An effort to link northern Santa Barbara County communities with affordable fiber-optic broadband service has taken another step forward with the award of a $444,787 federal grant to produce a strategy and business plan.
The grant from the Economic Development Administration was jointly applied for by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and the Economic Alliance Foundation, an EconAlliance spokeswoman said.
The majority of the grant will be used to hire a telecom consultant to identify and assess two viable routes for a fiber ring that will address the need for what’s known as the “middle mile” of broadband service to five North County cities and several unincorporated communities.
In the telecommunications industry, the “middle mile” is the physical fiber optic infrastructure that connects an internet service provider’s network center to a local hub, from which the “last mile” connections are made to customers.
It consists of high-capacity fiber-optic lines that carry large amounts of data at high speeds over long distances, thus enabling high-speed service to individual homes and businesses.
Assessment work will include a market analysis and business plan analyzing route construction, operations and governance options that will result in recommendations for the fiber ring.
Grant-funded work is expected to start later this summer, according to the Economic Development Administration’s start-up timeline.
The effort builds on work the Chumash previously performed to develop a plan to bring broadband service to the Chumash Reservation in Santa Ynez.
“The Chumash have really provided the model for the rest of us to follow,” said Bill Simmons, coordinator of the Broadband Task Force. “From the development of an initial strategy to the application to the state for a technical assistance grant, followed by this funding request for design and engineering, they’ve been a trailblazer for what is now occurring across the region.”
The Santa Ynez Chumash and EconAlliance, both part of the tri-county Broadband Consortium Pacific Coast for several years, helped launch study and analysis efforts in North County with informational forums, the Chumash broadband strategic plan and development of the North County fiber ring concept.
“Partnering with EconAlliance on this project and receiving this federal grant brings us closer to improving internet access throughout northern Santa Barbara County,” said Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman for the Santa Ynez Band.
The Chumash and EconAlliance also are part of the Santa Barbara County Broadband Strategy Project Team working with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and REACH as well as the Broadband Consortium Pacific Coast to integrate countywide broadband planning and development.
“This is great news for efforts to increase affordable access to high-performing internet access in areas where it matters the most,” said Marjie Kirn, executive director of SBCAG. “Funding like this strengthens the partnerships we have in place to make our communities better and improve lives.
“We commend the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and EconAlliance for looking beyond what’s next for our region,” Kirn said. “Together, we remain committed to finish the countywide vision for broadband by this fall.”
Joe Halsell, past president and board member of the EconAlliance, was an early supporter of the organization’s broadband efforts.
Halsell said EconAlliance identified broadband as critical for economic development back in 2013, and he credited Chris Chirgwin, chairman of the organization’s Broadband Advisory Group, with developing the North County fiber ring concept.