1) The document discusses broadband access trends in Utah, noting that Utah has high broadband adoption rates and some of the fastest internet speeds in the nation. 2) It explores how broadband impacts various sectors like education, economic development, healthcare, and more. It also summarizes the goals and efforts of the Utah Broadband Project and regional broadband planning councils. 3) Perspectives from rural and tribal communities are shared, noting the importance of collaboration between stakeholders to improve broadband access for all.

1. Broadband Country

2. Broadband Country
Springdale APA Conference
Kelleigh Cole
Governor’s Office of Economic Development
Emery Polelonema
Six County AOG
John M. Janson
AICP

3. Session Intent
• Explore our reliance on Broadband
• Understand Broadband trends in Utah
• Attain a Rural and Tribal Perspective
• Discuss possible government roles

4. Introduction
• Growth of Broadband
• Essential service
• Expectations
• Once they were ugly
towers but now?

5. What is Broadband?
Broadband refers to high-speed Internet access, which
can be obtained through several technologies such as
wireless, fiber, cable, DSL and satellite
Utah is #1 in home broadband adoption in the nation
with 80% of homes in subscribed to the Internet
According to Akamai Technologies, Utah has the 5th
fastest Internet speeds with the #1 fastest Internet in
the west, outranking California
108 cities in Utah increased their broadband speeds to
over 1 Gig from 2010 to 2013

6. How Does Broadband Impact the Day-to-Day
Lives of Utahns?
Education
Economic
Development
Healthcare Transportation
Public Safety Agriculture
Energy and
Environment
Tourism

7. Utah Broadband Project
Purpose
• Map available
broadband services
• Develop a plan to
increase broadband
adoption and
deployment

8. Mapping Efforts
Map service areas of all residential broadband
service providers who own infrastructure

9. Utah Broadband Map

10. Current State Coverage
• Percentage of households
at or above 3 Mbps
• Percentage of households
at or above 10 Mbps
• Percentage of households
at or above 25 Mbps

11. Broadband Challenges in Rural Utah
• Lower population density
• Higher deployment cost
• Greater geographical
distances
• Coordinating with federal
land agencies

12. 2011 Utah Broadband Adoption Survey Results
Utah’s rural communities do not have a lower
broadband adoption rate than their non-rural
counterparts
Many of Utah’s rural communities are able to
identify multiple broadband options in their area
Utah’s rural communities do not pay higher prices
for Internet service than their non-rural
counterparts, and are even willing to pay more for
broadband services

13. Regional Planning Efforts
Regional Broadband Planning
Councils
• Identify key issues
• Conduct a needs
assessment
• Identify recommendations
and priorities
• Draft a regional plan (June
2014)

14. Regional Planning Efforts
Goals
• Increase collaboration on a
local level between public
and private stakeholders
• Educate local stakeholders
on broadband issues
• Inform state leadership on
local broadband issues

15. Rural and Tribal Perspectives
• Tribal Outreach – 8 Tribes in Utah
• Rural Area Constituents – Micro Communities
matter
• Q1: Do you have suggestions on how different
stakeholders can work together to improve
broadband adoption?
• Q2: Has it become a basic necessity, essential
for everyone?

16. Talking Points – Reaching Out
• Know your people – who, where, & how can
we interact
• Communicate both directions e.g. tribal forum
tested listening skills
• Persistent Collaboration with Trust &
Cooperation
• Identify what both parties need e.g. ARA
$32M

17. The AOGs

18. Six County AOG Region

19. Central Utah’s Six Co. Area
• Juab - 10,341 pop. Area = 3,406 SQ. MI.
• Millard - 2,569 pop. Area = 6,828 SQ. MI.
• Piute - 1,524 pop. Area = 766 SQ. MI.
• Sanpete- 27,906 pop. Area = 1,603 SQ. MI.
• Sevier- 20,784 pop. Area = 1,918 SQ. MI.
• Wayne - 2,737 pop. Area = 2,466 SQ. MI.
• Total - 75,861 pop. 16,987 SQ. MI.

20. Six Co. Communities & Tribal
• 49 Incorporated Towns
• Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (HQ Cedar City)
• Kanosh Band in Millard County
• Koosharem Band in Sevier County
• Confederated Tribes of Goshutes in Juab
County

21. Navajo Nation BB Project
• Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) data
center
• The Navajo Nation leverage a $32 million
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
grant in 2010
• Expanded broadband Internet across its land
in New Mexico, Arizona and Utah

22. Navajo Nation BB Project
• Some stakeholders lost out due to lack of
cooperation
• Pro-Action by Navajo Nation
• Need for collaboration across State Lines
• Share of info on successful projects
• NNBB Project will connect Page AZ
What do we need to do from Utah side?

23. Tribal Forum - Participants

24. Board of Supervisor & Paiute Chair

25. Koosharem Band Chair

26. San Juan Paiute Chair

27. Hopi TribalChair

28. PITU Econ. Dir & Sevier Co. Comm.

29. Commissioner Piute County

30. Is there a new government role?
• Google, UTOPIA, Partnerships
• Infrastructure means:
– Overhead cable and fiber
– Underground
– Wireless
• Should government begin to facilitate
Broadband infrastructure?
• If so, how?

31. How can government facilitate
Broadband infrastructure ?
Local Government. Increase coordination,
communication, and collaboration through such
techniques as:
• Create an electronic list of local providers, districts, and
utilities – use UBAC resources
• Hold a providers (wired and wireless) meeting to
determine lead time needs for trench coordination and
potential cost sharing policies. Consider inviting, blue
stakes, trench and wire/fiber installation companies,
and any agencies/departments that build significant
projects.

32. Government options
• Coordinate with City departments, developers, and districts
on major projects. Set up a reporting schedule and project
mapping system.
• Request fiber build schedules from providers. Consider
cost sharing policies.
• Request project schedules for UDOT and/or County roads
• Review permitting processes to expedite broadband
deployment. Evaluate public structures for potential
wireless service installations. Modify zoning laws
• Consider regular coordination meetings to improve
communication
• Consider partnerships that do not limit competition

33. Government options
• Make a plan!!!
• Add an element to your General Plan
– Infrastructure needs assessment
– System problems
– Plan to address deficiencies and encourage more
infrastructure

34. Broadband Country
• Yes, it is here
• Yes, we want it everywhere in the ol’ Country
of the Red, White and Blue
• Thank you!