Excellent!!! My thoughts exactly to the millionth power!
Tom DeReggi wrote: > Rick, > > I agree with your assessment that the $350 mil number was set based on > either Connected Nation being in mind (their lobbying), or using Connected > Nation as the only historical data to estimate what it could cost. But to > assume all $350 mil would just automatically go to Connect-the-Nation > without competitive bid process or considering all applicant's needs, is not > likely. > > No we should NOT leave these funds alone. Every one wanting to contribute > in mapping efforts surely should submit bids for this money. If nobody bids > (submits grant apps) on it, it would just be handed over to connected nation > on a silver platter. Its more likely that $5 Mil would be allocated to each > State, for each State to best define how they want to map their broadband > coverage. Mapping coverage and need is clearly the one area that the States > undisputedly could be effective in helping out with. I'd argue that because > of the few intities capable of providing mapping solutions, the odds are > higher of actually gaining a grant. > > I also argue that if Connected Nation could do it for $8,000,000 for Ohio, > they surely could do the whole country for not to much more than that > number..... After all, once one State is complete, all the tools, software > development, and processes are already there to replicate. I'd argue that > it would be "self serving" without justification or basis, to try and > continue to get $5 mil per state, on an ongoing basis. If anything, it could > be lobbied that economies of scale should be able to be obtained to reduce > the cost, in one national project, or replicating for individual states, > argueing that there will be additional funds to go around. Surely Connected > Nation will ask for the full $350 mil, but its not likely the government > will grant it, with other bids on the table, unless they can truly justify > it, or there could be huge repercussions on the way the funds were managed > after the fact. I'd also argue that at this opens up the door for new > entrants that are not greedy, and come up with a more affordable plan. At > minimum it should be argued that the money should be spread around to create > competiton in Mapping solutions, or at minimum not put all the money in one > basket. Solely on the public opinion that Connected Nation is a front for > the telco, it could be argued taht a more specialized mapping solution > should be made for WISPs, tailered to their market that have different > characteristics, or that would tackle the problem from another angle. > > Lastly, many prominent Wireless Association and/or advocates have suggested > and supported ideas of spectrum mapping as needs equal to existing broadband > wireless coverage. Based on the technology neutral clauses, it could be > argued that a certain percentage of mapping funds at minimum should go to > help mapo the needs of the wireless industry. Although, WISPA had been > neutral on this topic in its submissions, I'd argue that WISPA should > probably also offer support for such concepts and ideas. > > Don't misunderstand me, I am not against Connected Nation, but they are not > the only fish in the sea. Although CN may have some strong supporters > politically, that does not over-ride the process the government takes to > fairly consider all applications and bids for funding. It would probably be > illegal if NTIA/RUS did not fairly consider all applicants and include > additional interested parties. > > What we should do is thank Connected Nation for setting perception that > $5million is what it should cost, because that allows a lot of room for > applicants to underbid CN's track record, if they want to get into the > mappign broadband business. > > I personally, will include mapping costs in my application. Argueing that > they are necessary costs to increase success and speed of installation of > plan, that can only be implemented by me, since I hold the confidential > information (network details) needed to adequately accurately map my > wireless network. And if there are not funds left in the mapping funds > portion of the BTOP program that they cover them in the large pool of funds > (not specifically allocated for mapping). > > It could be argued that.... in theNational Broadband strategy, all Americans > need to be considered, even the 10% underserved in Urban America. Before > allocating more funds to build out wired networks in tehse areas that > already have wired networks, it should be determined if these remaining > residents can be served with Wireless. The best way to do that is to create > wqireless coverage mapps, and build customer awareness of wireless coverage. > This is clearly within the goal of the BTOP program, to increase adoption. > Expecially to map your already served areas.. > > Tom DeReggi > RapidDSL & Wireless, Inc > IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Rick Harnish" <rharn...@wispa.org> > To: <ccoo...@intelliwave.com>; "'WISPA General List'" <wireless@wispa.org> > Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 7:22 PM > Subject: Re: [WISPA] NTIA mapping > > >> Chris, >> >> It is my understanding that this bill was specifically written for >> Connected >> Nation. In a conversation today in Indianapolis I was told that if you >> divide $350 million by 50 states you get $7,000,000 per state. This is >> approximately 80% of the $9,000,000 contract they recently signed with >> Ohio >> or Tennessee. The 80% number coincidentally matches up with the current >> thinking on the Broadband Stimulus Grants with 20% coming from the >> awardees >> and 80% coming from the Federal Government. If this assumption is >> correct, >> it didn't take Connected Nation long to come up with a number to present >> to >> the legislators that sponsored the bill. >> >> I'm not saying that this funding won't be allocated to other grantees but >> I >> have been told that it will be extremely difficult to buck this >> legislation >> given the current political clout that Connected Nation seems to have. >> That >> is not to say that the states themselves will get control of the funding >> and >> will make those decisions separately. >> >> Respectfully, >> Rick Harnish >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: wireless-boun...@wispa.org [mailto:wireless-boun...@wispa.org] On >> Behalf Of chris cooper >> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 11:01 AM >> To: 'WISPA General List' >> Subject: [WISPA] NTIA mapping >> >> There is a $350 million mapping component set aside under BTOP. Will >> this funding be available in smaller chunks to successful grantees to >> map their expanded networks? Will it be available to all wisps to map >> their existing networks in an effort to add to the overall national BB >> map? >> >> >> >> Chris Cooper >> >> Intelliwave >> >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> ---- >> WISPA Wants You! Join today! >> http://signup.wispa.org/ >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> ---- >> >> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org >> >> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless >> >> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 8.5.287 / Virus Database: 270.12.4/2082 - Release Date: 04/27/09 >> 06:19:00 >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> WISPA Wants You! 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