Taking the Best of Broadband Strategies to Maximize Growth
by Michael Curri
For broadband networks receiving public investment, economic development is an inherent driver and critical to the success of the network. But how do you choose an economic development strategy which leverages the new network? You can take a business attraction ‘because we built it they will come’ approach, or you can ‘grow your own’ local businesses. It’s a fork in the road that you can choose a direction, or just take it and develop an approach with elements of each.
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SNG helps businesses understand broadband benefits, drive uptake.
by Doug Adams
Over the past month, SNG has been helping ARRA pioneer North Georgia Network (NGN) kickoff the next step in their broadband journey – driving utilization.
They see this as, of course, an opportunity to be a sustainable project. But more importantly to Bruce Abraham and his new not-for-profit Connect North Georgia, it is an opportunity to help North Georgia grow through the meaningful use of broadband and its advanced applications.
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Everyone thinks they have data… but what is it that makes a difference?
by Michael Curri
Every ten years, the US Government conducts a census to provide general demographics of regions and population overviews. But this is aggregated and basic information that is challenging to use as a sole source for decisions. And so additional research and data is required as strategies and policies are developed.
Unfortunately, in today’s broadband research world – most ‘data providers’ are simply giving you census data – basic information that is insufficient when trying to make broadband strategy decisions. Census data is only an inventory of the current situation and disregards demand.
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North Georgia Network Asks SNG to Help Demonstrate Value of Upgrading to Ultra-Fast Broadband
As ARRA pioneer North Georgia Network (NGN) is nearing completion, they’ve found themselves faced with the age-old technology challenge – getting people to understand the value and adopt the new technology. It’s a common mistake for network operators to assume that their market will see broadband as a utility… a no brainer that will see automatic uptake… the “build it and they will come” camp. What this group misses is that better/faster Internet service is an UPGRADE for most – an audience of households, businesses, and organizations that may be “under” served, but not UNserved.
All this to say – NGN recognizes the need to make a compelling case to move from current broadband service to the ultra-fast fiber service NGN is now offering. With this recognition, NGN looked for a partner to help drive adoption and uptake, selecting SNG, our proprietary solutions and unparalled research database to help deliver a compelling business case for businesses and organizations to move to a more robust broadband service.
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by John de Ridder
Last year, we discussed how North Carolina and Tennessee were putting a stop to public broadband investment competing with private investment[i]. Meanwhile at the other extreme, the Australian Government is making a massive public investment in a national fiber access network (the NBN). SNG’s new white paper, EU Guidelines for Public Investment in Broadband, reviews the rules proposed in Europe (EU)[ii] for a more sensible division of roles between private and public investment in broadband.
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In working across the globe and working with multiple carriers deploying new, more robust broadband networks, Strategic Networks Group consistently comes up against the notion that once the network is built, adoption will naturally follow. “Build it and they will come” is a school of thought that expresses the great hope that potential subscribers will naturally adopt, however this notion goes against what we have always known about technology adoption.
Meanwhile, broadband is broadband for many consumers and businesses – who do not see the difference, nor what is possible with ultra-fast broadband (e.g. fiber / Fiber-to-the-Home). On the other hand, organizations like US Ignite are forming to promote “Next generation Applications,” specifically new applications in education, healthcare, clean energy, public safety, and workforce development, including advanced manufacturing. These require the ultra-fast broadband connectivity which the networks being rolled out today will provide. And before we get to “Next generation applications,” consider the bandwidth required to support online collaboration so critical to being competitive in a 21st century economy.
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(from SNG’s One-of-a-Kind Broadband Utilization Database)
By Thibaud Chatel
Over the last several months, a question that keeps coming up from the economic development folks we work with is this… “What are the most impactful digital innovations to improve businesses productivity?” They’re looking for ways that broadband can have the quickest impacts on the businesses in their region.
Well, based on SNG’s database (the Digital Economy Analytics Platform), which contains facts, not hearsay or hunches, here are some answers…
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What Does Broadband Do and Don’t Make Me Think About It
by Doug Adams
It was one of those conversations you can only have at a conference, when you are exhausted after a long day, and your edit buttons are turned off. Michael Curri and I were dining with a community broadband consultant from Georgia who wanted to know, specifically, how to sell SNG’s services, designed to drive utilization and economic advancement, into her communities.
Now she wasn’t asking because she doesn’t get “it.” She understands the power of utilization and not just the power of availability. She gets what SNG does with regards to helping communities drive said utilization. What she didn’t get after a long day of sessions and networking… is how to make it simple for communities to understand. More specifically, mayors, governors, chambers of commerce, etc.
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Broadband Program Management… What’s the Best Way?
by Michael Curri
When administering a new program to deploy broadband and stimulate adoption, governments traditionally ramp-up their internal resources or hire consultants.
But there’s an alternative – a model that leverages existing local resources and links with local stakeholders who have a vested interest in the project outcome of economic development through broadband.
T 
he downsides for the traditional models are apparent. Ramping-up internal staff requires hiring and getting everyone up to speed on how to administer the program. And once the program ends, the staff you worked so hard to find and train will leave. Bad enough that you lose good people you’ve invested in, but staff may be looking for a job during their time with you, looking for a better deal to move on to a permanent position. If this happens, you’re left to restart – and you lose ‘history’ before projects have been completed before they take-on their new job.
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After spending a few days in both Dallas and Washington DC over the past month, it is apparent that the biggest challenge facing broadband projects in every U.S. region is sustainability, and key to that of course is utilization.
As projects are finishing building their broadband infrastructure, now more than ever is the time for SNG to help meet the challenges of going from build to use.
Unfortunately, we have heard from way too many regions who tell us their adoption rates are low and the networks are not – and will not be – sustainable without major uptake.
Low adoption rates (i.e. 20%) cannot sustain the ongoing operations of a broadband network where the business case requires 40-50% uptake.
As your needs increase to drive uptake, please make sure you reach out to SNG as we have introduced some So they’re now beginning to focus on how to increase adoption rates and they’re realizing that they need to drive utilization with end-users – our focus and strength as we’ve again demonstrated with the new DEi Calculator.
