Determining if a publicly owned network is right for your community is a multi-step, complex process. Many factors will influence whether or not the residents, business owners, and local leaders in your community will want to make an investment in Internet access infrastructure. ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks Initiative is now working with NEO Partners, LLC,* to help local communities in the early phases as they consider investing in publicly owned infrastructure. For a limited time, a few select communities will receive special pricing to help spread the word about the Community Networks Quickstart Program. Apply by September 28th to be considered as one of the pilot communities.
Let us know at: [email protected]
Please include the proposed study region, an estimate for the number of premises to be considered, and any relevant factors. We will select up to four communities with the goal of having a mix of rural and urban, large and small, and geographic distribution.
Knowledge of the Possibilities is Power
When it comes to planning for deployment or expanding existing infrastructure, one of the most challenging unknowns is cost. With our new Community Networks Quickstart Program, we will provide cost estimates for three possible models for communities who sign up for the service:
1. Full Fiber-to-the-Premise
2. Full Wireless
3. Hybrid
In addition to an estimate on cost, we will consider the size, population, and other characteristics of your community and provide advice and resources that will be the most effective for your community’s situation. You’ll also receive a recommended design that you can refer to as you work with consultants, engineers, and as you apply for grant or loan funding. Our mission is to give you some preliminary information and guidance to make your work with an in-depth consultant more effective. We are not replacing the need for in-depth design work.
Each community is unique, so after you provide some basic information about your community, we’ll seek out more specific data to help with our analysis. We’ll hold a conference call with you to review the results and provide documentation on our analysis and additional resources that we believe will provide additional insight.
Our design advice stems from years of working with other communities and we have years of research that examines how local communities have overcome challenges or capitalized on their existing advantages. Our goal is to swiftly provide your community with preliminary information to help you move forward as you begin planning to improve local connectivity.
Be One of Our Pilot Communities
The set rate for the Community Networks Quickstart Program is $0.40 per premise within the study area; there is no cap on the number of premises. We do have a $100 minimum. In order to introduce Community Networks Quickstart, and to fine tune the program, we’re selecting several pilot communities to receive the service at a reduced rate of $0.15 per premise.
To apply for this significantly reduced rate, contact us by September 28th. We encourage communities of all sizes to contact us to learn more and to apply to become one of our pilot communities: [email protected]
*NEO Partners, LLC, is not related to the Neo Connect Fiber consulting firm.
Photo of puzzle pieces via Pexels.
