HomeMy WebLinkAbout20091116 - VIII-C-1
MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Dave Osberg, City Administrator
DATE: November 12, 2009
SUBJECT: Next Generation Broadband Video
The City of Hastings, in collaboration with Dakota County and ten other cities in
Dakota County, are launching an educational campaign about why residents and
businesses need to insist on next generation broadband to meet the needs of citizens. To
that end, a video was recently prepared on the importance of next generation broadband
in our County. The video will be played at the City Council meeting on November 16,
2009. We have attached a fact sheet on the value of next generation broadband prepared
as part of this initiative.
Upon completion of the video, any discussion the City Council may wish to have
would be welcomed, with a possible action item directing the Utility Committee of the
City Council to further the discussion.
________________________________________________
David M. Osberg
City Administrator
A fact sheet on the value of Next-Generation Broadband
Where we stand
?
W
e are behind, and we need a plan
?
The U.S. ranks 18 among nations in typical broadband speeds.*
th
?
Average monthly subscription prices per megabit of speed in 2007 were $3.09 for
Japan, $3.70 for France, $4.61 for Italy, $5.29 for the UK, $5.96 for Korea, but
$12.60 for the US.†
?
South Korea now generates the same amount of Internet traffic as the U.S. with
one-sixth the population.‡
?
“As other countries get big broadband, they are going to get out ahead of us in
creating the third generation of the Internet applications and the jobs in the digital
economy.” –Geoff Daily, Apprising blog
?
It’s a public good: critical infrastructure
?
The precedents include canals, water systems, rural electrification, and roads.
?
What private company would have been expected to maintain lifeline phone
service to rural areas, or to build 41,000 miles of Interstate highways?
?
Work is changing
?
Broadband has been dubbed an “idea vehicle” – a means of spurring new product
design and delivery methods and encouraging entrepreneurialism.
?
Total internet traffic for 2013 is estimated at 667 exabites (10bytes) – the
18
equivalent of nearly two trillion medium-sized books.**
?
Up to 20% of business travel worldwide could be replaced by Web-based and
regular full screen videoconferencing technology.††
?
22 million Americans ran businesses out of their homes last year. ‡‡
?
Despite recession, international traffic growth is accelerating in 2009, as average
traffic is growing at a rate of 74 percent, well above last year’s 55 percent.***
What Dakota County communities could gain from Next-Generation
Broadband
?
Economic development
?
Job creation
?
Fast uploads and downloads of data
?
Fast downloads of high-definition movies and games
?
Ability to utilize emerging applications
?
Platform for distance medicine
?
Platform for distance education
?
Family teleconferencing
?
Reduced energy consumption
What’s next in the drive for Next-Generation Broadband
The Minnesota Ultra-High Speed Task Force was appointed to make recommendations to the
Minnesota Legislature and the Governor regarding creation of a statewide high-speed Internet access
goal, and a plan for implementation by 2015. The task force will release its report on November 6.
Visit www.ultra-high-speed-mn.org for details.
__________________
SOURCES: * Akamai, Inc., The State of the Internet, 2009 Q1 † Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2008 ‡ Wall Street
Journal, May 19, 2008 ** Cisco Visual Networking Index 2008-13 †† New York Times, July 22, 2008 ‡‡ Forrester
Consulting report, August, 6, 2008 *** TeleGeography, Global Internet Geography Research Service