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MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

 

Urban and Regional Planning Program

An Examination of Government-Led Broadband
Infrastructure Initiatives in Michigan

Plan B Research Paper

James C. Breuckman

 

May 2001

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An Examination of Government-Led Broadband
Infrastructure Initiatives in Michigan

By:

James C. Breuckman

Plan B Research Paper

Submitted to the Urban and Regional Planning Program
Michigan State University

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING

Table of Contents

Section

1 .0 Introduction
1.1 Purpose

2.0 The Place of Government in Providing Telecommunications Services
2.1 Broadband Internet Access
2.2 Municipal Entry into the Broadband Market
2.3 Challenges Against Municipal Entry into the Broadband Market

3.0 Michigan eReadiness Survey
3.1 Survey Results
3.2 Interpretation of Survey Results
3.21 Region 1 - Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)
3.22 Region 4 — Southwestern Michigan Commission
3.23 Region 6 — T ri-County Regional Planning Commission
3.24 Region 8 — West Michigan Regional Planning Commission
3.25 Region 10 - Northwest Michigan Council of Governments
3.26 Region 11 — E. UP Regional Planning & Development Commission
3.27 Region 14 — W. Michigan Shoreline RDC

4.0 Michigan Information Technology Case Studies
4.1 Oakland County — OAKNet & Automation Alley
4.2 Washtenaw County — Strategic Planning & e-Govemment
4.3 Coldwater, MI — Fiber Overbuild/Full Service Municipal ISP
4.4 Holland, MI — Fiber Overbuild for Bandwidth Lease
4.5 Evanston, IL — Public/Private Technology Partnership

5.0 Conclusion
Appendix A. eReadiness Survey Cover Letter
Appendix B. eReadiness Survey
Appendix C. Compiled Survey Results
References
Figures
Figure 1. Michigan Regional Planning Councils
Tables

Table 1. Summarized Results of eReadiness Survey
Table 2. Summary of Comparison Points for Infrastructure Initiatives

Page

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COOK-DU)

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17
17
18
19
19
20
21
22

23
24
27
29
31
32

35
37
39
51

61

13

16
34

1.0 Introduction

As it becomes increasingly clear that the quality of telecommunications infrastructure within
a community has an impact upon economic development, the provision of technology
infrastructure is gaining increased importance at all levels of government. The rise of the digital
economy and the networked world is changing how we communicate and do business. In order
for communities to participate in the digital economy, hi gh-speed broadband network
infrastructure must be available.1 Statewide technology initiatives such as LinkMichigan have
been created to support high-speed telecommunications infrastructure to facilitate economic
development. Statements such as “improving access to high-speed telecommunications services
is the most important state economic infrastructure issue for the new century”2 are helping to get
state, county, and local governments increasingly involved in efforts to provide broadband access
for their states and communities.

The provision of broadband infrastructure has to date mainly been accomplished by the
private sector, and much of the privately built technology infrastructure has been located in areas
where returns on investment can be expected to be highest, and at this point in time, many
smaller, rural, and low-income communities lack access to hi gh-speed Internet access. These
locations are usually the areas where local governments take an active role in building broadband
infrastructure themselves, as they do not want their communities to be underserved or left
behind. Communities without sufficient broadband access will be left behind in the coming
years as citizens are disadvantaged by lack of skills, and businesses increasingly consider
broadband access as a key component in making location choices. To date, different

communities have taken many different approaches in providing broadband infrastructure. Some

 

' CSPP Readiness Guide, p. l.
2 Michigan Economic Development Corporation, LinkMichigan Plan, p. 2.

of these approaches have drawn criticism because they are public enterprises competing directly

against the private sector.3

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to examine justifications for and arguments
against municipal involvement in providing telecommunications services (e.g. acting as an
Internet Service Provider and/or cable television provider); second, to interpret the results of an
eReadiness survey of Michigan’s 14 regional planning councils; and third, to examine five case
study examples - three unique initiatives at the local or municipal scale where local governments
have been proactive in the provision of broadband infrastructure and two county-level initiatives.

This study will allow us to better understand the legality, costs and benefits of various
proactive approaches to providing and planning for information and communications
technologies. The purpose of this examination is not to declare which government initiative is
best, but rather to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. The eReadiness
survey will provide some idea of how ready Michigan’s regions are to participate in the digital
economy. The five case studies are included as “best practices” examples for communities,
counties or regions engaged in planning for information and communications technologies. The

ultimate goal is to stimulate active planning for information and communication technologies.

 

3 Tongue, available online.

2.0 The Place of Government in Providing Telecommunications Services
“A social vision cannot simply be declared; it must be socially enacted. . .and given a
political embodiment. This requires. . .supporting institutions, treatises, technology projects and

”4 This statement attests to the need for action in addressing problems. In this case,

leadership.
the problem has been identified as the digital divide. While the digital divide does not have one
single, steadfast definition, it generally refers to a dichotomy between those with and those
without access and the ability to utilize technology and the Internet. In many places where
planners are taking the lead in efforts to provide information technology infrastructure and
services, efforts to bridge the digital divide are an integral justification for and component of
initiatives.5

Early formulations of the digital divide were focused solely on issues of access to
technology, but more recent formulations hold that it is more than a simple issue of access; it is
an issue of “those who use Internet technologies to improve their lives, and those who do not.”6
There are four basic activities that enable the Internet to improve one’s quality of life: access,
finding information related to a need or problem, retrieving it, and using it. People who are able
to complete all four of these activities benefit from the Internet. Those who are unable to
complete any one of these tasks do not benefit from the Internet. In the past, the problem of
gaining access to the Internet posed the greatest challenge in bridging the digital divide,
however, with computer prices falling access is becoming less of a problem. A caveat is that

many websites are becoming more sophisticated, requiring faster connection speeds to

adequately browse the Internet. Thus, dial-in access is often inadequate, and broadband access is

 

4 Widmayer, p.31.
5 Quay, p.16-17.
6 Quay, p.12.

often required - broadband access that usually costs upwards of $35 a month compared to $10 a

month for dial-in access.7

2.1 Broadband Internet Access

There is no universal definition of what constitutes “broadband” Internet access. The
FCC defines a broadband connection as having connection speeds of at least 200Kbps. Typical
dial-in modems are 56Kbps, although in reality connection speeds are usually much lower than
this, often in the 30-33Kbps range. There are three primary methods of providing broadband
connections: 1) telephone network connections (DSL and ISDN); 2) wireless systems; and 3)
cable modems. There are, of course, advantages and disadvantages to each option. For instance,
DSL is available over existing copper telephone wires, but the customer must live within 3 miles
of a telephone switching station. Wireless systems do not require the in-ground infrastructure
that cable modems do, but direct line-of—sight connections are required, reducing reliability.
Finally, cable modern systems offer reliable access over hybrid coaxial/fiber optic cable systems.
However, these connections are expensive because they require large amounts of in-ground
infrastructure, and they include some significant security risks. Currently, 75% of broadband
connections are in the form of cable modems due to faster transmission times than DSL, the fact
that DSL may never reach rural areas, and the current unreliable nature of satellite wireless
systems.8

The provision of broadband infrastructure requires laying fiber-optic backbones to
provide long-distance transmission of information. Local access is provided by local loops that

connect into these large backbones. A useful analogy is to think of information technology

 

7 Quay, p.12-l3.
8 Tongue, available online.

infrastructure as a series of pipes. The largest pipes are the national or international backbones.
Intermediate backbone pipes carry data to and from the national or international backbones to
various nodes, such as universities or major cities. Finally, the smallest pipes are the local
backbones that serve smaller areas. The smallest pipes that serve smaller cities or portions of
larger cities are the subjects of municipal planning efforts, as these are the pipes responsible for
bringing the information to neighborhoods and businesses — they are the on-ramps to the
Internet.9

Two factors are especially important in determining who has broadband access to the
Internet and who does not: income and geography. To date, private investment in broadband
infrastructure has naturally occurred in areas where the greatest return on investments can be
expected. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently debating how private
sector providers of broadband will be regulated — as providers of telecommunications or
information services — and what the best method of regulation is for promoting competition and
universal access. Under to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, DSL lines are currently
regulated as telecommunications services and as such the owners of the networks are compelled
to make DSL services available to competitors at bulk rates for resale. This fact has led to
competition in the DSL market. However, Cable Modem services are considered information
services, and as such the owners of the networks are not compelled to provide competitors
access. Public interest advocates are calling for more regulation of broadband to compel the
owners of all networks — Cable Modem and DSL - to provide access to competitors. In this way
competition would be increased as smaller local Internet Service Providers could lease
bandwidth on the proprietary networks of the larger incumbent telecommunications or cable

companies (such as SBC Ameritech for DSL or AT&T Broadband for Cable Modem) to offer

 

9 Michigan Economic Development Corporation, LinkMichigan Plan, p.5.

their own services. At the same time, industry advocates argue that deregulation (including the
abolition of open-access requirements) will lead to greater growth of networks and lower
prices.10
The FCC will decide on a new regulatory structure for broadband later this year, but they
are proposing that all broadband via wireline be classified as information services, which would
eliminate the open-access requirement for DSL.ll This will likely reduce competition in local
markets, and also that rural areas, smaller cities, and low-income or older portions of larger cities
may continue to be underserved.12 It is these areas that are particularly worrisome to many. An
analogy that is often used is to compare places that are bypassed by broadband access to places
that were passed by railroads in the 19th century or places that were bypassed by highways in the

middle of the 20th century. It is assumed that cities that lack broadband access will not be viable

and will fade away.13

2.2 Municipal Entry into the Broadband Market

Due to the combined issues of bridging the digital divide, ensuring economic vitality
through universal service, and providing competition as a way of lowering access costs, many
municipalities have entered the telecom and cable TV markets — currently:

109 municipal utilities provide cable television services
61 act as Internet Service Providers

58 lease fiber to private-sector companies

32 provide high-speed data services

18 provide local telephone services

10 provide long distance telephone service14

 

1° Bonnett, p. 4.

“ Bonnett, p. 3.

‘2 Quay, p. 13-14.

'3 Widmayer, p.23; LinkMichigan, p.5.
'4 Eisenach, p.2.

Five main justifications have been offered to support this kind of action by municipalities. They
are: 1) Fear that they will be left behind; 2) economic development; 3) creation of competition;
4) economic efficiency; and 5) preservation of the quality of city streets.15

1. The fear of smaller communities that they will be left behind when it comes to
technology is a powerful motivating force for municipal entry into the telecom market.
Often these rural or small communities see the establishment of a municipal provider as
necessary because they doubt private carriers will offer service.

2. Broadband is seen as a magnet for attracting new businesses, and retaining current ones.
For instance, in Michigan the Big Three carmakers are increasingly demanding that
suppliers be capable of doing cooperative online engineering. This requires sending very
large (up to 2GB) files back and forth. As such, these suppliers will need broadband

access simply to do business within the next two years.16

3. The creation of competition in markets where there is one or a few private sector
providers is expected to increase the quality of service from private service providers, as
well as reduce costs for consumers. For an example of this, see the Coldwater case
below.

4. Municipal cable networks are often overbuilt on top of electric utility fiber optic lines.
The marginal cost to add communications capability to these utility networks is relatively
low, making this a popular way for municipalities to provide cable television and Internet
services. See the Coldwater and Holland cases below for examples of this.

5. If the municipality builds a fiber network and then leases space on it, it will reduce the

number of times streets need to be torn up in order to put fiber in the ground, which is

 

‘5 Tongue, available online.
'6 Example given by Robert Filka of the MEDC at the LinkMichigan Regional Telecommunications Planning
Program Statewide Kickoff Meeting, December 4, 2001.

more time and cost efficient. This also serves as one way to help solve a related current
debate — the debate over telecoms using public rights-of-way.I7
Adding addressing the digital divide as a 6th justification will add significantly to the arguments
in favor of municipal entry into the telecom and cable markets. Municipal networks generally
serve entire communities, where private service providers might not. Municipal networks can,
and usually are, run as non-profit enterprises, meaning that municipal networks can have social
functions as well as economic ones. Finally, by increasing competition, service rates usually fall,

which leads to greater equity in terms of affordability.

2.3 Challenges Against Municipal Entry into the Broadband Market
When municipalities enter the telecom market, they often have advantages over private
companies already offering services or private startups. Some of these include:

1. Local Operation — this provides a strong selling point, especially when the utilities are
competing against a large national corporation

2. Bundling of Services - local telecom and cable providers are also utility providers. In
this case, the municipal service provider can bundle their services, even charging one
monthly bill.

3. Market Penetration — when local utilities move into the telecom business, they usually
already have relationships with customers, making the introduction of new services easier
and provide economy of scale.

4. Existing Infrastructure — it is often cost-effective for local utilities to offer services as
they already have infrastructure, or can use new infrastructure for multiple purposes.

5. Rights-of-Way - local utilities do not have to deal with the permitting process to use
rights-of-way.

6. Financial advantages — one example of this is the ability to use government bonds to help
finance new projects.18

The private sector contends that these advantages are unfair, and that competition with the public

sector in the telecom business is unwarranted, unwise, or even illegal.

 

‘7 See Bridges for a detailed look at these issues.
'8 McDermott, available online.

Three main arguments against the entry of government into the telecom business have
been identified: 1) public sector competition with the private sector is unfair because of the
substantial advantages afforded public enterprises; 2) it is illegal for municipalities to act as
regulator and provider; and 3) municipal networks will be inefficient and therefore the costs will
outweigh the benefits.19

The first argument claims that municipal entities can engage in cross—subsidization,
where they can subsidize telecom rates with revenues from other municipal utilities allowing the
telecom service to be priced below its cost. For instance, a municipal utility may increase natural
gas rates in order to compensate for losses in cable and telecom enterprises. The real
complication here is that state public utility commissions exist to regulate private utilities, but
not public utilities. Thus, the private utilities are prevented from cross subsidization practices in
the private sector, but not the public. Another concern is that municipal utilities with monopolies
over gas, water, and/or electric will engage in predatory pricing practices, artificially inflating the
charges for gas, water or electric in order to subsidize lower prices charged for cable or telecom
services.20

The second argument claims that municipal telecoms receive special tax treatment.
Municipal utilities are often exempt from Federal, state, and local taxes. In addition, these public
entities have the advantage of issuing tax-exempt bonds to finance publicly owned
communications systems. This creates a system where the public entities are exempt from many
of the tax burdens placed on private competitors. This issue has existed for quite a while, but

until municipal entities started entering the cable and telecom business, it was less pronounced.

Municipal utilities did not formerly compete against private interests for gas and electric service,

 

'9 Tongue, available online.
20 Tongue, available online.

however, with the recent deregulation of the electric industry, it is likely that the tax advantages
public utilities enjoy will be addressed.21

The final advantage enjoyed by the public utilities is their ability to exempt themselves
from franchise and rights-of-way fees. The 1996 telecom deregulation act gives municipalities
the power to regulate franchises and rights-of-way, which leads to a situation where the public
entity has the power to directly regulate its competitors. This can easily lead to an unfair
situation if public entities unfairly limit rights-of-way access to competitors when they enjoy
complete access themselves.22

The legality of public entities offering cable and telecommunications services has also
been questioned. At least ten states have enacted laws that limit or prohibit publicly owned
telecommunications services.23 The legal controversy stems from two pieces of legislation, the
1984 Cable Act and the 1996 Telecommunications Act. The 1984 act gave municipalities the
right to enter the cable TV market, while the 1996 act served to increase competition in the
telecom market, thus allowing municipal services to enter this market also.24 The major
questions of legality stem from the 1996 act, which sought to increase competition in the telecom
market; however, the act also seeks to ensure that there is competitive neutrality. Two sections
of the act in particular aim to ensure that this competitive neutrality ideal is upheld. Section
253(a) states that “no State or local statute or regulation, or other State or local legal requirement,
may prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the ability of any entity to provide any interstate or
intrastate telecommunications service.” Section 253(c) allows state and local governments to

“require fair and reasonable compensation from telecommunications providers, on a completely

 

2’ Tongue, available online.

22 Tongue, available online.

23 Armstrong and Berman, p. A1.
2‘ McDermott, available online.

10

neutral and nondiscriminatory basis, for use of public rights-of-way on a nondiscriminatory

basis.”25

These two provide the major justification for arguments that support limiting municipal
entry into the telecom market. Many of the advantages enjoyed by the municipal telecom
services can be said to violate either section 253(a), 253(c), or both, making municipal telecoms
illegal at this time.

Finally, it has been argued that government should not provide telecom services because
of the inherent inefficiencies of government operations. It has been suggested that municipally
owned telecommunications networks are an aberration; while privatization programs are
becoming increasingly popular, municipally owned telecoms also are increasing in number. For
some, this is a bad situation since government enterprises will often suffer from inefficiencies
that only the market can correct.26 Public telecom enterprises are still too new to have generated
many results, but public cable TV services have been available in many communities for some
time. The experiences from these enterprises are less then encouraging, according to some.
They contend that these public cable TV services have consistently lost money. The Glasgow,
Kentucky27 cable and communications system (which provided the inspiration for many of the
utility overbuild projects) is reported to have sustained consistent losses: “Even with the
inclusion of net cable rate savings benefits, Electric Plant Board’s cable investment, with joint
cost allocations, has generated a negative 9.75% rate of return for the 1989-1997 period.”28

Thus, it is yet unclear what exactly the place of municipalities is in providing

telecommunications services. Issues of digital divide must be addressed, but depending on the

stage of local IT development or local conditions, municipally owned networks might not be the

 

25 Tongue, available online.

2" Eisenach, p. 12.

27 For more information: http://www. glasgow-ky.com/ gill.
2“ Rizzuto and Wirth, p.42.

11

best way of accomplishing this goal. Competition is generally regarded as a positive, but is it a
positive when a possibly advantaged public sector competes against the private sector? These
are questions that remain to be resolved, but must be kept in mind as we examine the results of
an eReadiness survey and five case studies where local governments have been proactive in

providing broadband infrastructure and access for their citizens.

12

3.0 Michigan eReadiness Survey

It is becoming clear that the quality of a state, county, or municipality’s
telecommunication infrastructure has a significant impact on economic development. In addition
to technology infrastructure, other factors impact a community’s readiness to participate in the
digital economy — its eReadiness. In a geographic area as large as Michigan, eReadiness will
vary greatly from area to area. A survey was developed in order to assess eReadiness across the
various regions of Michigan. In order to facilitate the survey, we chose to approach the 14

regional planning councils of the Michigan Association of Regions (MAR)(see Figure l).

MICHIGAN'S 14
STATE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REGIONS

     
   

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Figure 1. Michigan Regional Planning Councils

l3

The regional councils were chosen for study due to their involvement in regional economic
development planning. MAR promotional material states that “regional councils play a vital role
in facilitating cooperation among localities so that they may better respond to the challenges of

”29 which makes them likely candidates to be involved in

an increasingly global economy,
eReadiness related planning and therefore our survey population.

The survey was developed based on the Computer Systems Policy Project’s (CSPP)
Readiness Guide. This guide is a tool to assess a region’s eReadiness along a four stage
continuum or readiness. By using this framework we hope to be able to assess the preparedness
of each region of Michigan to take advantage of the networked world. The framework also
enables comparison with other regions outside Michigan. This survey should reveal which parts
of Michigan are leaders and which ones are in the other stages of development. There are five
key categories included in this framework that represent the elements that need to be in place to
benefit from the networked world:

The Network Infrastructure - The backbone technologies and infrastructure that

connect you to the network. Infrastructure can vary widely in quality, speed, availability

and affordability.

Networked Places — Refers to accessing the network. Infrastructure must extend to the
places where people need access for it to be truly useful.

Networked Applications and Services — How connectedness to the network is used.

Networked Economy — The role of the network in driving the economy. Relies on 1)
ingredients in place to promote innovation; 2) a skilled workforce able to adapt to new
technologies and paradigms; and 3) consumers who are plugged into and ready to use the
networked economy.

Networked World Enablers - Key levers such as policies and a legal framework
necessary to expedite the networked world and overcome barriers such as privacy and
security issues. 0

 

29 www.miregions.org.

3° CSPP Readiness Guide, p. 2.

l4

A complete assessment of a community or region’s eReadiness following the CSPP
Readiness Guide requires a great deal of input and data collection from many varied sources.
We adapted the categories and the benchmarks included within the Readiness Guide framework
into an eReadiness survey (see Appendix A) that could be filled out relatively quickly. Each
question on the survey has five answers, one for each stage of development per the CSPP
framework, and one “don’t know” choice. By asking the 14 regional planning councils to fill out
the survey, we hoped to gain a better understanding of the eReadiness of Michigan’s 14 regions,
and also how the regional councils are approaching and integrating information and

communication technologies into the economic development planning process.

3.1 Survey Results

Completed surveys were obtained from 6 regions: Region 1, South East Michigan
Council of Governments (SEMCOG); Region 3, Southcentral Michigan Planning Council;
Region 6, Tri-County Regional Planning Commission; Region 8, West Michigan Regional
Planning Commission; Region 10, Northwest Michigan Council of Governments; and Region
14, West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission. A matrix combining the
survey responses of the 6 councils is included as Appendix B. The stage of development in the
five key categories for each of the six responding regions has been indicated in table 1. There
are at least 5 survey questions within each key category. In summarizing the results for table 1, a
value is indicated only where the respondent has answered at least two questions within a given
section with other than a “don’t know” answer. If a “don’t know” was given for all (or all but

one) answers within a given category, a — is indicated in the table to signify that there is

15

insufficient data to make any generalization about what stage of development a particular region

falls into in that category.

 

Table 1. Summarized Results of eReadiness Survey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage of Development
Region Network Networked Network Networked Network
Infrastructure Places/Access Applications Economy Enablers
1. SEMCOG 3 - - - 3
4. SW Mi Com 3 - 1 - 2
I6. Tri-County - - 1 - 3
8. West Mi RPC - - - - -
:10. NWMCOG 3 2 2 2 3
.11. East UP RDC 1 2 2 1.5 2
{14. West Ml Shoreline 2 2 2 2 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

This table reveals that the Networked Places/Access and Networked Economy categories
were difficult for the respondents to provide data for. This is likely due to the fact that in
following the CSPP framework, the Networked Places/Access category demands data on K-12
and higher education and health care providers, while the Networked Economy category
demands data on the business practices of retailers and consumer online purchasing habits.
Regional planning councils will probably not have this information without conducting
specialized surveying or other data collection methods. From the survey results, regional
planning commissions more readily possess data required to successfully answer the Network
Infrastructure, Network Applications and Network Enablers categories. These categories are
concerned with availability of infrastructure and access, usage, security, and policy issues. In
addition to the 5 key categories, a question was included on the survey on how much of a priority
information and communication technologies should be in the future development of regions —
Big Priority, Somewhat of a Priority, Not a Priority, or Don’t Know. Finally, we asked the
respondents to indicate if they or any organizations in their region were applying for Regional

Telecommunications Planning Program grants through the LinkMichigan program of the MEDC.

16

It is important to realize that in choosing the regional councils as our level of study we
have chosen a fairly broad categorization. Just as there is likely great variance in eReadiness
between regions, there is likely great variance in eReadiness within regions. The results reported
in this study should not be considered a fine-cut representation of eReadiness, and that there is
likely eReadiness related activity at lower levels of study that is not represented in the survey
results. If anything, these survey results can be interpreted as a representation of to what extent
the regions have concerned themselves or thought about information technology issues. A
region that has already conducted data collection or completed other activities related to

eReadiness issues will be better prepared respond to this survey.

3.2 Interpretation of Survey Results

3.21 Region 1 — Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)

Network Infrastructure: 3
Networked Places/Access:

Network Applications: -
Networked Economy: -
Network Enablers: 3

SEMCOG displays stage 3 development for Network Infrastructure and Network
Enablers. This indicates that broadband access is becoming widespread, and that certain key
levers are present to facilitate the utilization of network applications. These scores for
broadband infrastructure and network enablers are not surprising, as SEMCOG includes the
Metropolitan Detroit area. The incomplete nature of the Places, Applications and Economy
categories likely stems from the large number of school districts, businesses, and municipalities
that are located within SEMCOG’s jurisdiction. Two of the following case studies are located

within SEMCOG’s jurisdiction, and both display a high level of sophistication in planning for

17

and using information and communication technologies. It is probable that information and
communication technologies planning issues in Region 1 will involve assuring uniform service
across the region. SEMCOG indicates that planning for information technologies in the future
should be a big priority. No indication was made of and applications to the LinkMichigan

program.

3.22 Region 4 — Southwestern Michigan Commission

Network Infrastructure: 3
Networked Places/Access: -
Network Applications: 1
Networked Economy:

Network Enablers: 2

The Southwestern Michigan Commission, Region 4, displays characteristics of being in
stage 3 of Network Infrastructure development indicating growing broadband availability; stage
1 for Networked Applications, indicating that business, government, K-12, higher education and
health care providers are beginning to utilize network applications; and stage 2 for Network
Enablers, indicating developing security measures and policy sophistication. The stage 3
Network Infrastructure development is encouraging as it indicates that the foundation is there for
future utilization of information technologies. The survey also indicates that area policymakers
are aware of information technology issues, but not familiar with them.

The survey indicates that a big priority should be placed on the use of information and
communication technologies in the future development of the region. Two LinkMichigan
applications have been filed from organizations within the region - Cass County, and a joint

application between Berrien and Van Buren Counties.

18

3.23 Region 6 - Tri-County Regional Planning Commission

Network Infrastructure:

Networked Places/Access:
Network Applications: -
Networked Economy: -
Network Enablers: 2

It is difficult to make generalizations about Tri-County’s stages of development, as there
is not enough information contained in the survey. For the Network Enablers category the
survey indicates stage 2 development — that area policymakers are somewhat familiar with
information technology issues, and that a big priority should be placed on utilizing information
and communication technologies in the future development of the region. Finally, a
LinkMichigan planning grant application has been submitted through the Regional Economic

Development Team.

3.24 Region 8 — West Michigan Regional Planning Commission

Network Infrastructure:
Networked Places/Access:
Network Applications:
Networked Economy: -
Network Enablers: -

No interpretation can be made regarding stages of development for Region 8. The survey
indicates that the inclusion of information technology issues should be a big priority in the future
development of the region, and there are organizations in the region applying for LinkMichigan

grants.

l9

3.25 Region 10 - Northwest Michigan Council of Governments

Network Infrastructure: 3
Networked Places/Access: 2
Network Applications: 2
Networked Economy: 2
Network Enablers: 3

The Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, Region 10, displays stage 2 or 3
development for all categories. Network Infrastructure displays stage 3 development, which is
characterized by a majority of the population having access to broadband infrastructure. The
stage 2 development in Networked Places/Access indicates a growing network presence in the
region. For instance, 50-100% of government buildings and schools have always-on connections
to the network. The stage 2 development in Network Applications indicates that businesses,
government, K-12, higher education, and health care providers are growing in sophistication and
utilization of the network. Stage 2 for the Networked Economy indicates that more households
are purchasing goods online and that workforce training programs are in place. Stage 3 Network
Enablers development indicates that strong network security measures are in place and that
information technologies development is a priority.

The survey indicates that region 10 policymakers are aware, but not familiar with
information technology issues, while information and communication technologies should be
somewhat of a priority in the future development of the region. Finally, organizations within the

region have completed LinkMichigan grant applications.

20

3.26 Region 11 - Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Planning & Development Commission

Network Infrastructure: 1
Networked Places/Access: 2
Network Applications: 2
Networked Economy: 1.5
Network Enablers: 2

Region 11 is in stage 1 or 2 development for all categories. Network Infrastructure — this
indicates that 56K dial in access is currently available, while broadband access is not yet
available for most of the region. Residences currently have no broadband access, while 1
broadband provider serves businesses. The survey response notes that currently the business
web presence is very weak due to the lack of quality broadband access. Networked
Places/Access — government buildings and places are increasingly becoming connected to the
network. 50-100% of Health Care providers have broadband access, which is a leader in this
category. Network Applications — businesses, schools, government buildings, and health care
providers are beginning to grow in the sophistication of their use of the network. A Businesses and
schools are particular leaders in this region. Networked Economy — the region is developing its
ability to take advantage of the networked world. The survey indicated a score of exactly 1.5 in
this category. 10-33% of households purchase goods or services online, while less than 10% of
retailers offer goods or services over the Internet. Network Enablers — region policymakers are
aware of information and communication technology related issues. 25-50% of always-on
connections have firewalls and virus software is updated monthly, indicating that there is an
awareness of the need for security measures in the region.

The survey indicates that the use of information and communication technologies to
enhance the future development of the region should be a big priority. All three counties in the

region are participating in the LinkMichigan initiative. Finally, the survey response included a

21

notable example of a business connecting with customers via the Internet. A local coffee shop

has set up a Yahoo! Web group for persons in the community, current residents and former.

3.27 Region 14 — West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission

Network Infrastructure: 2
Networked Places/Access: 2
Network Applications: 2
Networked Economy: 2
Network Enablers: 2

Region 14 displays stage 2 development for all categories. Network Infrastructure - this
indicates that broadband access is beginning to become available to homes and businesses in the
region. Networked Places/Accesss - government buildings and places are increasingly becoming
connected to the network via always-on connections. Network Applications — businesses,
schools, government buildings and health care providers are beginning to grow in the
sophistication of their use of the network and the Internet to transact with customers, provide
information, and instruct. Networked Economy — this indicates that a growing number of
customers utilize the Internet to purchase goods or services and 25% of the workforce
participates in training or education programs every 5 years. Network Enablers — Security
measures are growing in the region, while policymakers are somewhat familiar with Internet and
network issues.

The survey indicates that a big priority should be placed on the use of information and
communication technologies in the future development of the region, and that there are

organizations within the region that have applied to the LinkMichigan grant program.

22

4.0 Michigan Information Technology Case Studies

Five case studies have been selected as examples of infrastructure provision and
information and communication technologies utilization. Two Michigan counties —- Oakland and
Washtenaw — were selected for study by virtue of their notable efforts in providing information
and communication technologies infrastructure and services for municipalities located within
their jurisdiction. Successful incorporation of Information and Communication Technologies
into planning at the county level should entail more than one isolated initiative; it should include
a bundle of projects and programs. Oakland County is notable for its varied technology related
projects and programs. Washtenaw County was selected for its strong e-government efforts.
CyberState.org, a Michigan organization committed to driving IT advancement in the state,
annually evaluates the websites of Michigan counties, townships, and cities and villages.
Washtenaw County’s website achieved the highest score in CyberState.org’s 2001 and 2002
survey.31 The case studies will examine the various ways these counties have planned for and
implemented broadband infrastructure, and how they are promoting e-govemment and
integrating technology issues into the greater planning process.

Three local or municipal examples were selected by virtue of their differing approaches
to providing broadband infrastructure — Coldwater, Michigan, Holland, Michigan, and Evanston,
Illinois. Coldwater owns a fiber optic network and acts as a full-service Internet Service
Provider. Holland owns a fiber optic network and leases bandwidth to private sector companies.
Evanston is a partner in the eTropolis Evanston project, a public-private venture that provides

broadband Internet access to every resident of the city.

 

3’ http://www.cyber-state.org/ l _O/govt200 l/mi_counties. pdf

23

In order to assess the three selected infrastructure initiatives, some way of comparing and
evaluating the three initiatives must be derived. The point of this comparison will not be to
identify the best or worst method or way of doing things, but rather to better codify the strengths
and weaknesses of each approach. The points of comparison I have chosen to use in conducting
this preliminary examination are:

i. Cost of construction
ii. Ownership of the network
iii. Party responsible for providing ISP service to public
iv. Type of customer served by network (all citizens, businesses, public buildings,
etc.)
v. Percentage of community served by infrastructure
vi. Details of available services to customers (dial-in, cable modem, DSL, etc.)
vii. Rates charged to customers
viii. Is the network profitable? Will revenues or savings pay for the cost of
construction?
ix. Method of financing construction (see Table 2)

These points of comparison should provide a beginning understanding of the differences and

similarities between the different initiatives.

4.1 Oakland County - OAKNet & Automation Alley

Oakland County conceived the OAKNet Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) in 1998
when it began examining the feasibility of creating a fiber optic network to improve
communications and data sharing between cities, villages and towns and agencies located in the
county. Towards this end, the county had installed nearly 400 miles of fiber as the backbone of
the network by July of 2000. A survey of the municipalities located within Oakland county
conducted in the early part of 2000 had revealed that only half had Internet access (and most of
those with access relied on dial-in services), so the mission of OAKNet was expanded, and the

county became the ISP for its cities, towns and villages. The county now provides free

24

broadband Internet access as well as email service to all municipalities within its boundaries. In
order to take advantage of the network, communities must construct their own Local Area
Networks and “last mile” connections from the network points of presence to desktop computers,
however, this is a small cost compared to the construction of the MAN as a whole. If
municipalities were to install their own T-l lines it would cost them up to $8,000 per year,32 and
total savings for municipalities participating in OAKNet are estimated to be $10-12,000
annually.33 The project construction cost is estimated to be $8 million, with $650,000 funded by
the federal government. Yearly operating costs for OAKNet are expected to be about $2 million
annually.34

The availability of low-cost broadband access for communities within Oakland county
allows municipalities the chance to offer better e-govemment services and to save money. For
instance, access to broadband can allow residents to pay utility bills or parking fines online.
OAKNet will also allow municipalities to share and access information much more efficiently
and quickly. Accessing public works data, census data, property taxes and assessments, and GIS
data over the network will facilitate information sharing and utilization between governmental
agencies and municipalities. @ccess Oakland is an Internet tool that allows users to access
records such as residential property profiles, residential property analyzer (which allows the user
to search parcels by property characteristics), tax profiles, the register of deeds, and facilitates
credit card payments online.35 @ccess Oakland greatly enhances the utility of the Internet as a

tool for disseminating information, and is made possible by the existence of OAKNet.

 

’2 Sarkar, p. 31.

33 http://www.naco.org/pubs/cnews/OO- l2-4/newsfrom.htm.

3" Sarkar, p. 32.

35 http://www.co.oakland.mi.us/exec/initiatives/access_oak.html.

25

In addition to @ccess Oakland, the Courts and Law Enforcement Management
Information System (CLEMIS)36 utilizes OAKNet. The greater network capacity benefits law-
enforcement activities from on—board computers in police cars, dispatchers of emergency
vehicles, and the court system. Eventually citizens may be able to report crimes and
communicate with officers via the Internet.37

Oakland County also supports Automation Alley.38 Located along the I-75 and I-696
corridors, Automation Alley is a consortium of more than 350 technology-oriented companies,
representatives of K-12 and higher education, and Oakland County. Over 1,800 companies are
located within Automation Alley, and the Consortium was established to develop programs to
support members in their efforts to attract world-class high-tech workers to Oakland County.”
The consortium supports programs in workforce development, business development, and
Internet services, among others. Automation Alley consciously associates itself with other
nationally known technology clusters: “Automation Alley’s 1,800 progressive businesses
compete head-to-head and brain-to-brain with other technology centers such as Califomia’s

Silicon Valley and Boston’s Route 128 for the world’s best employment prospects.”40

 

3" http://www.co.oakland.mi.us/clemisl.

3’ Sarkar, p. 32.

38 www.automationalley.com.

39 http://www.automationalley.com/pages/AboutUs.asp?area=au.

’0 http://www.automationalley.com/pages/AboutUs.asrfiareazau.
For a comparison on how Automation Alley compares with Silicon Valley, see:
http://www.automationalley.com/pages/countyCompar.asp?area=au.

26

4.2 Washtenaw County - Strategic Planning & e-Government

Washtenaw County believes that e-government represents a new model for service
delivery, and is building a complete e-govemment presence on the Internet through the
eWashtenaw website.41 In order to implement the e-govemment vision, Washtenaw County has
created the Washtenaw County E-Government Strategic Plan. This plan was developed in
response to growing demand for electronic access to government services and information. Six
strategic goals are provided in the plan which will guide all future technology decisions:

I. Be responsive to the needs of Washtenaw County constituencies — Defining services
that matter is one of the challenges facing the development of successful and efficient
e-govemment

2. Re-engineer/reinvent organizational processes — Service processes must be
streamlined before inclusion as part of e-government

3. Implement business improvement process program management — Proposed
technology initiatives must be compatible with Washtenaw County’s Business
Improvement Process (BIP) and with specific departmental business plans

4. Improve data collection and storage — This will allow Washtenaw County to better
analyze and report on its collected data

5. Build a scaleable, reliable network infrastructure - A network capable of handling
high-speed, secure transactions is a cornerstone of e-government

6. Define e-govemment services — E-govemment is more than a collection of
applications and services, it is a framework that orders and guides how constituents
and government interact42

Three key strategies are outlined to implement the e-government vision. The first

strategy is community engagement, which consists of insuring that e-government efforts are
responsive to community needs.

The second strategy is phased implementation. Three functions of e-govemment are

defined: phase 1 — e-information; phase 2 — e-commerce; and phase 3 — e-democracy. The first

stage is the presentation of information via the e-government website, which Washtenaw County

is already doing. The second phase is e-commerce, which entails facilitating online transactions

 

4' www.cWashtenaw.org.
‘2 Washtenaw County, p. 4-5.

27

with government. Washtenaw County is currently working to implement this phase of
development. The final phase of development occurs when e-democracy is feasible. The goal of
e-democracy is to engage the public in the political process by establishing and implementing
cost free applications. Key e-democracy services include notification and web casting of the
Board of Commissioners’ (BOC) meetings, electronic polling and. voting, and communication
with the Boc.43
The final strategy is portal access to e-govemment. This refers to the ordering of how
information is presented through the www.cWashtenaw.org website. Emphasis is placed on
what the information is rather than where it is located. Three portals are suggested in the
Strategic Plan:
0 Payment/Bill Portal — This will allow citizens and businesses to conduct business
with the government.
0 Public Participation Portal — This portal will unify the applications and services
that seek to engage public participation in government.
0 Intranet Portal — A portal for County employees. Information on benefits,
policies, procedures, and emergency announcements will be included here.44
Currently Washtenaw County has no county govemment-led broadband infrastructure
projects. However, the strategic plan includes an assessment of the county govemment’s internal
infrastructure. The infrastructure assessment is focused solely on the connectivity of government
buildings and sites, and includes planned future network improvements.
The source of funding for the e-government initiative to this point is unclear, however the
strategic plan contains a short discussion on future financing of e—govemment. One option for

funding e-govemment is to include it as part of the yearly budget process. This is referred to as

the Traditional Approach. A second proposed approach is the Modified Traditional Approach.

 

‘3 Washtenaw County, p. 6-10.
‘4 Washtenaw County, p.10-11.

28

Using this method, departments are asked to examine how they benefit from the e-govemment
program and reallocate part of their funding towards implementation of e-government. These
departmental analyses should consider cost savings and cost efficiencies realized through e-
government. The final financing method is the Self-Funding Approach. This often entails the
government partnering with a commercial provider. Fees are assessed using various methods.
Convenience fees can be charged on online transactions. Subscription fees can be charged to
customers who wish to benefit from the convenience of e-govemment. Finally, Advertising is
another method through which e-govemment can be financed. Much like advertising on the
sides of city buses, e-government websites can contain advertisements that help defray the costs.
Each of these approaches must be carefully considered when putting together an e-government

financing plan.”

4.3 Coldwater, Michigan - Fiber Overbuild/Full Service Municipal ISP

Coldwater, Michigan created the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (CBPU),46 a
municipally owned operating agency that provides electric, water, wastewater, and
communications services. The CBPU currently provides cable television service to all residents
of the city. In addition, in 1997 the CBPU became a full service Internet Service Provider,
offering dial-up and high-speed cable modem access to citizens. The network is available
anywhere within the city limits, but service does not yet extend into the surrounding township.
In addition to dial-in and broadband access, the CBPU offers web hosting, domain housing,

Domain Name Service, and domain registration. Thus, the city of Coldwater is the ISP and cable

 

’5 Washtenaw County, p. 17-18.
‘6 http://www.cbpu.com/.

29

television provider for its residents, and the public entity competes against the private cable-
television provider that also services the city.

The efforts of Glasgow, Kentucky to provide cable television and Internet services to its
residents are one of the first examples of a municipality engaging in such an activity. Glasgow
began its Info-Highway initiative in 1989 as a way to improve how the local electric utility sells
electricity, to provide a competitive cable television and telephone marketplace, and to institute a
city- wide computer network of networks. These goals have been accomplished through the
construction of 120 miles of bi-directional broadband plant which touches each home and
business within the City.47 The data network reaches all K-12 classrooms, city agencies, and
utilities in the city. These efforts were familiar to members of the Coldwater City Commission,
and provided an important inspiration for the decision to construct a similar network in
Coldwater.48

The CBPU was upgrading its internal fiber optic network to improve monitoring
capabilities between its power stations when the city commission decided to build a more robust
network that is capable of carrying communications. The overall cost of the project was $7.5
million dollars. The CBPU provided the funding for the backbone out of its operating budget.
In order to fund the additions to the network necessary to bring service to all residents of the city
a revenue bond was floated. In total, the network includes 46 miles of fiber.

The communications network is run as a non-profit organization. User fees are set to
make enough revenue to cover operating expenses. The municipal network charges a $26.15
monthly fee for residential cable modem service. Once the municipal network began offering

Internet services, the private competitor’s rates dropped by 25% to a comparable level. Finally,

 

’7 http://www.glasgow-ky.com/gii/.
’8 Information gathered from a phone interview with Lindy Cox of the CBPU conducted on 11/20/01.

30

there are currently 150 businesses that subscribe to the commercial cable modem services

offered by the network.49

4.4 Holland, Michigan - Fiber Overbuild for Bandwidth Lease

The Holland, Michigan Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW) has built a 17-mile fiber
Optic backbone to support internal communication links between all HBPW facilities, as well as
the community’s public services such as hospitals, schools, and local government agencies.
Similar to the Coldwater example, when building the network the HBPW included a significant
amount of excess capacity for other services. This additional capacity is leased by the HBPW to
individuals or private companies for their own internal communication. The HBPW is not an
ISP to the citizens of the community, but instead hopes to entice private companies to lease
excess capacity on existing infrastructure and provide those services to the public.

If a company wishes to utilize the network for its own internal communications, it must
be physically located within a certain distance from the fiber itself. EagleNet - an ISP located in
Holland — provides Internet services over the backbone. At this time there are plans to extend
the reach of the network into Holland’s neighborhoods, with the eventual goal being to extend
the network to serve the entire city of Holland.50 However, at this time, the only customers that
are able to utilize the network are the businesses located close enough to the network to tie into it
physically. These direct fiber connections to the network are expensive, making it cost effective
only for businesses to connect to the network. Once the connection to the fiber backbone is

made, EagleNet provides access to the Internet.5 ’

 

’9 Information gathered from a phone interview with Lindy Cox of the CBPU conducted on 11/20/01.
5° httpzllwwwegl.net/about/prfiber.shtml.
5 ’ http://www.egl.net/broadband/fiber.shtml.

31

The Holland example contains some similarities to the Coldwater case. The fiber
network is actually the same system in both cases (SCADA — a utilities monitoring system). In
both cases, the utilities network has been significantly upgraded to allow it to serve as a
communications network. However, the method by which each city intends Internet services to

be delivered is the main difference.

4.5 Evanston, Illinois - Public/Private Technology Partnership

Evanston is a suburb of Chicago with a population of 75,000. In order to keep Evanston
a desirable and competitive place to live and work, the eTropolis Evanston project was created in
1999. eTropolis Evanston is a collaborative public/private venture working to offer affordable,
hi gh-speed fiber-optic network connections and bundled telecommunications services (video,
voice, and data) to every residence, business, institution and government office in the city.
Representatives of the city, Northwestern University, local school districts, the Chamber of
Commerce, Evmark, the Evanston Research Park companies, the local business Incubator,
Evanston Library and other entities are collaborating to make Evanston a next generation “cyber
center.” Northwestern University has played a key role in providing office space, technical
assistance, and funding.52 Affordable broadband access available to all residents of Evanston
was and is the ultimate goal of the initiative. In fact, the city of Evanston has mandated
eTropolis to make bridging the digital divide one of its primary goals.

This project is a public-private partnership with the network and services ultimately being
provided by private companies. The public sector mainly provides the incentives and oversight
of the construction and deployment of broadband services in the community. As part of its

initial strategy, eTropolis started working with smaller companies to provide Internet services.

 

52 Crockett, p.87.

32

These companies agreed to provide discounted broadband services in Evanston. For their part,
they were eager to gain a foothold in the Chicago market. However, the later slowing of the
economy led to these smaller companies either failing or being bought out by larger
corporations, which left eTropolis without service providers. In response, eTropolis began
working with larger companies such as AT&T and Ameritech. In addition to AT&T now being
able to offer broadband access to every residence in the city through its cable network, eTropolis
persuaded AT&T broadband to extend its network to a local community center. The community
center can now offer Internet access to the residents of the city who might not otherwise have
access.53

Part of the eTropolis initiative is to provide access, but beyond ensuring that every
resident of the city merely has access to Internet services, the eTropolis initiative also intends to
provide extensive education, training and support services, as well as an aggressive e-commerce
effort.54 In this way, eTropolis hopes to not only address the access aspects of the digital divide,
but also the related issue of skills and utilization of the Internet. Nonetheless, since the collapse
of the small, independent ISPs and the subsequent partnership with AT&T and Ameritech, costs
for broadband access in Evanston have risen by 25% to around $50 a month.55 This means that

while the training and education programs are vitally important, providing universal affordable

broadband access to all citizens remains one of eTropolis’ greatest challenges.

 

53 Crockett. p.88-9.
5" Widmayer, p.32.
5" Crockett, p.88.

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5.0 Conclusion

Statewide efforts have been launched across the nation that seek to ensure that broadband
infrastructure is available; examples of this include the LinkMichigan initiative, the Iowa
Communications Network, and VirginiaLink, among others. In a trickle-down effect, the
provision of broadband infrastructure is quickly gaining the attention of local governments.
Recently, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation launched its LinkMichigan
initiative in an effort to ensure that Michigan becomes an information technology leader. The
LinkMichigan report states that “improving access to hi gh-speed telecommunications services is
the most important state economic infrastructure issue for the new century.”56 In order to realize
this vision, LinkMichigan has recently begun offering planning grants ranging from $40,000 to
$100,000 for the development of county or multi-county telecommunications plans. This should
increase the interest in planning for broadband infrastructure.

It is evident that communities that engage in strong strategic planning for issues of
technology better enjoy the benefits of information and communication technologies. The
Washtenaw County case study serves as an example of what a strong strategic vision and plan
can accomplish. It will be beneficial for other communities and organizations to follow the lead
of Washtenaw County and include technology issues in strategic and economic development
planning. However, it is apparent that organizations still regard planning for technology as a
fringe or special interest issue. A survey was made of various regions’ Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategies (CEDS). CEDS reports are funded by the Economic
Devlopment Authority (EDA) and are usually a prerequisite to be eligible for funds under most

EDA programs. The three CEDS that were analyzed contained little or no mention of

 

56 Michigan Economic Development Corporation, LinkMichigan Report, p.2

35

information technology issues, and no strategic planning process related to information
technology.57 A CEDS exists to promote economic development, and as information and
communication technologies are becoming a vital part of economic development, the CEDS may
be a likely and useful place for future technology-related strategic planning to occur.

There have already been many examples set by communities in Michigan that have
sought to provide broadband access for their citizens. As other communities begin their
individual infrastructure planning processes they have a wealth of examples available to them.
These examples can serve as guides, or even blueprints for communities beginning the
information and communication technology planning process. It remains to be seen if the
Coldwater/Glasgow, Kentucky model of public utility overbuilding is a viable method of
providing broadband services over the long-term, or if public-private efforts such as Evanston’s
can truly address issues of digital divide. Public attempts to provide information technology
infrastructure need to address issues related to the digital divide — access, as well as programs to

ensure that users possess the skills to utilize the Internet efficiently.

 

57 CEDS analyzed were: Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Planning and Devlelopment Commission, the Sault Ste.
Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission

36

Appendix A. eReadiness Survey Cover Letter

Dear Sir or Madam,

“What role are information and communication technologies playing in the regional
planning of Michigan’s communities?” This is the overriding question being asked by a
project of MSU’s Michigan Partnership for Economic Development Assistance program. This is
an invitation to join this effort to insure that communities of Michigan’s regions are planning for
engagement with the expanding networked world.

Telecommunications infrastructure, access, and utilization are becoming increasingly important
for the economic development of local communities. Reliable, fast broadband access benefits
business, government, health care, and education, and is becoming a necessity. Recently there
has been much interest in strengthening the presence of technology in the state of Michigan.
Policy initiatives such as LinkMichigan58 seek to ensure that Michigan becomes a national leader
in advanced telecommunications services and infrastructure.

This survey aims to assess the electronic readiness of the various regions of Michigan.
Electronic readiness assessment is focused on how communities access and utilize information
technologies. We are contacting the 14 executive directors of Michigan’s planning and
development regions as our principal respondents for this survey.

We ask you or someone you designate to fill out the attached survey to assist us in assessing the
state of information and communication technology infrastructure and utilization in Michigan’s
regions. Answering all of the questions on the survey can take as little as half an hour. We are
aware that information necessary to answer some questions will be difficult to come by or not
available to you. In this case we would ask you to refer this survey to others in your organization
or region who might be able to respond, or to provide us with their information so that we may
contact them directly. We have provided space for you to include this contact information at the
end of the survey. For some questions the information necessary to respond simply may not be
available. If this is the case we feel that “Don’t Know” answers are valuable indicators, and we
ask that you not be shy in answering this way. You also have the option of not answering all
questions.

Finally, we ask that you complete and return the questionnaire in the stamped addressed
envelope by April 15. We will be attending the MAR meeting on April 9 to introduce and
answer questions about the survey. If you would prefer, we are willing to administer this survey
over the phone. If you would like to respond in this way, please check the box on the first page
of the enclosed survey and return it to us.

Your responses will be held strictly confidential; only the two primary investigators will have
access to the completed surveys. However, we will share the results of the survey with each
executive director. Thank you for your time.

 

58 httpz/llinkmichiganmichigan.org

37

If you have any questions regarding the survey, please contact us at:

Email: breuckma@msu.edu
Phone: (517) 974-0373

If you have questions regarding your rights as a survey respondent, please contact the University Committee on
Research Involving Human Subjects at:

202 Olds Hall
Michigan State University

E. Lansing, MI 48823
Email: UCRIHSJ@insu.edu
Phone: (517) 355-2180

Sincerely

Dr. Ken Corey Jim Breuckman

Attachment: survey questionnaire

38

Appendix B. eReadiness Survey

Michigan Regional Planning Information Technology Readiness Survey
3-26-02

We have chosen to use the Computer Systems Policy Project’s Readiness Guide as a framework
for our survey.59 By using this framework we hope to be able to assess the preparedness of each
region of Michigan to take advantage of the networked world. The framework also enables
comparison with other regions outside Michigan. This survey should reveal which parts of
Michigan are leaders and which ones are in the other stages of development. Once this
information has been collected, if asked, we will be willing to work with selected regions to
address the area’s concerns over telecommunications services and infrastructure. The survey
contains six major categories:

The Network Infrastructure — The backbone technologies and infrastructure that connect you
to the network. Infrastructure can vary widely in quality, speed, availability and affordability.

Networked Places — Refers to accessing the network. Infrastructure must extend to the places
where people need access.

Networked Applications and Services — How connectedness to the network is used.

Networked Economy - The role of the network in driving the economy. Relies on 1)
ingredients in place to promote innovation; 2) a skilled workforce able to adapt to new
technologies and paradigms; and 3) consumers who are plugged into and ready to use the
networked economy.

Networked World Enablers — Key levers such as policies and a legal framework necessary to
expedite the networked world and overcome barriers such as privacy and security issues.

Regional Planning Issues for Information and Communication Technologies — Best
practices examples from the state of Michigan.

Space is provided on the last page of the questionnaire for you to list others in your region who
we might contact in order to complete the survey. If you would prefer to respond to this survey
over the phone, please contact us to set up an appointment. Thank you.

 

59 http://www.(:§pp.org/projects/readiness

39

1. Network Infrastructure
What is the speed and availability of residential Internet services?

56K dial-in services available to all homes

DSUCable Modem services available to 0 - 20% of homes
DSL/Cable Modem services available to 20 - 80% of homes
DSL/Cable Modem services available to all homes

Don’t know/not sure

00000
999439?

What is the availability of mobile digital wireless services?

Analog mobile wireless services available

Digital wireless data service covers 30% of community at 12kbps
Digital wireless data service covers 50% of community at 12kbps
Digital wireless data service covers 100% of community

Don’t know/not sure

00000
999930!"

What is the speed and availability of Internet services to businesses?

56K dial-in available to 100% of businesses
DSL/Cable/Dedicated Tl lines available to 40% of businesses
DSIJCable/Tl available to 80% of businesses

DSL/Cable/Tl available to 100% of businesses

Don’t know/not sure

00000
SAFE”???

How many broadband60 data providers are there for residential markets?

1 provider

2 providers covering at least 50% of community
3 providers covering at least 75% of community
4 or more providers

Don’t know/not sure

00000
SAP-PP?

 

60 Broadband — what constitutes “broadband” varies in popular usage. The FCC definition is anything that exceeds
200K bits per second (bps). DSL lines can range from 130K bps to 1 million bps. Cable modems range from 200K
bps to 10 million bps. For the purposes of this survey we will define broadband as any kind of always-on Internet
connection (see footnote 2 on the next page).

40

How many broadband data providers are there for business markets?

1 provider

3 providers

5 providers

6 or more providers
Don’t know/not sure

00000
MPPNE‘

What are installation times for broadband access?

3 weeks or more

2 weeks or more
Less than 2 weeks

1 week or less

. Don’t know/not sure

UDDDU
mewwr

II. Networked Places/Access
Government

0 1. 0-50% of government buildings have always-on“ connections & 0-25% of employees
have email

0 2. 50-100% of buildings have always-on connections; 25-100% of employees have
email; 0-50% of mobile employees use wireless devices.

0 3. 50—100% of mobile employees use wireless devices; Internet access terminals are
available in 50% of buildings that are accessible to the public.

0 4. Network is always available to employees; the Internet is available to the public in all
accessible buildings

0 5. Don’t know/not sure

 

6' Always-On Connection - This refers to Internet connections that you do not have to dial into over phone lines.
These connections are always on, like cable TV, you simply must turn on your computer, and your Internet
connection is active. DSL lines, Cable modems, and EtherNet hookups are examples of always-on connections.

41

K-12 Schools

0 1. 0-10% of classrooms have broadband access; 0-25% of teachers have email accounts

0 2. 10-50% of classrooms have broadband access; 25-100% of teachers have email access

0 3. 50-75% of classrooms have broadband access; 100% of students have broadband
access; public ports and terminals are available in some school common areas

0 4. All K-12 schools make the network available to students, faculty and staff from
anywhere in the school

0 5. Don’t know/not sure

Higher Education

0 1. All offices, libraries and labs have broadband access. All students, faculty and staff
have email accounts. 0-25% of dorm rooms have broadband access.

0 2. 25-50 % of dorm rooms have broadband access.

0 3. 50-100% of dorm rooms have broadband access; up to 50% of campuses have a
wireless network.

0 4. All higher education campuses make the network available anywhere on campus.

0 5. Don’t know/not sure

Health
Health Care Provider access.

Note: “Health care provider” refers to private practices and public health care clinics and
facilities.

0-100% of providers have dial-in access
<50% of providers have broadband access
50-100% of providers have broadband access
100% of providers have broadband access
Don’t know/not sure

00000
9:89P):—

Home

What percent of homes have a computer or other device to access the Internet?

<25%
<50%
<80%
>80%
Don’t know/not sure

00000
9'.“wa

42

What percent of homes use the Internet?

<15%

<40%

<80%

80% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
.U‘PP’N?‘

III. Network Applications & Services
Business
What percent of businesses order goods online?

<10%

<25%

<50%

50% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
PIPPNE"

What percent of businesses transact with customers online?

1. <10%

2. <25%

3. <50%

4. 50% or more

5. Don’t know/not sure

UDDDD

What percent of businesses manage human resources management/administration issues online?

<10%

<25%

<50%

50% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
MPPPE‘

43

Government
What % of local and regional government agencies have informational websites?

<50%

<75%

<90%

90% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
99939:“

What % of local and regional government agencies share data electronically?

<25%

<50%

<75%

75 % or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
Mayne:—

What % of government agencies have transactional websites for citizens and suppliers?

1. <25%

2. <50%

3. <75%

4. 75% or more

5. Don’tknow/not sure

DDDDD

K-12 Schools
What % of teachers are trained to use digital content and web—based learning for instruction?

<25 %

<50%

<75%

75% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
MPPNI‘

What % of classes use digital content and web-based learning for instruction?

<25%

<50%

<7 5%

75% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
MPPNE‘

School websites

0 1. 100% of schools have an informational website

0 2. <25% of schools have an interactive website (including access to homework
assignments and email contact with teachers and administrators.) '

0 3. <75% of schools have an interactive website (including access to homework
assignments and email contact with teachers and administrators.)

0 4. 75% or more of schools have an interactive website (including access to homework
assignments and email contact with teachers and administrators.)

0 5. Don’t know/ not sure

Higher Education

What % of campuses offer online registration?

1. <25%

2. <50%

3. <75%

4. 75% or more

5. Don’t know/not sure

DDDDU

What % of faculty are trained to use digital content and web-based learning for education?

<25%

<50%

<75%

75% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
.U'PPJNE‘

What % of classes use digital content and/or web-based learning?

<25%

<50%

(7 5%

75% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
9:59P!"

45

Health
What % of providers have an informational website?

<10%

<25%

<75%

75% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
9:89P?

What % of providers store records electronically?

0%

<10%

<25%

25% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
95>ri

Home
What % of community-based organizations have an informational website?

<25%

<50%

<7 5%

75% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
999339?

Are there communities in your area that have unified community portals62 that provide access to
a broad range of community information and services online?

0 1. Yes
0 2. No
0 3. Don’t know/not sure

 

62 Portal - Usually used as a marketing term to described a Web site that is or is intended to be the first place people
see when using the Web. Typically a "Portal site" has a catalog of web sites, a search engine, or both. A Portal site
may also offer email and other service to entice people to use that site as their main "point of entry" (hence "portal")
to the Web. www.Michigan.org is an example of a government Internet portal.

46

IV. Networked Economy

Consumer
What percent of households purchase goods or services online?

<10%

<33%

<7 5%

75% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
9:53:99):—

Business
How long do business permits and licenses take to secure?

Up to 3 months

Up to 1 month

Less than 2 weeks
Less than 1 week
Don’t know/not sure

00000
@9939?

What % of businesses have transformed their internal and external business practices due to the
Internet?

<25%

<50%

<7 5%

75% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
9:89)?)7‘

What % of retailers offer goods or services directly to consumers over the Internet?

<10%

<20%

<35%

35% or more

Don’t know/not sure

00000
999939!”

47

Workforce

What % of the workforce participates in training/education programs online or in person every 5

years?

[30000

Security

9:595"!—

<10%

<25%

<50%

50% or more

Don’t know/not sure

V. Networked World Enablers

What % of always-on connections have firewalls“?

UUUDD

.U‘PP’EQZ"

<10%

<25%

<50%

50% or more

Don’t know/not sure

How often is virus software updated? (Referring to Government, e. g. your organization?)

DDUDD

.U‘F‘P’PE"

Annually

Monthly

Bi—Weekly

Weekly

Don’t know/not sure

How familiar are public policymakers in your area with issues of electronic privacy,
connectedness, telecommunications competition, taxation, authentication, intellectual property,
security, and online criminal activity?

DDUUU

.U‘PS’JE‘JE"

Not at all familiar

Aware of the issues, but not familiar with them
Somewhat familiar

Well versed

Don’t know/not sure

 

63 Firewall - A mechanism (software program) that isolates a network from the rest of the Internet, permitting only
specific traffic to pass in and out.

48

VI. Regional Planning Issues for Information and Communication Technologies and
Science and Technology Development

What policies or programs are in place in cities or counties in your region (jurisdiction?) that
encourage electronic connectedness and science and technology based economic development,
e.g.life sciences, biotechnologies, electronics? Please describe in 25—50 words, or attach separate
information.

 

 

 

 

How much of a priority should the use of information and communication technology be for the
future development of your region? (Check one)

Big Priority Somewhat of a priority Not a priority Don’t Know

Are you or any organizations in your region going to apply to the Regional Telecommunications
Planning Program grants being offered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation?“4
(check one)

Yes No
Are you aware of any prevalent trends or notable examples of retail businesses in your area
connecting with customers via the Internet for the purposes of conducting online retailing? If so,
please describe in 25-50 words, or attach separate information.

 

 

 

 

 

64 httpzl/linkmichigan.michigan.org[regional.html

49

Distressed Communities

Are there initiatives under way in your region designed to facilitate economically distressed
communities to bridge the digital divide? If so, please describe examples in 25-50 words, or
attach separate information.

 

 

 

 

Outside Contact Information

If there are others we should contact in your region who can help complete this survey, please
list their information.

Name
Organization
Phone
Email

 

 

 

 

Name
Organization
Phone
Email

 

 

 

 

Name
Organization
Phone
Email

 

 

 

 

Please return completed questionnaire to:

Jim Breuckman

201 Urban Planning & Landscape Architecture Building
East Lansing, MI 48824-1221

If you have any questions, or wish to set up a phone interview, please contact Jim Breuckman at:

Email: breuckma@msu.edu
Phone: (517) 974-0373

50

Appendix C. Compiled Survey Results

I. Network Infrastructure

 

Speed & Availability of residential Internet Services

 

DSUCM >80%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Region 56K all homes DSUCM «20% DSL/CM 20-80% Don't Know
SEMCOG ' 2
sw Ml com 3
Tri-County o
w Mi RPC o
NWMCOG 3
w MI 3800 , 3
E UP RPDC 1
Availability of Mobile DigitalWireless
Region Analog Digitgggzvers DigitggE/pvers Digitagocévers. Don’t Know
SEMCOG 3
sw Ml Corn 3
Tri-County o
w Mi RFC o
NWMCOG 3
w Ml 5900 1
E UP RPDC 1
Speed 8. Availability of Internet Services to Businesses
Region 33:22:68 DSL/CM/T1 40% DSUCM/T‘l 80% DSfi?‘ Don’t Know ‘
SEMCOG 4
sw MI Com 4
Tri-County o
W Mi RPC o
NWMCOG 3
w Ml snoc 2
E up RPDC 2
Broadband Service Providers for Residential Markets .
SEMCOG 3
sw MI Com 4
” Tri-County o
w Mi RPC o
' NWMCOG 2
w Ml SRDC 2
, E UP RPDC o

 

51

 

 

 

lBroadbandSerVice-Proyiders foch‘usine’ss Mallets ._ Q; ’-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Region 1 Provider 3 . 3 Providers 53 Providers . 1 .717 - $3333: 5‘ - -- Don‘tKnow
q SEMCOG °
- SW Mi Com ' 2
Trl-ijnty ’ . ' o
W Ml RFC o
' NWMCOG i . 2
- .W MISRDC o
E UPHPDC' 1

 

Region

SW. Mi Com

W Mi RFC

NWMCOG.
, W Ml SRDC
E UP RPDC

Installation Times for Broadband Aeeess . _   3. 3; f .1.

, .243. Weeks '

1-2 weeks ‘

II. Networked Places/Access

 

 

Government Bldg w/always on; % of Employees w/email

 

Region

0-50%; 0-25%

50-1 00%; 25-
100%

50-100% mob; ‘

- Internet avail.‘

100% Network;
lntemet ubiquity

Don’t Know I

 

SEMCOG

O

 

SW MiCom

 

_Tri-County

 

w Mi'aec' "

 

NWMCOG

 

W MI 8800

 

E UP RPDC

 

 

 

 

 

 

Classrooms w/Broadband Access; Teachers w/email Accounts

 

Region

0-1 0%; 0-25%

. 10—50%; 25-
100%

'50-75%; 100%,
broadband '

Network Ubiquity

Don‘t Know

 

Vsemcoc

 

’SW Ml Com,

 

Tri-County

 

'1 'WMiRP'C“

OOOO

 

NWMCOG

 

W Ml SRDC

 

 

E up RPDC '

 

 

 

 

 

 

52

 

 

Region
SEMCOG

- , SWMi Com '

"TrtCountyg' 1.
WMIRPC' .
. NWMCOG
: WMISRDC  
-_ 'EUP'RPDC

HigherEducéatiénj .

_ 3

 

 

lntemet Access for Health Care Providers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Region O-100% Dial-In B rzjifind Bfig-algfinéd 100%Broadbend Don'tanw
_ SEMCOG o
; .sw MiCom o
. Tri-County j V o
:3 w MI nPc. o
NWMCOG : 1
le shoe 0
‘EUP RPDC» 3
. Homes With A Computer or Other. InternetAccess Device .. ; 1
Region - <25% I <-50% - < 30% . . >309“ 117g 1'. Don‘t Know
.' SEMCOG o
. sw Mi com o
‘ Td-COunty o
w Mi RFC" _ o
, NWMCOG . 3
' w Ml sane.
E UP RPDC

 

Region
'- SEMCOG- _
*swiMliCo‘to

.gw MirtPc

_ NWMCOG '
1 W'MISRDC -
EUP RPDC L

at Homes that Use the-lntemet

. -.<180%- ._

53

5.80%

 

 

lll. Network ications & Services

 

54

: - -_wnet % of Local and Regionalcovernment " ShareD'a‘ta
Region j , V-.'<-25% ' -_ <50% 1 <75% if P7596 .1
SEMCOG _
I SWMiCom ‘1.
'; :":W'Mi§ '

-i W Mlsaoc .

 

 

‘ _ What % of Government Agencies HaVe Transactional. Websites, .5. ».: ,,
Region <25% _ 7.450% ' ; . <75%, :. .. >_-75% Don‘tKnow]
- SEMCOG o
4 SSW Ml Com' 1
f, "Tn-County '
'le RPC‘
NWMCOG . 1
, . 1w Mlsnoc , o
E’UP RPDC 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. , What % of Teachers are-Trained to 0:39 Digital Content and Web-Based.Teaching ,-
Region . < 25% Z ' . < 50% , .:< 75% ’ , - > 75%- . Don't Know .- .
, SEMCOGE O
= 1 'SW MiCom O
Tri-County 1
w Mi mo 0
. NWMCOG
W Ml 313°C 2
E UP RPDC 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What % oi Classes Use'olgltal Content and Web-Based Learning.
Region < 25% 7< 50% 1 . < 75% ‘ 1 > 75%1 i . 1 “Don't Know I f

' (SEMCOG j o

.- SW Mi Com , 1 o
Tri-‘COunty . 1
w Ml RPC o
NWMCOG 2
w Ml snoc o
E UP RPDC . 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

55

' School With

Region   - 25% 75% 1:5>-75%- Powwow

'. *[sEmcoe-
SW Mi Com

' TrisCounty

. WiMirnPc "

' NWMCOG-

.:W:Ml sanct-

*j E UP RPDC ' '

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What % of Higher Education Campuses-Offer Onllrle Registration _ -‘
Region < 25% ' < 50% ' <75% ' f 5.75% " Don’t Know ‘ '
SEMCOG o
SW Mi Com 0
Tri-County 1
w Mi RPC o
NWMCOG 2
w Ml snoc , °
E UP RPDC 4
What % of Faculty are‘Trained to ”use Digital Content and WebéBased Loathing f2; git;
Region 2 25% . '< 50% - ,< 75% i - .'> 75% g ‘ ' Don‘t Know
. SEMCOG o
.sw Mi Corn 0
Tri—County 1
. w Mi RPC - o
' ' NWMCOG 3
. iw Ml Seoc o
' E UP RPDC ‘ ' 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_, ; 5* What 95: oi Classasjusooioilaicontont ‘, jj
Region '<'25%4- * 25055-4 ”Lucas. -»

..SEMCOG»
. SW-Mi com- j

__ Tncounty- '
- . w Ml PPc;

NWMCOG
T WleSnoo >
.' E UP RPDC 3

 

56

Region
SEMCOG
SWMiCOm '
'Tri-County

- JWMinPC

[NWMCOG
Mi Mi snocf.
E UP

Region
SEMCOG
' SWMiComV'
I Tri~County
’ w MinPc
xNWMCOG- '
. w Mlsnocj
E UP'RPDC ;

Region
‘ SEMCOG. -
.F SW MiCom
. :‘T' _ .-
WMiRPcf;
NWMCOG?
-' leSjaDcf}
.;_iE;UPEiPoc{;

What.% of Health Care 'ProfideraHave. .lnforlgnationa'l
<10%   <25% ' ' 57,5951 ,

4 what %':Of-1H.9}amltCPtB- Providersismre. Records
0% i raider. ‘ " “ "

' <25% ' ,—:>;.

What ~36 otcomngliinitY-Based Organizations Have an _ I '
<25% <50%. ”<75%- . .

.>7.5%‘ i

9,7555% ‘é -

 

 

 

Region

Yes 3 . No

We more Communities Matirlavdurrlilad Community 55555.; 55-3132: ’7

 

1‘SEMcoeu*

O

 

,.-3w Mivcom

O

 

. . . Trl-countyj -

0

 

f" .1 i'WMi npc" ,.

 

e. f NWMCOG» _ {

 

'- W'Ml saucy :

 

 

l .._.E:LJP. RPDC . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

57

 

 

Region
SEMCOG V

'Trlv‘Gdl'lmy ,

' - TM'iinPc‘ _

W'Mlisaojc . »

IV. Networked Econom
" . , Whaiasoillousaholds‘? ”

<33%"

..f'>.-'Z5%'“ 57'

 

How Long DOBusiness Permits Take to Secure . -:.. -> .4 ' '

 

Region

1-3 months

'2 -4 weeks

1-2weeks'

<1week "

 

SEMCOG

 

SW-Mi‘Corn -

 

_ . Tri-County

 

. w Mi nPc' ..

OOO

 

. '...Nchoe-_'

 

w msnoc ;.

 

 

_ EUP RPDC;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What % of Businesses Have Changed Intemal Praetice via théylntemet; ..~::._I.;.2 a

 

Region

<25%-'

<50%

< 75%

 

' - SEMCOG

 

SW Mi Com

 

, Tri-County

 

'W'Ml RFC

0000

 

, .3 NWMCOG" . ;

 

WMlsnoc:

 

 

JEUPnPoc'T

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- What % of Retailers Otter Goods or Services to Consumers via the-lntemet ”5 - ‘

 

Region

< 10%

'< 20%

“<35%,

>-35%--- .

 

‘SEMCOG-

 

SW Mi Com

 

Tfifldunty

 

:WMiFiPC

OOOO

 

ancoe

 

' lesnocig

 

 

'E-UP RPDC ’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Region
SEMCOG
SW Mi Com
j Tri—Collnty
_ WMl. RFC

NWMCOG i

_- :W'MI'SRDC

EUP BPDC 7

What %Vof Workforce ReceivesIlnterriet‘Trainiltg I .
‘ ' : 55555»;- “

<10% A

<. 25%

<50%

V. Networked World Enablers

 

 

What % of Always-On Connections Have Firewalls .

 

Don't KnowlI »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Region < 10% < 25% < 50% > 50%
SEMCOG 0
SW Mi Com 0
Tri-County o
W Mi RPC o
’ NWMCOG 2
W MI SRDC
E UP RPDC 3
I How Often ls Virus Software Updated I. 3. - .
Region Annually Monthly Bl-Weekiy ' Daily - Weekly ‘ ‘ Don’tknow
SEMCOG . 4
SW Mi Com 2
Tri-County 4
w Ml RPC - 4
NWMCOG 4
w Mi SRDC 1
E UP RPDC 2
How Familiar Are Policymakers With lntemet and NetWork issues f ' fi- 1'
Region Not at All Awfigfigm‘ 33:35:23 Well Versed ' Don‘t Know 4
SEMCOG 3
' SW Mi Corn 2
Tri-COunty 3
. Aw Mi RPC _ o
NWMCOG f 2
,w Ml saoc . 3
EUR RPDc 2

 

 

 

 

 

Region

What Priority Should Be Placed on ICT for Future Development of Your Region

Big Plionty

Somewhat 'ot a
,Priomy

Not a Priority

  

Don'tKnow"‘

 

SEMCOG

 

: SWWMQWP'

 

Tri-County

 

WM are

0000

 

NWMGOG' -

 

.' ‘ w Ml sRoc. 1

 

EUPRPDCI ‘

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Region

Are You er Anyone in Your Region Applying tor. LinkMichiganGrantsl» f? I5
Yes . iii ‘ " . ' " .' ,~‘~‘I-i-'

 

 

SEMCOG -

 

SW Mi Com

 

‘ :- Tfi-Coiinty . .

 

WMi‘RPcw

 

NWMCOG '

 

VW-Ml snoc -

 

 

E UPRPDC: .-

 

OOOOOO

 

 

 

 

 

 

6O

References

Armstrong, David and Dennis Berman. August 17, 2001. “High in Fiber: T elecom Companies
Confront New Rival: The Municipal Network.” Wall Street Journal, p. Al.

Automation Alley. Available online at: www.automationalley.com Last accessed May 2, 2002.

Bonnett, Tom. Unpublished. “Telecommunications Issues in 2002 and Beyond: Convergance,
Broadband, & Non-Discriminatory Access.”

Bridges, Jessica. 1999. “The Fight Over Rights of Way.” Rural Telecommunications; May/June
1999; p. 24-28.

Coldwater Board of Public Utilities. “Homepage.” Available online at http://www.cbpu.com
Last accessed May 2, 2002.

Computer Systems Policy Project. 1998. “Readiness Guide for Living in the Networked World.”
Available online at www.cspp.org. Last accessed April 30, 2002.

County News Online. December 4, 2000. “News from the Nation’s Countys.” Available online
at: http://www.naco.org/pubs/cnews/OO-12-4/newsfrom.htm Last accessed May 2, 2002.-

Crockett, Roger. 2001. “Broadband and Main: A Determined Illinois Town Brings Speedy Net
Access Home.” BusinessWeek, October 8, 2001; p. 86-91.

CyberState.org. 2002. “2002 Local Government and Community Initiative.” Available online
at: mJ/www.cyber-statergg/lj/l 4 1.html Last accessed May 2, 2002.

Eisenach, Jeffery. 2001. “Does Government Belong in the Telecom Business?” The Progress
and Freedom Foundation, Available online at www.pjf.org Last accessed May 2, 2002.

Glasgow, Kentucky. “Glasgow’s Info-Highway Project.” Available online at:
httpzllwww.glasgow-ky.com/gii/ Last accessed April 27 2002.

McDermott, Robert. 2000. “Utility Players: Telecom is the New Game.” The American City &
Country. June 2000; p.30-34. Available online at:
hm)://www.networkeng.com/News.aspiNewsID=3l Last accessed May 2, 2002.

Michigan Association of Regions. Available online at: www.miregionsorg Last accessed May
2, 2002.

Michigan Economic Development Corporation. 2001. LinkMichiganPlan. MEDC, May 14,
2001.

. 2001. “LinkMichigan Regional Telecommunications Planning Program: Program
Statement.” MEDC, December 4, 2001.

61

. 2001. “LinkMichigan Regional Telecommunications Planning Program Resource
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