NBC National Broadband Co-Op A Carrier-Neutral Fiber Optic & Microwave Broadband Co-Op Clarendon Foundation And Visual Link

NBC The project First “Carrier Neutral” Fiber Optic and Microwave Backbone Network planed in the USA. Combining low cost of Internet bandwidth with low cost of electric power to help secure the U. S. Data Center industry as the most cost effective in the world. Building instate peering points for ISP’s and government that will lower the cost of Internet access and increase the fault tolerance of the Internet in the USA. Solving the underlying problem of bandwidth transport cost, which is the best way to directly address the root cause of the digital divide, and the only way to sustainably expand broadband service to unserved and undeserved areas.

World Internet Download Speed Data courtesy of February 2009

NBC Project Goals Lower the cost of Broadband Internet by 50% Increase the number of Broadband ISPs Create an environment to help increase the number of data centers in the USA. Provide a central Internet peering point in each state Help the USA maintain its Internet leadership Provide a cost effective Diverse Internet Backbone Connection.

How to achieve our goals Build a Co-op Fiber Optic and Microwave Backbone from the primary Internet peering points across the USA. Establish in-state peering points for ISPs to connect in each state to provide survivability. Work with ISPs to help them deploy cost effective Broadband solutions and expand Broadband services to underserved areas. Work to attract more data centers to the U. S. in order to maintain its position as the world’s best location for Data Centers.

Connecting the Resources Virginia Internet Peering Points have the lowest cost of bandwidth in the USA. According to U S News & World Report, more than 50% of the world’s Internet traffic passes through the Metropolitan Area Exchange (“MAE”) East in Ashburn, Virginia. (U. S. News & World Report, April, 2009, page 46)

Primary Peering Points in the USA: UUNET, SBC, Quest, AT&T WV - lowest average cost of power of any state.

How the Internet connects

First Phase Overview

National “Metropolitan Area Exchange” Map

MAE East MAE East is located in Vienna in Northern Virginia. Over 50% of the world’s Internet traffic routes through Mae East. Data Centers positioned close to this location have a better ability to deliver content throughout the world at a lower cost of Internet bandwidth than any other location in the world. Data Centers for Yahoo, AOL, AT&T are located here.

Directly connected to the Center of the Internet More than 50 percent of the world’s Internet traffic goes through Northern Virginia The center of the Internet is located closer to Hampshire and Morgan Counties than 98% of the USA 70+ miles from Washington DC

Data center Power usage Currently Data centers are the largest power users of any industry in the USA. Data Center electricity use doubled between 2000 and 2006, and will double again by 2011.* Data centers will continue to Increase in number and energy consummations as the world’s Internet population increases. In order for the USA to maintain its Data Center industry, we must provide affordable Broadband to the locations in the USA with low costs of power. * U. S. News & World Report, April, 2009, page 46.

Data Center Growth Facts Human beings created 161 exabytes of data in approximately 3 million times the information in all of the books ever written. This equals a stack of 12 books from here to the sun. Data use is expanding at 57% per year. An exabyte is one quintillion bytes or a billion gigabytes Source: International Data Corporation ( IDC Report “The Diverse and Exploding Universe”

Power Cost Per State Cents per kilowatt hour In 2008, 50% of all Data Centers have insufficient power. By 2010, half of all enterprise Data Centers will have to relocate or outsource due to electric power limitations. Source: Data Center Institute.

Data Center growth in the USA Over $110 Billion will be spent on just managing servers in 2008

Cost of Internet Bandwidth at World Internet Peering Points

Benefits of Our Project Build a Carrier-Neutral Microwave and Fiber Internet backbone across the USA. Lower bandwidth cost for ISP’s. Attract Data Center and net-centric business to the USA. Make Broadband access affordable to underserved locations.

What is already in place? The microwave backbone from Northern Virginia to the Romney WV Data Center and then branching off to Hampshire and Morgan counties. This microwave backbone currently provides broadband internet services to Morgan and Hampshire counties. This backbone will also act a diverse path and a backup Internet connection for the NBC Fiber Optic network. Romney WV Data Center This is a Sq foot data center that was purchased from the state of WV in This will be the NOC and management office for the NBC project. The Romney WV Data center will also be offered as an instate peering point for ISP,s and emergency services In the state of WV.

Current Microwave Backbone

Romney WV Datacenter Romney Data Center One of three built to support Nationwide Microwave Network. Former home of the GSA and VA Net Data Centers. Located 100 miles from Washington DC. 28,000 square foot hardened structure.

Former Cold War Microwave Data Network

U. S. Route 50 The Nation’s Backbone Route 50 was the first highway built from coast to coast. It was given the title of “The Nations Backbone” by Time Magazine. Route 50 followed the old wagon trails used by the pioneers. It brought prosperity to thousands of cities and towns across the USA that were inhabited by the early settlers of our country. The U. S. Interstate Highway system made Route 50 obsolete. With the NBC project using it as the route for our NBC Backbone, Route 50 will truly become “The Nation’s Backbone” again -- this time a Broadband Backbone. And it will bring prosperity back again to the communities along it’s path.

USA Internet Peering Points

Microwave Backbone 2009

Proposed Fiber Route Phase 1

Fiber Route Phase 2

What is left to do? Extend the Fiber Optic connection from Northern Virginia Peering Points to WV. Establish an instate peering point plan. Continue to build the Microwave Route across the USA. Build the Fiber optic network following the Microwave Route.