1. Last Mile Connections?
Anoka County Broadband Conference
June 26th, 2012
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2. U-reka Broadband Ventures
• U-reka is a Telecommunications Consulting firm
working with Municipalities, Service Providers
and Tribal Governments to develop broadband
strategies
• Focus on developing public-private partnerships
between providers and communities
• Several successful deployments currently in
development across the upper-midwest
• www.u-rekabroadband.com
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3. Agenda
• Definitions and Explanation
• Broadband-In the eye of the Beholder
• FCC Definition and Goals
• State of MN Definition and Goals
• Internationally and Other States
• Existing Providers
• Most Promising Technologies
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4. “Broadband is in the Eye of the
Beholder”
• There are many definitions of broadband out
there
• Really depends on where you come from and
what your goals are (universal coverage vs.
targeted coverage)
• In this presentation we will define broadband
and show the many options that there are out
there
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5. Definitions
Broadband-communication in which a wide band of frequencies is
available to transmit information; can take a variety of mediums
(wireless, copper, fiber optic)
Bandwidth-the amount of data that can be carried from one point to
another in a given time period (usually a second)
Bit-smallest unit of computer data
Kbps-1000 bits in 1 Kbps, referred to usually as “728 K” for example
Mbps-1 million bits, 1000 Kbps, referred to as “1 megabit” or “1 Meg”
Gbps-1 billion bits, 1000 Mbps, referred to as “1 gigabit” or “1 gig”
Download-transfer of data from the Internet to an end-user
Upload-transfer of data from an end-user to the Internet
Latency- a synonym for delay, is an expression of how much time it
takes for a packet of data to get from one designated point to
another. Low latency is important for voice and video applications.
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6. Definitions, cont.
Asynchronous, Synchronous-Information travels up and down the
connection at either different (asynch) or the same (sync) speeds.
USF-Universal Service Fund, 4 funds that currently subsidize High Cost
telephone service, Low Income telephone service, E-rate discounted
telephone and Internet services for schools and libraries and Rural
Healthcare discounts for data connections.
Transport infrastructure-type of medium used to carry signal, wireline
is fiber optic, copper or hybrid cable, wireless is over licensed or
unlicensed spectrum. Infrastructure remains empty until you add
services.
Applications-telephone, video, email, data transfers, etc.
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7. Explanation
Courtesy of Broadband Properties Magazine

8. FCC Definition and Goals
• 100 Mbps to 100 million-FCC Goal to get 100
Mbps service to 100 million households in the
United States
• 4:1 Rural-4 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload
to rural areas
• USF Changes-change from supporting telephone
lifeline service to broadband service
• Wireless Initiative-increase the penetration of 3G
and 4G services
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9. State of MN Definition and Goals
-from Chapter 237.012 of MN Statutes
• Goal One
– Universal access and high speed deployment as
soon as possible but no later than 2015 all state
residents and businesses have access to
broadband service that provides a minimum
download speed of 10 to 20 Megabits per second
and minimum upload speed of 5 to 10 Megabits
per second.
• Goal Two involves increasing MN’s ranking
among other states and countries.
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10. Existing Provider Last Mile
Technologies
• Cable Television-utilize Hybrid Fiber Coax Networks (HFC)
using Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification
(DOCSIS) technology
• Telephone-utilize Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology in
Fiber to the Node (FTTN) and Fiber to the Premise (FTTP)
networks
• Wireless-Variety of technologies depending on application
– 3G
– WiFi
– WiMax
• Satellite-Historically the slowest of all the broadband
technologies; new technologies allowing download speeds
up to 10 Mbps recently announced (www.viasat.com)
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11. What is the future bringing?
• Fiber to the Premise (FTTP)-technology being
deployed by a majority of community based
broadband networks-facilitates delivery of a
“triple-play” of services
• 4G Wireless-or Long Term Evolution-being touted
by wireless carriers as a replacement for landline
internet services
• Whitespace Wireless-known as “Super WiFi” or
“TV Band”-currently in early deployments
including England and Wilmington, North
Carolina
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12. For more information
John Schultz
651 967-7196
jschultz@u-rekabroadband.com
www.u-rekabroadband.com
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