HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.b. Presentation of Video on Next-Generation Broadband 9 REISEN4OUNT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CITY COUNCIL
City Council Regular Meeting: November 17, 2009
AGENDA ITEM: Presentation of video on Next Generation G SECTION:
Broadband riE ty,l A -014
PREPARED BY: Dwight Johnson, City Administrator AGENDA NO. &b
ATTACHMENTS: Fact sheet APPROVED BY:
RECOMMENDED ACTION: None
Because of concerns about the ability of communities in Dakota County to remain top competitors for
economic development that will generate jobs in a changing economy, the area's City Administrators and
Managers last year appointed a committee to look into the need for enhanced Internet connectivity. The
committee and its sub groups met on roughly a monthly basis to research the issue.
The Administrators and Managers concluded that local communities are at a disadvantage compared with
many global competitors when it comes to fast, affordable broadband service, and that the gap is at risk of
widening. As part of an education effort to stimulate discussion among residents and businesses, the
group commissioned a brief video to layout the research and what is at stake for our area.
The seven minute video was completed late last month, and is being made available on many of the cities'
websites and government access cable television channels. We will play the video at tonight's Council
meeting, and hope it will gain audiences among civic and business groups. More information about the
video and the challenges that our cities will face is available in the "News" section of our website,
www.ci.rosemount.mn.us
Cooperating with the City of Rosemount on the video were Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington,
Hastings, Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville, Northfield, South St. Paul, West St. Paul, and the Dakota
County Community Development Agency.
A fact sheet on the value of Next Generation Broadband
Where we stand
We are behind, and we need a plan
The U.S. ranks 18th among nations in typical broadband speeds.*
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
$12.60 for the US. j-
South Korea now generates the same amount of Internet traffic as the U.S. with
one -sixth the population.$
"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 (10 bytes) the
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: if
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 j- Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2008 f 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