GetConnected Fresno – Mesh Network Pilot Bobby Coulter, Senior Manager ITS Fresno Housing Authority

Mesh Network Pilot 405 households connected at two separate properties. Our first mesh network pilot consisted of two separate properties, two separate internet contracts, The only thing that’s the same is the SSID and password. We keep that consistent for residents that move between properties or perhaps attend training at different properties. In total, 405 households gained access through those two sites. 405 families with consistent, reliable internet. This kind of work is easy! Let’s try another 2 properties! We found a local ISP that could provide service, did the site walk, Monthly costs had been negotiated and were within budget, equipment installed and configured, then… I get an invoice for $40K in construction costs. Well beyond the budget, so time to get creative.

Title (move box as needed) 5161 Kings Canyon Rd We don’t have budget to pay 20K for 5161 Kings Canyon And then 20K for 510 Peach Two addresses that stayed in my nightmares. 510 Peach Ave

5161 Kings Canyon Rd 5161 Kings Canyon

5161 Kings Canyon Rd 510 Peach Ave 510 Peach Anyone else notice something? Ya, they are practically next door to each other. No problem right, lets just rip up the parking lot, a few apartments, playgrounds… everything to get internet to the other side. That would definitely be cheaper than the $20K construction. 510 Peach Ave

5161 Kings Canyon Rd 510 Peach Ave Time to talk to our Point to Point wireless experts. Point to point wireless gives us the ability to connect two properties wirelessly as long as they are less than 7 miles apart and there is a clear line of sight. 510 Peach Ave

Low Cost Internet ($9.99/mo) Side by Side *Service, equipment and installation costs per door over 5 years Low Cost Internet ($9.99/mo) Mesh Network 1st Property $741 $1,616 2nd Property $808 3rd Property $650 Why Point to Point instead of trenching or getting each property their own internet line? Fresno has very limited internet options, the only option available is synchronous business class fiber. While this type of circuit is reliable, fast and customizable, it was very expensive. Roughly $800 per month. Compared to $150-200 for a business class circuit. The only way to make this affordable option is by sharing the costs between properties. While connecting 3 properties might be the tipping point financially. There are other factors to consider.

Low Cost Internet ($9.99/mo) Side by Side * Service, equipment and installation costs per door over 5 years Low Cost Internet ($9.99/mo) Mesh Network Adoption success % 13% 100% 1st Property $741 $1,616 2nd Property $808 3rd Property $650 In Fresno, we have had almost a dozen sign up events and only 13% signed up for low cost internet. The mesh network is available to 100% of the residents at day 1. Suddenly the 2 property model looks a lot more attractive when you think about the staff time devoted to sign up events and monitoring resident service status. Instead you could be using that staff time to conduct outreach for digital literacy training in your community room…which is now possible since you have property wide Wi-Fi. Now this is a $800/month internet line. If we were able to utilize lower cost options (like Comcast business)… here is your cost per door.

Low Cost Internet ($9.99/mo) Consumer business class Side by Side *Service, equipment and installation costs per door over 5 years Low Cost Internet ($9.99/mo) Mesh Network Consumer business class Adoption success % 13% 100% 1st Property $741 $1,616 $772 2nd Property $808 $332 3rd Property $650 $255 One more column that I like to show is what our costs would look like if we had a consumer business class internet available to us… ISP’s are you here? You want to close that digital divide?

10% One last slide, 10% represents the number of residents who signed up for their own internet service after a year of living at a complex that has a free to use mesh network installed. A common misconception is that residents will cancel their personal service when free Wi-Fi is available. Residents are showing us that by providing property wide Wi-Fi combined with digital literacy training, they have come to understand the value of the internet in a way that means sacrificing a portion of their limited budget to pay for service. The average income of our residents is somewhere around $11K/ year so make no mistake, there are sacrifices being made.

Bobby Coulter, Senior Manager ITS Fresno Housing Authority bcoulter@fresnohousing.org