Hello Fellow Broadband Advocates!
Happy New Year! This newsletter includes important information to position the region for broadband infrastructure funding by seeking support to identify priority infrastructure areas and validating the broadband maps. We also provide a list of the top ten accomplishments of the CCABC and partners in 2013.
We look forward to partnering with you in 2014! Thank you for all you do to help connect the Capital Region!
Best regards,
Tara and Jodi
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Expand High-Speed Internet in Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba Counties!
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Recent legislation authorized an additional $90 million into the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Grant and Loan Account to support investment in broadband (high-speed Internet) infrastructure. A community is eligible if their current service is below speeds of 6Mbps down and 1.5 Mbps by wireline, fixed wireless, or mobile broadband.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has asked the regional consortia throughout the state to compile a list of broadband infrastructure priority areas that are not "served" by broadband. Communities on this list will have priority consideration for distribution of future CASF funds.
Additionally, the CPUC maps currently show most of region as "served." We have heard from many of you that this is reporting is not accurate, therefore local support and engagement is needed to provide public feedback and update the maps.
Identify priority areas lacking high-speed Internet access in Yuba and Sutter Counties at this meeting:
Date: Monday, January 27, 2014
Time: 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Where: 915 8th. St., Marysville, CA 95901 - Wheatland Room
RSVP: Here
Identify priority areas lacking high-speed Internet access in Yolo County here.
Provide feedback regarding priority areas in Sacramento County to Tara Thronson.
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Got Internet? What's Your Speed? Tell the CPUC!
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 There is still time to update the California Broadband Map!
The California Broadband Map documents the availability and speed of broadband, high-speed Internet, services in California. Assuring the accuracy of the map is extremely important because it is used in state and federal broadband infrastructure grant and loan decision-making processes.
There are three methods offered from the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) to provide feedback for broadband speeds and quality in your community:
- Online-map feedback: Community members having some form of broadband access may provide feedback to the CPUC broadband mapping process by visiting the online map, www.broadbandmap.ca.gov and clicking on the address lookup tool, which is shaped like a house. A list of broadband providers who report that they provide service in the area will appear on the screen, along with the type of broadband service and speeds they offer. When this list appears, you will find in the upper left corner a link, labeled 'Send Feedback.' Please click this link and a survey will appear on your screen. Please answer the questions and submit the survey when you are done. The CPUC incorporates the survey responses and displays the information on the map's consumer feedback layer. They also use them to validate or invalidate providers' service availability information.
- CalSPEED Mobile App: For LTE-capable Android smartphone and tablet users, the CalSPEED mobile testing app can be downloaded from the Google Play app store and used to test the quality of the mobile service actually available at your location at the time of the test. Tests done in areas with no service will be reported to the CPUC automatically the next time the tester enters an area with service. The results will be shown on the California Interactive Broadband Map, and be used to validate or invalidate that provider's service. While CalSPEED is currently only available for Android phones the CPUC is working on publishing an iOS version as well. Testing must be done while stationary, in an outdoor location. Feel free to use it frequently, at a variety of locations.
- Paper Feedback Form: For households having no access to the Internet, you can fill out the CPUC paper option. They require actual street address information (not P.O. Box) to know where to locate the feedback on the map. To maximize the CPUC's ability to map every piece of feedback they receive, information must be provided in a particular format with uniform survey questions. The form can be downloaded here. For privacy reasons, the form requires a signature for each person's survey response to be displayed on the map. Since an address can be considered personally identifiable data; it must be kept confidential absent permission to disclose it.
For questions and more information contact Owen Rochte at the CPUC.
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 The Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium (CCABC) reflected on progress of the CCABC and its partners in 2013 to increasing digital connectivity in use in the Sacramento region. Highlights include:
- A school fair in South Sacramento resulted in new enrollees to Comcast Internet Essentials and 50 families purchasing low-cost computers from Computers for Classrooms.
- A brochure summarizing local Internet adoption resources in Yuba and Sutter Counties was distributed to middle and high school students in the Linda community.
- The Wireless Broadband and You document summarizing the state of research associated with mobile broadband towers was published.
- Yolo County and its incorporated cities are developing a countywide broadband strategic plan to keep the county economically and educationally competitive.
- The California Air Resources Board is considering promotion of broadband infrastructure within their AB 32 Scoping Plan update, thanks to the CCABC's testimony and comments submitted to the Board and staff.
- The CCABC, in partnership with the California Emerging Technology Fund, the League of California Cities, Rural County Representatives of California and California State Association of Counties, convened a Local Government Officials Broadband Roundtable to engage a "critical mass" of key Local Government Officials throughout California to become active champions in closing the Digital Divide.
- State Legislation SB 740 and AB 1299 were signed into law. These bills expand broadband infrastructure funding for unconnected communities, expand the eligible applicants, and provide loan and grant support for public housing broadband infrastructure.
- The CCABC advocated for rural broadband resources in the Federal Farm Bill through the Sacramento Metro Chamber's Annual Cap-to-Cap federal advocacy program.
- The CCABC provided a letter of support for the City of Sacramento's IBM Smarter Cities Grant Challenge grant application and supported local communities seeking to participate in the Google Celerate broadband pilot project.
- Policy best practices were shared with local jurisdictions to included in planning updates.
The CCABC looks forward to strengthening connections with partners in 2014 to advance access and use of high-speed Internet in Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba Counties!
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