Central Sierra Connect –Regional Summit Creating Broadband Policy for Your Community Connie Stewart Executive Director California Center for Rural Policy April 24, 2014

What is CCRP? CCRP is a research center located at Humboldt State University committed to informing policy, building community, and promoting the health and well-being of rural people and environments. CCRP is the Host Agency for Redwood Coast Connect

Some Facts about Rural CA & Broadband 5.1 million rural residents in California, which accounts for 10% of the U.S. rural population. Of the 58 CA counties, 44 are rural 80% of California's landmass is designated rural There are an estimated 225,000 unserved households in rural California California has set a goal of reaching 98% broadband deployment and 80% adoption by 2017

Some Facts About Digital Divide Nationally  19 million Americans don’t have fixed broadband, 14.5 million live and rural and 1/3 on Tribal Lands  There are only 4 Nation-wide providers and AT&T & Verizon control 70% of the U.S. wireless market  profitability drives broadband deployment  There is no law coming for forcing incumbent providers to offer adequate broadband to remote rural communities.

Think Forward  Include rapid advocacy in your policy plan  Consider Federal, State, Regional and Local Landscape  Include the needs of all stakeholders  Recognize “there is No Free Lunch!”  Design for Ubiquitous Coverage—Leave No One or Thing Behind!

Federal Landscape FCC’s Connect America Fund (CAF)—Currently doesn’t work well for California, but with advocacy could potentially be very important to the future of deployment! Current conditionsIdeal Future Conditions Only covers.1% of California’s population—35,000 people Helps all remaining 225,000 unserved households and improves the quality of underserved households Only covers 8 tribesCovers at least 68 of the 111 tribes Separate rules from existing state programs Works in conjunction with state programs such as CASF California is a net contributorWe get our money back!

FCC’s Rural Broadband Trials  In the past only incumbent providers were eligible  Seeking advice on how to change the rules to better use the funds for deployment  Our chance to change the rules to CA advantage!  Local leaders and stakeholders need to participate! Federal Landscape

USDA’s Community Connect Current conditionsIdeal Future Conditions Unserved Communities onlyUnserved and Underserved Communities Definition of rural sucks! (sucks is a technical term) Get rid of the “federal” (un)definition of rural and trust the state to know rural “Rurality” scoring favors unsustainable projects (population vs “take rate”) Consider economic viability Federal Landscape

Policy Issues on the Horizon  Spectrum control –Avoid having largest carriers controlling the majority of spectrum without guarantees for rural coverage  Watch for divestment and push to protect rural -- Retiring telephone service -- mergers --laws limiting smaller networks  Net Neutrality Federal Landscape