Grant Application for the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) FundingCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Action Items # 1.
Copyrighted
August 16, 2021
ITEM TITLE: Grant Application for the U.S. Department of Commerce's National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Funding for
the Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending the City Council submit an application to the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for
funding for the Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure for deployment
of broadband internet services in the project area containing portions of
Census Tracts 1, 3, 4 and 5.
Information Services Manager Chris Kohlmann and I mOn
Communications Vice President of Network Operations & Engineering
Bernard Dutchik will make a presentation.
RESOLUTION Approving Application for U.S. Department of
Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) Funding for the deployment of Broadband
I nfrastructure
SUGGESTED Receive and File; Adopt Resolution(s); PresentationSuggested
DISPOSITION: Disposition:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Broadband Infrastructure Grant Application to NTIA-
MVM Memo
NTIA Funding for the Deployment of Broadband
Infrastructure Memo to the City Manager
NTIA Funding for the Deployment of Broadband
Infrastructure Resolution
Funding for the Deployment of Broadband
Infrastructure Letter of Committment
Type
City Manager Memo
Staff Memo
Resolutions
Supporting Documentation
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Grant Application for the U.S. Department of Commerce's National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Funding for
the Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure
DATE: August 12, 2021
Information Services Manager Chris Kohlmann recommends the City Council submit an
application to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
for funding for the Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure for deployment of broadband
internet services in the project area containing portions of Census Tracts 1, 3, 4 and 5.
These Census Tracts are in low income areas. The project is submitted as a
partnership with ImOn Communications and is a network that will make high speed
broadband services available to all residential, business and community anchor
institutions in the project area.
The total project cost is estimated at $6 Million. There is no City -match of funds
requested or required. ImOn is proposing to contribute to the proposed project a match
amount of 25%.
Information Services Manager Chris Kohlmann and ImOn Communications Vice
President of Network Operations & Engineering Bernard Dutchik will make a
presentation.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager
THE CITY OF
D U B TE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager
Dubuque
1il�meriwq�
2007.2012.2013
2017*2019
SUBJECT: Grant Application for the U.S. Department of Commerce's National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Funding for the Deployment
of Broadband Infrastructure
DATE: August 12, 2021
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to request City Council approval to submit an application to
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for funding for
the Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure for deployment of broadband internet
services in project area as defined in attachment 1. The project is submitted as a
partnership with ImOn Communications and is a network that will make high speed
broadband services available to all residential, business and community anchor
institutions in the project area.
7_[61:(r]:1911101CC
In May 2021, The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications, and
Information Administration (NTIA) announced the availability of $288 million in grant
funding for the deployment of broadband infrastructure. NTIA's Broadband
Infrastructure Program was established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.
In the priority order defined by the Act, NTIA will accept applications for projects that are
designed to:
• Provide broadband service to the greatest number of households in an eligible
service area;
• Provide broadband service to rural areas;
• Be most cost-effective in providing broadband service; or
• Provide broadband service with a download speed of at least 100 Mbps and an
upload speed of at least 20 Mbps.
The funding opportunity authorizes grants to covered partnerships for covered
broadband projects, defined as competitively and technologically neutral projects for the
deployment of fixed broadband service that provides qualifying broadband service in an
eligible service area. A covered partnership is a partnership between: (A) a State, or
one or more political subdivisions of a State; and (B) a provider of fixed broadband
service.
As a provider of fixed broadband service, ImOn Communications, LLC (ImOn) is the co -
applicant of this covered partnership and a subrecipient in the grant application. The
City of Dubuque and ImOn began their partnership efforts aimed at improving the
availability of internet access services within the City of Dubuque in 2017 by
establishing a Master Co -Location and Shared Services Agreement between the two
entities. This arrangement, part of the City's "Broadband Expansion Initiative", set in
place a system for an efficient sharing of infrastructure and services that allows for a
reduction in broadband deployment and provisioning costs. The signing of that
agreement led to the start of ImOn's construction of fiber back -bone network facilities
into Dubuque in 2017 and an initial offering of ImOn voice and data services to certain
areas of the city in 2018. More recently, the City and ImOn entered into a second
Master Service Agreement for the purpose of partnering to provide free Wi-Fi network
services to residents in and around the area of downtown Dubuque and the Bee Branch
area.
The City, ImOn, and other community stakeholders have been working together to
develop a comprehensive plan aimed at successfully addressing the many areas of
need facing residents and businesses in the project area. The Dubuque City Council,
on March 21, 2021, formally adopted an "Equitable Poverty Reduction and Prevention
Plan." This Plan, in part, emphasizes the importance of a "Digital Equity Plan" aimed at
assuring that all citizens of Dubuque, including those residing in the economically
challenged census tracts have access to comparable high-speed internet and have the
necessary knowledge and skills to use available digital technologies as a means of
improving their life circumstances.
Project Area Background. The project area for Dubuque is within portions of Census
Tracts 1, 3, 4, and 5. The chart below showing certain underlying source data used for
NTIA's "Indicators of Broadband Need Map" reflecting the level of poverty and lack of
internet service with the households in those four Census Tracts pointing to a need to
begin focus in and around these tracts.
Percent of
Percent of
Households
Population
with No
below Federal
Total
Internet
Census Tract
Poverty Line
Households
Access
Census Tract 1
28.0
1446
16.3
Census Tract 3
26.6
942
17.7
Census Tract 4
13.0
1471
24.6
Census Tract 5
30.6
1446
20.6
The COVID-19 pandemic put an additional and disproportionate strain on the residents
of this area of Dubuque with the lack of access to reliable, high-speed broadband
service being a significant source of that strain. The pandemic drove almost all
commercial, educational, healthcare, religious and social activities online and made the
internet an ever more crucial link to the essential things that people need. The impact
of accessibility, affordability, and availability of broadband communications services in
the most disadvantaged census tracts augmented the disparate impact of the pandemic
on those lower income populations of the City.
Project Area Description
The proposed project area has been
narrowed to include only the census
blocks within these four tracts which the
City believes face the greatest needs as
it relates to improving broadband service
access. All of the households within the
project area are within CDBG funding
qualified locations. The target area is
reflected on the map in the yellow
highlighted region and as earlier noted,
includes 286 census blocks with a
population of 12,700 and a total of 5,523
households. The project area is a mix of
residential and small business
customers. It is more densely populated
than most areas of the city and is part of
Dubuque's older residential areas. The
households consist of multi -family, single
family, owner occupied and rental units.
The target area is home to more than
three hundred (300) active businesses,
as well as offices or facilities for
businesses headquartered in other areas of the community. These businesses
represent many of the oldest and smallest businesses in the community including the
"Central Avenue Corridor.". This corridor connects Dubuque's central downtown and
Historic Millwork District to the city's North End. It features a wide variety of historic
buildings offering commercial and retail opportunities on the ground floor and residential
spaces on upper floors. This area also contains the highest percentage of minority
owned businesses in the community.
More than fifty (50) Anchor Institutions call this area home, including multiple public and
private schools, multiple public safety facilities, Crescent Community Health Center, the
downtown campus of the NICC, over a dozen churches and a host of other critical
community and non-profit service and engagement centers. Schools within the project
area include Dubuque elementary schools (Audubon, Fulton, Marshall, Prescott) which
are Title 1 schools with high percentages of children from low-income families.
The Bee Branch Flood mitigation area, along with Comiskey Park, are critical to the
vibrancy of the neighborhoods. The project area is home to historic districts,
neighborhood associations and locations as shown on the map including the Jackson
Park, Comiskey Park, Washington Neighborhood, North End Neighborhoods.
Broadband Service in the Proiect Area
Using the NTIA definition of "qualifying broadband service" as broadband service with a
download speed of not less than 25 Mbps, an upload speed of not less than 3 Mbps,
and latency sufficient to support real-time interactive applications an analysis of the
community was done. (More specifically, NTIA states that for purposes of this grant
program, NTIA interprets the "25/3 standard to mean the ability to provide 25 Mbps
downstream and 3 Mbps upstream simultaneously to every household in the eligible
service area.") The analysis relied on FCC Form 477 Fixed Broadband Deployment
Data (January - June 2020) for broadband services disaggregated by census block.
A comparison of census blocks within the proposed project area with census blocks not
in the project area indicates a greater amount of those showing services as "POOR" or
less than the 25/3 service offerings.
Blocks In Project Area Blocks Not in Project Area
Classification
% Block
Groups in
Class
GOOD >25/3
59.44%
OK = 25/3
4.55%
POOR < 25/3
36.01 %
Classification
% Block
Groups in
Class
GOOD > 25/3
63.51 %
OK = 25/3
4.11 %
POOR <25/3
32.38%
Based on these NTIA requirements, it is evident that many households, businesses,
and other locations within the proposed project area are unable to receive broadband
services that measure up to the NTIA expressed standards for an acceptable or
"qualifying broadband service." This is the consequence of existing broadband
infrastructure that is deficient relative to both the last mile and middle mile transport
facilities used in serving the project area. The current infrastructure is out -of -sync with
both the greater population densities and the collective broadband needs of the
residents within that area of Dubuque. These conclusions are supported by various
informational sources, including not only information gleaned from FCC and NTIA
broadband mapping resources and from on-line community broadband survey, but also
from extensive community engagement activities undertaken as part of the City's work
to address and reduce poverty's negative effects throughout the Dubuque Community.
Communitv Surve
In June of 2021 the City of Dubuque conducted an on-line community broadband
survey. The purpose of this survey was to gather information on how the status of
internet and telephone services have impacted those in Dubuque households during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The community survey results indicate that, at present, the broadband services within
the project area fail to consistently provide to all customers the minimum download and
upload speeds and low latency transmission that the NTIA considers sufficient for
broadband connectivity purposes. In addition, the data indicates that the existing
broadband infrastructure in this area of the City is not capable of scaling -up to meet
growing internet access and digital information needs. The community survey asked,
"In the past 18 months, has your household requested upgraded internet services
(speed or quality) and were able to receive them?" Thirty percent (30%) of all the
respondents had asked for improved service and were told by their provider it was not
available.
Of those in the project area that requested improved internet services and were told
they could not receive it, some of the following comments were shared:
• "Fiber connection is not available at my location. Working from home would be more
productive if / could get a fiber connection."
• "The lack of high-speed internet options in the downtown area is ridiculous. Please
help. "
• "Our latency can be up to 400 ms. This is impossible to have Zoom calls sometimes
when our latency is so high! We chose to homeschool at the beginning of the 2020-
2021 school year, instead of online learning due to internet issues. "
• "2 of 4 work from home 24/7 in IT, web design and streaming/community
management. Having consistent, sharable, and fast internet is very important. We
often go over limits on months where we're actively working in the house and not
pulled to remote location."
• "/ pay for 50 mbps but is more like 10".
DISCUSSION
ImOn proposes to construct, own, and operate within the proposed project area a Fiber -
to -the Premise last mile network that will make high speed broadband services available
to all residential, business and community anchor institutions in the project area. The
initially offered broadband services will in all respects exceed the "Qualifying Broadband
Service" requirements set forth in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued by
NTIA on May 19, 2021, under its "Broadband Infrastructure Program," offering various
initial broadband service packages with speeds significantly greater than qualifying
broadband minimums, up to and including speeds as high as 1 Gig download/500 Mb
upload.
The infrastructure project will also include deployment of additional middle mile
transport facilities connecting to ImOn's core backbone network allowing connection of
all local last -mile connections within the project area to its robust, reliable, and diverse
fiber backbone network. Connections to ImOn's existing advanced backbone network
will give all customers access to a reliable, robust and scalable fiber broadband
connection, with an initial minimum total 40 Gig capacity network, a fiber ring network
architecture, multiple internet gateway locations, and network efficiencies created
through peering and caching relationships with other service providers, and DDOS
cyber related protections. Extending ImOn's fiber transport facilities to the customers in
the project area will provide them access to a carrier class switch fully capable of
supporting both traditional and VoIP telephone services.
The proposed broadband project is designed to provide broadband services exceeding
the NTIA service standards to the greatest number of households in the defined project
area. With this proposed broadband infrastructure project, upon its completion, all
customers would be positioned to request and receive ImOn's fiber -to -the -premises
internet access service which in all respects will: (1) provide a broadband service which
easily meets the NTIA "qualifying broadband" standards established for this grant
program; and (2) bring a broadband infrastructure to the Dubuque area that is built for
the long-term, capable of quickly providing increased capacity and higher broadband
speeds in response to ever increasing broadband user needs.
While the covered broadband project rests within a city of 50,000 or more, a non -priority
area for NTIA, the project area population (12,700) is significantly less than that.
Further, it should be noted that the project area residents face the same type of
broadband service deficiencies that rural consumers also often face.
The proposed broadband project deployment is cost-effective. Deploying FTTP is the
most cost-effective broadband solution for the proposed project area. Through the
existing Master Services Agreement ImOn will be positioned to use and access
available City conduit, inter -duct, handhole facilities, or other City property to reduce
costs or otherwise more efficiently deploy project facilities and/or related equipment.
Proiect Schedule
Based on a grant award date of November 29, 2021, ImOn would commence work on
the project as of that date and would propose to complete deployment of the described
broadband infrastructure project as of November 15, 2022.
BUDGETIMPACT
The total project cost is estimated at $6 Million. There is no city -match of funds
requested or required. ImOn is proposing to contribute to the proposed project a match
amount of twenty-five percent (25%).
ACTION REQUESTED
I respectfully request that the City Council adopt the attached resolution:
1. Approving the submittal of an application to the U.S. Department for
$6,000,000 Broadband Infrastructure Grant funding to build a Fiber -to -the
Premise last mile network that will make high speed broadband services
available to all residential, business and community anchor institutions in the
proposed project area
2. Establish the City's authorized representative for the grant as the City
Manager regarding the grant application and grant administration.
Cc: David Lyons, Sustainable Innovations Consultant, GDDC
Jennifer Larson, Finance and Budget Director
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Attachment 1 Proposed Project Area Map
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Prepared by Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager, 1300 Main St., Dubuque IA 52001 (563)-589-4280
Return to Adrienne N. Breitfelder, City Clerk, 50 W. 131" St., Dubuque, IA 52001, (563) 589-4100
RESOLUTION NO. 288-21
APPROVING APPLICATION FOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE'S NATIONAL
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION (NTIA) FUNDING
FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE
WHEREAS, 286 census blocks within census tracts 1, 3, 4 and 5 with a population
of 12,700 and a total of 5,523 households have been identified as disproportionally
receiving broadband services and are identified as a project area for deployment of
improved broadband infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, A greater percentage of individuals and families living in the project
area are below the poverty line as compared to other areas of Dubuque, and the City has
focused its efforts on improving access to essential services and benefits and providing
greater economic opportunity to persons residing there; and
WHEREAS, ImOn Communications, LLC (ImOn) a provider of fixed broadband
service, is the co -applicant of this grant application as a covered partnership and a
subrecipient in the grant application; and
WHEREAS, ImOn proposes to construct within a proposed project area a Fiber -
to -the Premise last mile network that will make high speed broadband services available
to all residential, business and community anchor institutions in the project area fostering
a more sustainable, equitable and resilient Dubuque; and
WHEREAS, As a means to dramatically improve and "future -proof' the broadband
infrastructure and fixed broadband services available to residents, businesses and others
within the Bee Branch area, the City commits to partnering with and assisting ImOn,
wherever possible, with its deployment of a Fiber -to -the Premise last mile network in such
area that will: (1) make high speed broadband services available to all residential,
business and community anchor institutions in the project area offering various initial
broadband service packages with speeds significantly greater than qualifying broadband
minimums, up to and including speeds as high as 1 Gig download/500 Mb upload; and (2)
also provide a reliable, robust and scalable fiber broadband network and services by
connecting to ImOn's existing and extensive fiber backbone network; and
WHEREAS, The City and ImOn Communications will submit an application for
NTIA funding for the deployment of broadband infrastructure $6,000,000 to construct
within the proposed project area a Fiber -to -the Premise last mile network, and
deployment of additional middle mile transport facilities connecting to ImOn's core
backbone network allowing connection of all local last -mile connections within the project
area to its fiber backbone network; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DUBUQUE, IOWA AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Approving the NTIA funding application for the deployment of
broadband infrastructure for $6,000,000.
Section 2. Establishing the City Manager as the City's authorized representative
regarding the grant.
Passed, approved and adopted this 16th day of August 2021.
Danny C. Sprank, Mayor Pro Tern
Attest:
Adrienne N. Breitfelder, City Clerk
Dubuque
City Manager's Office
City Hall
THE CITY OF
50 West 13th Street
DUB
AII•ameriea City
Dubuque, IA 52001-4845
Office (563) 589-4110
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Fax (563) 589-4149
TTY (563) 690-6678
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
2007.2012.2013
2017*2019
ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org
www.cityofdubuque.org
August 17, 2021
Ms. Evelyn Remaley (Acting Assistant Secretary)
Office of the Assistant Secretary
National Telecommunications & Information Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20230
RE: Application for Grant Funding under NTIA
Broadband Infrastructure Program
Dear Assistant Secretary Remaley:
am pleased to provide this "Letter of Commitment" as an official authorized
representative of The City of Dubuque, Iowa ("the City"), the purpose of which is to
outline generally the scope of work that will be undertaken by the City, if grant funding is
awarded through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's
(NTIA) Broadband Infrastructure Program, authorized by the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021, Division N, Title IX, Section 905, Public Law 116-260, 134
Stat. 1182 (Dec. 27, 2020) (Act). As noted in the grant application to be filed with NTIA,
the City of Dubuque and ImOn Communications, LLC ("ImOn") as members of a
"covered partnership" under the federal Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program are
seeking funds to construct a Fiber -to -the -Premise network that will bring reliable,
consistent, higher speed broadband services to that part of Dubuque generally
referenced as the "Bee Branch" area. In accord with the NTIA Notice of Funding
Opportunity released on May 19, 2021, below is a list of commitments that the City of
Dubuque intends to fulfill, if its grant application is successful:
A greater percentage of individuals and families living in the Bee Branch area of
Dubuque are below the poverty line as compared to other areas of Dubuque, and
the City has focused its efforts on improving access to essential services and
benefits and providing greater economic opportunity to persons residing there. The
City and other community stakeholders have been working diligently to develop a
comprehensive plan aimed at successfully addressing the many areas of need
facing residents and businesses in its Bee Branch area. On March 1, 2021, the City
Council formally adopted the "Equitable Poverty Reduction & Prevention Plan."
That plan, in part, emphasizes the importance of a "Digital Equity Plan" aimed at
Ms. Evalyn Remaley
August 17, 2021
Page 2
assuring that all citizens of Dubuque have access to comparable high-speed internet
and have the necessary knowledge and skills to use available digital technologies as
a means of improving their life circumstances.
2. Information obtained by the City from residents, businesses and other entities in the
Bee Branch area indicate that presently the broadband infrastructure and available
fixed broadband services are deficient and fail to meet the standards set forth in the
NTIA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) which define a "qualifying broadband
service." As a means to dramatically improve and "future -proof' the broadband
infrastructure and fixed broadband services available to residents, businesses and
others within the Bee Branch area, the City commits to partnering with and assisting
ImOn, wherever possible, with its deployment of a Fiber -to -the Premise last mile
network in such area that will: (1) make high speed broadband services available to
all residential, business and community anchor institutions in the project area
offering various initial broadband service packages with speeds significantly greater
than qualifying broadband minimums, up to and including speeds as high as 1 Gig
download/500 Mb upload; and (2) also provide a reliable, robust and scalable fiber
broadband network and services by connecting to ImOn's existing and extensive
fiber backbone network.
3. The City of Dubuque commits to taking all steps reasonable and necessary to
ensure that the covered partnership deploys the network facilities and equipment
needed for operation of the described Fiber -to -the -Premise network project within
the completion timeline set by NTIA, taking into account any related extensions that
may be requested from and granted by NTIA.
4. To the extent that ImOn with this project requires access and use any of the City
conduit, inter -duct, handhole facilities, or other City property to reduce costs or
otherwise more efficiently deploy project fiber facilities and/or related equipment, it
may do so subject to and in accord with the existing "Master Co -location and Shared
Services Agreement Between the City of Dubuque, Iowa and ImOn
Communications, LLC" executed on November 17, 2017.
5. City officials commit to reviewing detailed information concerning ImOn's planned
construction activities to ensure the project is complying with all applicable City
standards and/or timelines and provides for reasonable advance notice to affected
Dubuque residents, businesses and other entities.
6. The City commits to providing adequate personnel to coordinate implementation and
completion of the planned broadband infrastructure project efficiently and
professionally with ImOn, and to provide the required compliance communications to
NTIA on a timely basis.
Ms. Evalyn Remaley
August 17, 2021
Page 3
7. The City commits to undertake those efforts that will best inform and assist eligible
low-income consumers of broadband service discounts so that they may take full
advantage of any monthly discounts available under the FCC's Lifeline Program, the
Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, or any other federal or state programs
aimed at making essential broadband services more affordable. And further, the
City commits to continue its work aimed at democratizing internet access by
providing free access to Wi-Fi hotspots in various areas of Dubuque (including at
locations within the Bee Branch) and by assisting in efforts to provide more
affordable broadband subscription rates to low-income neighborhoods through
public/private partnerships and through the use of Community Development Block
Grant Funds.
8. In addition, the City as part of a Digital Equity Plan will examine what actions could
best increase broadband subscription within the Bee Branch project area and
eliminate or mitigate the effect of digital literacy deficiencies that prevent residents
from improving their life circumstances through the use of online digital tools and
information.
If there are any questions relating to any of the above Letter of Commitment items, they
may be directed to the contact person noted in the filed application or to me directly at
the phone number or email reference below.
Sincerely,
Mic ael C. Van Milligen, City Kranager
City of Dubuque, Iowa
563-589-4110
ctymgr(a_cityofdubug ue.org
Funding for the Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure
August 16, 2021
$288 million in grant funding for the
deployment of broadband infrastructure
Provide broadband service to the greatest
� number of households in an eligible service
area
Provide broadband service to rural areas
Be most cost-effective in providing broadband
service
Provide broadband service with a download
speed of at least 100 Mbps and an upload
speed of at least 20 Mbps
2. Subsidize Internet Access in low Income Neighborhoods &
Develop a Digital Equity Plan
Promising Practice Idea: Develop a Digital Equity Plan
The goal of the plan would be to assure that all citizens have access to
highspeed internet service within their local communities, the devices
that enable them to use the internet and the knowledge and skills to
navigate it. The plan would also identify barriers to achieving "Digital
Equity" for the residents of Dubuque and, in response, the strategies to
remove them.
.)Iglt2
S"
Affordability
Accessibility
Removal of Barriers to
Utilization
Affordability
• WiFi collaborations: In collaboration with ImOn Communications
we have implemented a free public WiFi system in the Bee Branch
linear park. That will be expanded into the Comisky Park during its
upcoming renovation. It also serves as the technological backbone
to a planned "point-to-point" broadband wireless project that can
deliver improved speeds and security at a low cost.
• EBB Initiative: There exists a federal program (Lifeline) that
provides $9.95 a month subsidy for access to wireless
communications. This program is under-utilized in Iowa. The
Emergency Broadband Benefit program is new, and provides up to
$50 a month in subsidy for broadband access for low-income
households. City Team has prepared a stream -lined process for
Dubuque residents to find, compare, choose and enroll in these
programs which we plan to roll -out in approximately two weeks.
DUBUQUE IOWA
Haw It Works
EBB gives a discount on your households monthfy internet service- Participating internet service providers will apply this discount directly to your service plan-
If ellgible, your household can receive:
• $50 per month discount on wireless internet plans and a free phone
• OR M per morrtfr discount on wired rnternet service to your home
• One-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. A small fee will he required.
Your household may be eligible if someone rn the household:
• Receives SNAP, Medicaid, or other government benefits or
• Meets income guldellnes, or
• Goes to a school where they receive free or reduced -price lunch and breakfast.
ttttr E N -
Find EBB Internet Discounts Im -
Accessibility
Broadband Acceleration Initiative.
This public/private collaborative
effort is designed to lower costs and
increase speed to deployment of
more and better broadband options
throughout the community. It has
been successful and access and
options are improving.
Analysis
IN' 1446
3375
16.3 %
28
3 942
2151
17.7%
26.6%
4 1471
3914
24.6%
13%
5 1446
3947
20.6 %
30.6
S 1
East Dubuqu
Lac 3
s
4
5
Source — NTIA Indicators of Broadband Need data for all census tracts
1000.00
1000.00
41.202999
14.478000
1000.00
50.00
54.922001
12.811000
1000.00
250.00
47.840000
13.307000
1000.00
1000.00
65.338997
14.871000
VINK, ��
census
1
d Golf
.o
Yy i.ocust Sr
Census Tract 1
Broadband Score
g > 00
MISI#]
F —_4
Source: FCC Form 477 Fixed Broadband Deployment
Summary by Census Geography with Provider Data
1 410
43%
42%
100%
3 690
6%
6%
6%
2 239
9%
9%
9%
2 524
6%
9%
9%
0
0
1
20/2
3
20/2
2
40/15
1
40/10
2
40/10
1
100/10
2
20/2
3
40/15
4
40/10
Snapshot of the Proposed Project Area
Portions of Census Tracts 1, 31 41 5
286 Census Blocks
51523 Households
12,700 Residents
300 Active Businesses Including the "Central
Avenue Corridor"
50 Anchor Institutions
4 Elementary schools (Audubon, Fulton,
Marshall, Prescott) which are Title 1 schools
with high percentages of children from low-
income families and Jefferson Middle School
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A covered partnership is a partnership between:
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ImOn Communications=,C (ImOn) is the co -
applicant of this covered partnership and a
subrecipient in the grant application.
Fiber -to -the Premise last mile
network
High speed broadband services
available to all residential, business
and community anchor institutions
in the project area
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Removal of Barriers
Equipment City Team has opened conversations with a
successful non-profit which receives equipment from
corporate sponsors and refurbishes that equipment for
distribution to low-income families. We would hope to
have a more detailed report/recommendation for Council
by mid -fall.
Digital Literacy Having access to high-speed internet and
equipment is good, but to achieve digital equity and
maximize the new economic opportunities they present
still requires development of a comprehensive digital
literacy and support process. City team is beginning to
explore issues and options.