Agenda - 01-21-20 12-6 - Information Item - Memorandum-Broadband Initiative Pilot Project Update with Attached Service Area Map

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3 • September 2018 — Board approves awarding grant funds to Open Broadband. • May 2018 — RFP is advertised as per the County Attorney's recommendation. • March 2018 — RFP vendor(s) selection commences • January 2018 — Broadband RFP closes and vendor interviews commence • November 2017 — County solicits Broadband Request for Proposals (RFP) • June 2017 — $500k for broadband incentives approved in County budget • Late 2016 — County works with Representative Graig Meyer to set meeting with CenturyLink. This meeting paved the way for CenturyLink to provide budgetary numbers for improving broadband in its service area and those numbers were used as a base number for the FY 2017-18 $500,000 Broadband Incentive. • September - December 2016 — IT met with Federal Engineering and Emergency Services to discuss the positive impact proposed telecommunications towers may have on broadband services in rural Orange County. It was requested at that meeting that approximately 15' of vertical strata be reserved for placement of 3rd party wireless broadband equipment on any new towers to be constructed by Orange County. Discussions also included how both the County's telecommunication and fiber plans have synergies that may decrease long range costs and offer a more secure and reliable fiber connection to each proposed tower location. • July 2016 — Former Governor Pat McCrory released the NC broadband strategy report. No funding identified within this report for broadband improvements. • May 2016 — The County's public network build out was completed in downtown Hillsborough and all County-occupied buildings. • March 2016 —WiFi-to-Go pilot began via collaboration by IT and the County Library. • March 2016 — The State assisted Orange County with identifying vertical assets - understanding the location and availability of county-wide vertical assets is important to businesses that want to bring wireless internet services into Orange County. • December 2015 — An ISP meeting on State/County collaboration occurred. • Late 2015 — The Orange Public + Education Network (OPEN) formed to foster collaboration and cost-sharing among Orange County and its municipalities. • August 2015 — The County's Broadband Survey closed. • June 2015 — The County's Broadband Survey was released. • Apr. 2015 — The Broadband Initiative resident group was formed. • November 2014 — The Manager directed County staff to make a concerted effort to engage residents in broadband discussions.