteer to serve on a citizen committee, which netted us 17 names.
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
Building and supporting the case
• New presentation created, includes information on:• Phase 2 survey results;
• Benefits to households;
• The economic realities for providing (and getting) broadband; and,
• What local citizens can do
• Results to date• One Board created an ad hoc committee
• One Board had a member join the EDC committee
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
Building and supporting the case
Customers per mile CAPEX
Monthly Fee
Payback in years
Monthly Fee
Payback in years
Monthly Fee
Payback in years
Monthly Fee
Payback in years
1 $36,200 $46 65.6 $75 40.2 $100 30.2 $125 24.1
3 $38,600 $46 23.3 $75 14.3 $100 10.7 $125 8.6
5 $41,000 $46 14.9 $75 9.1 $100 6.8 $125 5.5
10 $47,000 $46 8.5 $75 5.2 $100 3.9 $125 3.1
15 $53,000 $46 6.4 $75 3.9 $100 2.9 $125 2.4
20 $59,000 $46 5.3 $75 3.3 $100 2.5 $125 2.0
Assumptions: Acronyms:OSP - Mainline with drops: $35K to $50K per mile CAPEX = Capital ExpenditureElectronic for the fiber ONT and C/O: $1,200 OSP = Outside plantCAPEX total using $35,000 per mile ONT = Optical Network Terminal C/O = Central Office
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
Moving toward funding• Town of Warren initiated their own
independent survey of residents
• They have compiled a map with a significant areas with households in need.
• There is a cooperating local provider
• Discussions are being organized to bring the two sides together and (hopefully) apply for a grant
1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Action
6. Create Quick Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Make it Stick
Moving toward funding• Mobilizing citizens
• Broadband Committee already discussing next steps• Help identified communities apply
for grants
• Inform additional communities
• Disband
THANKS!
Eric Biltonen, Ph.D.CNRED Educator, St. Croix County
