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Home My WebLink About5.F.6. Resolution of Support for SCALE Application for Google's Fiber to the Home Project-Res. No. 6994 S. F. b · City of Shakopee MEMORANDUM COf~SEr~T TO: Mayor and City Council Mark McNeill, City of Shakopee FROM: Kris Wilson, Assistant City Administratojz!;J SUBJECT: Resolution Supporting SCALE Application for Google's Fiber to the Home Project DATE: March 11,2010 Introduction The Council is asked to adopt Resolution No. 6994, a resolution supporting the application by SCALE to Google's Request for Information (RFI) for the "Fiber to the Home" (FTTH) project. Background On February 10, Google announced that it was seeking applications from communities interested in hosting an "ultra-high speed" network of fiber to the home that would deliver internet speeds 100 times faster than what most Americans currently have (see attached for Google's project overview). In the week that followed, staff received a handful of emails from local residents urging the City of Shakopee to apply. The issue was placed on the agenda for the February 24 meeting ofthe Telecommunications Advisory Committee (TAC) and two residents attended the meeting to encourage the City to submit an application to Google. The TAC agreed and voted to recommend to the City Council that the City file an application. The day after the T AC meeting we received an invitation to attend an impromptu meeting with other SCALE members to discuss the possibility of filing a joint application via SCALE. There are several benefits of participating in a SCALE application rather than moving ahead on our own. Most notably, the information put out by Google indicates that they are interested in reaching a population of 50,000 to 500,000 people. On our own, Shakopee does not have 50,000 residents, but countywide we have 128,937. Additionally, a SCALE application can be built upon the established history of working together through SCALE, the investment already made in the County's regional fiber ring and the experience Scott County staffhas in implementing this type oflarge-scale project. Budget Impact There is no cost to submit a response to Google's call for proposals nor is there a cost-share requirement for the actual installation of the fiber. Scott County's IT staffhas agreed to take the lead on preparing the application. However, if selected, the City will need to give serious consideration to waiving right-of-way permit fees associated with the project and taking other steps to facilitate the project's smooth construction. It is our expectation that if the SCALE proposal was viewed by Google as a top contender or finalists, further information and discussion on this topic would be needed. If the SCALE group was fortunate enough to win out over the thousands of other community applications likely to be submitted, a final agreement would be worked out and brought back before the SCALE member governments before proceeding with the project. Relationship to Vision This item relates to goal B - a high quality of life for our residents. Requested Action If the Council concurs, it should offer Resolution No. 6994, a resolution supporting the application by SCALE to Google's Request for Information for the "Fiber to the Home" project, and move its adoption. Coogle" 1. Introduction What is Google doing, and what does it seek to achieve? Imagine sitting in a rural health clinic, streaming three-dimensional medical imaging over the web and discussing a unique condition with a specialist in New York. Or downloading a high-definition, full- length feature film in less than five minutes. Or collaborating with classmates around the world while watching live 3-D video of a university lecture. Universal, ultra high-speed Internet access will make all this and more possible. We've urged the FCC to look at new and creative ways to get there in its National Broadband Plan - and now we're announcing an experiment of our own. Google is planning to build and test ultra-high speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the country. We'll deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with I gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We'll offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people. As a first step, we're putting out a request for information (RFI) to help identify interested communities. We welcome responses from local government, as well as members of the public. Our goal is to experiment with new ways to help make Internet access better and faster for everyone. Here are some specific things that we have in mind: Next generation apps: We want to see what developers and users can do with ultra high-speeds, whether it's creating new bandwidth-intensive "killer apps" and services, or other uses we can't yet imagine. New deployment techniques: We'll test new ways to build fiber networks, and to help inform and support deployments elsewhere, we'll share key lessons learned with the world. Openness and choice: We'll operate an "open access" network, giving users the choice of multiple service providers. And consistent with our past advocacy, we'll manage our network in an open, non-discriminatory, and transparent way. Like our WiFi network in Mountain View, the purpose of this project is to experiment and learn. Network providers are making real progress to expand and improve high-speed Internet access, but there's still more to be done. We don't think we have all the answers - but through our trial, we hope to make a meaningful contribution to the shared goal of delivering faster and better Internet for everyone. Key Events & Projected Dates: . Issuance of request for information: February 10,2010 . Response Deadline: March 26,2010 Google reserves the right to modify any of these dates. Any changes will be published on this website. 4 RESOLUTION NO. 6994 ARESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE APPLICATION BY SCALE TO GOOGLE'S REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) FOR THE "FIBER TO THE HOME" (FTTH) PROJECT WHEREAS, Google -- a multi-billion dollar company - has proposed to undertake an unprecedented investment in an open architecture, "fiber to home" experiment that is intended to make Internet access better and faster for everyone; and WHEREAS, Google plans to test ultra-high speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country; and WHEREAS, Google is asking interested communities of 50,000 to 500,000 residents to provide them with information by March 26,2010 through a Request for information (RFI), which they will use to determine where to build a Fiber to the Home (FTTH) network; and WHEREA, the FTTH networks will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what our citizens have access to today (over one gigabit per second); and WHEREAS, ultra-high speed broadband networks are proven and successful economic development tools as well as positive educational and quality-of-life amenities to residents; and WHEREAS, SCALE (the Scott County Association for Leadership and Efficiency) will be developing a formal response to the Google RFI on behalf of its member communities; and WHEREAS, with over 300 miles of a regional fiber ring already in place, our technical savvy population, our ready project team, and the existing culture of partnership, our larger community is.poised to become a leading contender for Google's FTTH venture; and WHEREAS, our City, along with the other members of SCALE, have demonstrated years of working together in collaborative efforts for the benefit of all citizens; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Shakopee hereby supports the SCALE Application to Google's Request for Information (RFI) for the Fiber to the Home (FTTH) project and authorizes the SCALE Project Team to respond on the City's behalf as part of this SCALE Collaborative. Adopted in adjourned regular session of the City Council of the City of Shako pee, Minnesota, held this 17th day of March, 2009. Mayor of the City of Shakopee ATTEST: City Clerk