03/01/2010 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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40 I service could exceed $300,000 to lease-service lilies that and would provide less than 1/10 the bandwidth 41 42 43 44 45 45 47 48 50 51 52 6a 54 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 of the current fiber based INET. American Fiber Systems (AFS) is a privately held communications company that owns fiber optic networks in 9 metropolitan areas including St. Paul, MinnesotaN. AFS owns over 76,000 fiber miles with a primary business of providing dark fiber to telephone carriers, government. and businesses. AFS also provides managed network services to businesses in the communities where they operate. The AFS — Saint Paul network ends betweenconnects the downtown areas of St. Paul and into Minneapolis and provides servicersprovidinn: service to businesses within this area. AFS is seekingseelzs to expand their network to serve and service:; to businesses in the north -east metro area and is pursuineseekittg federal funding through the BTOP grant to accomplish this goal. As mentioned two of i:heprincipal goals of.'the BTOP grant arei -s to develop a public /private partnership and to provide community benefit to anchor institutions within the service area of the proposed network. AFS was aware at-approached the Metro -INET collaborative and is seeking our support of their application to the NTIA. Their grant request is the construction of a 100 mile fiber optic ring throughout the northeast metro area to serve business and our public safety institutions,_ -1 topsider Lion -af-a 13101 >. aot-toc- on';trtteta -100- i1e- #=thert3ptie- r'ing4k &ughotit4..he northeast metro area to serve business and our public safety institutions. AFS is the grant applicant. Members of Metro -INET will be public sponsors of the grant and the public beneficiary by virtue of a the grant to use the AFS network to interconnect the public safety facilities and other public buildings within our- communications networknetworking- grflup. Additionally AFS will provide dark fiber capacity-to on their existing fiber ring locate; =that connects -St. Paul and Minneapolis. In total, AFS is proposing to provide to Metro -INET access to 140 route miles of fiber. C4 FINANCIAL IMPACTS The BTOP grant will cover up to 70% of the cost of the project. AFS estimates the total cost to be 66 approximately $9 million. AFS has indicated that the remaining 30% will be covered by AFS in so exchange for public sponsorship and support of the AFS grant. AFS has requested a contribution to the se annual maintenance of the 140 route miles in the amount of $49,000 per year. This cost will be divided 65 amongst the members of Metro -INET on an equitable basis using the a -cost sharing methodology o developed by the Metro -INET Users Group. 72 6 74 75 76 81 STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends supporting the efforts of AFS in obtaining federal funding to expand fiber based broadband opportunities within our community. Given the uncertainty over the continued use of the Comcast INET provided fiber optic n:tworlc it is importantnccessary that Roseville and its partner agencies take advantage of any opportunity that can provide low cost(_ high speed connectivity between our public institutions_ 1+s- fweserve the -cost sharing relationships and operational efficiencies-read over the past 12 years. REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION Adopt resolution pledging public support for American Fiber Systems application to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the construction of a Community Broadband network within the Twin Cities North East Metropolitan area- to- itelude the- ity of Rosen ills. Prepared by: Terre Heiser, Network Manager Page 2 of 3