City of Thomasville CNS

Just because it’s City doesn’t mean it’s Shi**y“Building a Community Network”

By: Marvin Golden

Welcome to FISPALIVEAtlanta 2014

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Unserved communities

Thomasville 18,488Cairo 9,821Camilla 5,059Pelham 3,869Moultrie 14,506Doerun 783Funston 450

Sylvester 6,283Bainbridge 12,603Quitman 3,664

We began Internet Service for the same reason we built an electric plant in 1906.

No one else was interested in investing in our community.

Without these two visionary initiatives.

The results would have been the same

We would still be “in the dark”

Our founders may have been prophetic. The Seal of the City charter reads “a luce Hujis” in latin. Roughly translated as by this light we are accountable.

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The journey began March 1996

Community Network Services1996 1999 2001 2005 2008 2009 2013 2014

Started Dialup ISPStarted DOCSIS 1.0In Thomasville

Expanded to Cairo, Camilla, MoultrieSylvester

Bainbridge, othersAdded VOIP phone service

Quitman

SGGSACLEC

All accomplished without using taxpayer money or federal monies.

Many services, one network

Community Network Services

3? Dialup

100 Website Hosting

15800 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modems

200 Metro Ethernet Circuits7200 SIP Phone Service

Interactive Distance Learning Network

66 E-rate School Sites

19000 Cable Television Service

Video on Demand

Telehealth Network

60 Cisco Mesh APs

2 wireless service providers

SmartGrid

Assisted in the launch of Tifton Ga network700+ miles of fiber

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Fiber Optic connectivity

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Equipment, vendors, consultants

Cisco

Omnitron Systems

Lucent OC

Nortel NG

JuniperFlukeOptiviewXG, Metroscope, Linkrunner,,OneTouch

Mikrotik

Fujikura Fusion Splicer

TandbergPolycom

Arris C4 CMTS

Arris cable modems

JDSU RF Cable testerJDSU T-berd 8000 OTDR

Sunrise Telecom T-BERD

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We are the same, but different.

In most ways we are the same.• We do have to pay pole attachment fees even in our own city.• We do pay for Make Ready and in some areas this can be very costly.• We do pay taxes even though the local tax is paid to “ourselves”

it is still a cost of business.• We have to submit to the same FCC, PSC, and State regulations.• We hold a CLEC and maintain that.• We are pressured to produce NET profit just like you.• Our net profits are paid back to the general government fund• Because of our business services there is no property tax levied in the city.

How are we different.• We ultimately answer to a city council who are elected to office.• We have Electric crews in each city who perform make ready for us • in some cities and contract out for work in other cities.• We still have to pay them but our cost is less than a contractor.• All cities use the same Fiber contractor, we keep him pretty busy, • there is a lot of cost saving there because we all negotiated the contract.

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You can do this

It’s not rocket surgery!

What do you need to do the same thing1. A core network with Internet Access.2. An Engineer or more who can design, oversee the build, 3. and maintain fiber optic networks4. A CLEC5. Negotiate a contract with a make ready contractor6. Negotiate a contract with a fiber installer for aerial and underground7. Identify fiber partners and negotiate reciprocal lease terms8. Maintain a motivated passionate sales team.9. Do the math10.Double check the math11. Have someone else check your math12.Always include contingency monies, you just never know.

The more of these things you do in-house the less you spend.

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Tips

After over 30 years in this business.

Do1. Start small and build incrementally2. Seek out excellent partners, vendors and consultants3. Participate in FISPA, listen, share, learn.

Don't4. Don’t believe everything your are told, always verify..5. If you don’t understand it, don’t do it.6. Don’t confuse cost with value,

whether it is for what you are selling or what you are buying