Orange County NC Website
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20 <br /> March 2018 — RFP vendor(s) selection commences <br /> • January 2018 — Broadband RFP closes and vendor interviews commence <br /> November 2017 — County solicits Broadband Request for Proposals (RFP) <br /> • June 2017 — $500k for broadband incentives approved in County budget <br /> Late 2016— County works with Representative Graig Meyer to set meeting with <br /> CenturyLink. This meeting paved the way for CenturyLink to provide budgetary <br /> numbers for improving broadband in its service area and those numbers were used <br /> as a base number for the FY 2017-18 $500,000 Broadband Incentive. <br /> • September- December 2016— IT met with Federal Engineering and Emergency <br /> Services to discuss the positive impact proposed telecommunications towers may <br /> have on broadband services in rural Orange County. It was requested at that <br /> meeting that approximately 15' of vertical strata be reserved for placement of 3rd <br /> party wireless broadband equipment on any new towers to be constructed by <br /> Orange County. Discussions also included how both the County's <br /> telecommunication and fiber plans have synergies that may decrease long range <br /> costs and offer a more secure and reliable fiber connection to each proposed tower <br /> location. <br /> • July 2016— Former Governor Pat McCrory released the NC broadband strategy <br /> report. No funding identified within this report for broadband improvements. <br /> May 2016 —The County's public network buildout was completed in downtown <br /> Hillsborough and all County-occupied buildings. <br /> • March 2016 —WiFi-to-Go pilot began via collaboration by IT and the County Library. <br /> • March 2016 —The State assisted Orange County with identifying vertical assets - <br /> understanding the location and availability of county-wide vertical assets is <br /> important to businesses that want to bring wireless internet services into Orange <br /> County. <br /> December 2015 —An ISP meeting on State/County collaboration occurred. <br /> Late 2015—The Orange Public + Education Network (OPEN) formed to foster <br /> collaboration and cost-sharing among Orange County and its municipalities. <br /> • August 2015—The County's Broadband Survey closed. <br /> • June 2015—The County's Broadband Survey was released. <br /> • April 2015—The Broadband Initiative resident group was formed. <br /> • November 2014—The Manager directed County staff to make a concerted effort to <br /> engage residents in broadband discussions. <br /> • June 2014—January 2016— Orange County leveraged its relationship with Time <br /> Warner resulting in Time Warner extending its wireless hotspots network throughout <br /> downtown Hillsborough and into Fairview and Cedar Grove Parks. Prior to the <br /> County's contact, Time Warner reported it was only going to deliver hotspot services <br /> to Durham and Chapel Hill. This service allows any individual to connect wirelessly <br /> throughout downtown Hillsborough and the parks for free. <br /> • 2011 — North Carolina House Bill 129 barred governments from using public funds <br /> to become Internet Service Providers. <br /> 2010 —The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) publishes its National <br /> Broadband Plan. <br /> • 2010 — MCNC (Microelectronics Center of North Carolina) awarded federal funds for <br /> middle-mile network in rural NC. <br /> 2009 —The US Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus bill included a provision to <br /> make loans to states for the purpose of broadband. <br /> PROPOSED AGREEMENT WITH OPEN BROADBAND <br />