Hawai’i Broadband Task Force Final Report
Hawai’i Broadband Task Force has release their Final Report (PDF). Hawai’i is a particular story for two reasons: first because it’s really far out in the Pacific Ocean, and second because I live here and care deeply about having screaming fast access to the Internet.
Right up front, in the Executive Summary, the Task Force points out that:
Broadband is critical infrastructure for Hawai’i’s 21st century advancement in education, health, public safety, research & innovation, economic diversification and public services. One national study estimated the positive economic impact of advanced broadband in Hawai’i at $578 million per year.
However:
Hawai’i’s “lifeline” for broadband to the rest of the world is expensive submarine fiber. While Hawai’i was once the crossroads for trans-Pacific telecommunications, all of the new fiber systems built across the Pacific since 2001 have bypassed Hawai’i.
The Task Force makes these four recommendations:
Recommendation 1: Establish a Forward-Looking Vision to Make Hawai’i Globally Competitive
Enact legislation that enshrines in statute a forward-looking vision to guide policy and action: Hawai’i recognizes broadband as critical infrastructure for the 21st century. Public and private sectors shall strive together to enable every home and business in the State to access 100mbps upstream and downstream broadband service at prices comparable to those in leading economies of the world by 2012 with expandability to 1000mbps thereafter. Every home and business shall be capable of using this capability for educational, economic, social, cultural and medical advancement.Recommendation 2: Create a One-Stop Broadband Advancement Authority
Enact legislation that consolidates any and all State and County, wired and wireless, voice, data and video regulation, franchising and permitting functions into a one-stop self-funded expert broadband advancement authority in the State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs that provides primary leadership for achieving Hawai’i’s broadband vision through both short-term and long-term strategies. (Specific details are in the report.)Recommendation 3: Welcome Trans-Pacific Submarine Fiber to Hawai’i
Reduce the barriers to landing new fiber in Hawai’i through a shareduse, open-access, fiber-ready, international submarine cable landing station on O’ahu that is made available to all projects on a fair and equitable basis. The station should be privately managed with users sharing in the costs, and could be a new or existing physical facility. Government might provide land, permitting assurances and other assistance identified through an open RFI/RFP process to identify one or more private partners interested in building and/or operating a station that could welcome new fiber systems to Hawai’i. The task force recommends that the University of Hawai’i lead an RFI/RFP process to create this facility with State and County assistance and support.Recommendation 4: Stimulate Demand for Broadband
All government agencies should actively develop and deploy public services that apply broadband capabilities in their areas of responsibility. In addition, a pilot program should be established to provide training and repurpose surplus computers from Hawai’i’s businesses and government departments for use in low-income homes, schools, libraries, parks and community centers. This could be done in partnership with the Department of Public Safety Corrections Division and education and social service agencies.
I look forward to seeing and perhaps assisting with the process of making this happen as soon as possible.