2018 Blandin Broadband Conference

1. www.FinleyUSA.com
Border to Border Broadband
Transforming Minnesota
Mark Mrla – Director
Finley Engineering Company
Office: (507) 777-2222
m.mrla@FinleyUSA.com
October 23, 2018

2. www.FinleyUSA.com
Engineering since 1953 – nationwide
Engineering fiber projects for over 35 years
Finley Engineering Company
Company Background & Services
Feasibility Studies
Project Management
Engineering
Designs & Budgets
Plans & Specs
CAD/GIS
ROW
Services
Easements
Permitting
Environmental
Make-Ready Eng.
Contracts & Bidding
Loan/Grant Apps
Strategic Planning

3. www.FinleyUSA.com
Considering a Broadband Project
Your Best Chance of Success
Education and Evaluation
•Education – Your Team and Community
•Feasibility Study
•Evaluate options & work the study results
•Negotiations
•Planning
•Implementation strategy

4. www.FinleyUSA.com
Feasibility Studies
Your Best Chance of Success
Goals with Feasibility Studies
•Provide the best chances of a successful
broadband network
•By developing a clear understanding of
your goals
•And by studying multiple design options,
cost options, financing options, funding
options, partnership options, business
structure options

5. www.FinleyUSA.com
• Study Owner
• Experienced professionals (engineering,
financial, legal, etc.)
• Any potential providers
• The community
• Possibly potential investment partners
Feasibility Study – Key Players
Making Projects Successful
Who Needs to be Involved?

6. www.FinleyUSA.com
There are hundreds if not thousands
of options…you can’t study them all.
The key to finding the best solution is
•Gathering the right data
•Evaluating the right options
This is where experience pays off
Feasibility Study - Approach
Making Projects Successful
Finding the Right Solution

7. www.FinleyUSA.com
• Fiber – Active, passive, various
configurations, etc.
• Wireless – Tower based, mesh based,
mobile, fixed, etc.
• Satellite
• Other technologies
• Hybrid Approaches
Feasibility Studies
Making Projects Successful
Technology Option Examples

8. www.FinleyUSA.com
• Maps of the area and passings
• Miles to cover all passings
• Number of: residential, multi-dwelling
units and number of units in each,
businesses
• Miles of aerial vs. buried
• Types of soil
Feasibility Studies
Making Projects Successful
Sample Questions & Data to Help Begin an Evaluation

9. www.FinleyUSA.com
• Existing plant that can be used
• Existing providers in the area and their
services, speeds, reliability, etc.
• Shape of existing aerial facilities
• Rural vs. metro areas
• Types of terrain and ground cover
Feasibility Studies
Making Projects Successful
Sample Questions & Data to Help Begin an Evaluation (continued)

10. www.FinleyUSA.com
Experience, Experience, Experience
Options, Options, Options
Summary
Making Projects Successful
Best Chance of Success

11. Requirements for Financial
Feasibility Modeling
Doug Dawson, President – CCG Consulting
October 23, 2018

12. Feasibility Modeling Requirements
 Current Market Prices
 Copies of Bills
 Quality of Current Broadband
 Speed Tests
 The Incumbents
 Community Interest in Broadband
 Surveys
 Questionnaires
 Interviews
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13. Feasibility Modeling Requirements
 Discussion of Business Structure
 Muni Business
 Cooperative
 Commercial ISP
 Public Private Partnership
 Open Access
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14. Feasibility Modeling Requirements
 Kinds of Funding Available
 Will Bonds Work?
 Any Grants Available
 Likelihood of Bank Financing
 Fitting the ISP into Current Operations
 Local Salaries and other Cost Detail
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15. Contact Doug Dawson
Doug Dawson
President, CCG Consulting
blackbean2@ccgcomm.com
(202) 255-7689
www.ccgcomm.com
Daily Blog
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/
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