WaupacaOnLine'net

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WaupacaOnLine.net

• The Benefits and Challenges
• Of Creating a Communications Utility
• Presentation to
• Wisconsin City/County Management Association
• March 5, 2004
• Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

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Create a Communications Utility NOW

• Cost Nothing
• Why?
• Communitys Continued Competitiveness
• Take Additional Step
• Obtain Certified Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC)
• Certification from the PSC.
• Cost 1,200 - 1,500
• Takes about a week

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Why Did Waupaca Pursue A Telecommunications
Project?

• To provide broadband services to business and
  residents where none existed
• To offer an alternative to customers
• Where monopoly once existed customers now have a
  choice
• Enhance quality of life
• Property tax equalization and stabilization

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What is WaupacaOnLine.net

• High Speed Dedicated Internet Service Provider
• Wireless Platform 2.4ghz 5.8ghz unlicensed
  frequencies
• 1024kbs Up and Down
• Competes w/Charter Pipeline Product
• WOL.net Faster Upload Speeds. Charter Upload
  Speed 128kbs 8x faster

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Customer Premise Equipment

• YDI
• Etherant II
• Etherant II LR
• USBANT
• Dlink Routers
• Wireless
• Wired

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Main Antenna Location

• Location?
• Water Tower?
• Old Tower?
• New Tower
• 192 Rohn
• Free Standing
• Designed for city equipment and 4 cellular
  providers
• 100,000 Cost

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5.8ghz at City Hall, Waupaca
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March 2004- Current Status

• 204 Customers
• 191 - Waupaca / 13- Weyauwega
• Business 65
• Residential 149
• 85 In City 42
• 199 Outside City 58
• Farthest Customer 20 miles away.

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Map of Customers
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The Project Timeline

• December 2000
• Centerline machine in the Industrial Park needs
  affordable service
• July 2001
• Chamber of commerce survey 207 businesses
• October 2002
• November 2001
• Trip to Sun Prairie
• Mayor, 3 Alderpersons, WIDC Rep and Consultants

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The Project Timeline (Continued)

• February 19, 2002
• Ordinance 2-02 Creating Communication Utility
• February 27, 2002
• CLEC Certification
• PSC Commission Order
• October 8, 2002 Went Live
• Service Officially Rolls Out
• Beta Test 25 Customers

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The Project Timeline (Continued)

• March 2003
• PSC order 3636NC-101- March 17
• Gave the City of Waupaca authorization to serve
  Weyauwega
• 2nd T1 Line Installed
• June 2003 Weyauwega Intergovernmental Agreement
• July 2003 100 customers

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100 Customers - July 2003
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The Project Timeline (Continued)

• January 2004 3rd T1 Line Installed

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Financial/Staffing

• FINANCIAL
• Capitalized with 320,000 Sewer Fund Internal
  Loan
• Additional Influx of 180,000 from Sewer Fund
• 2004 Budget approx. 150,000
• STAFFING
• Outsourced IT 1.5 days/week
• 3 Part Time Installers
• Customer Service InHouse w/existing personnel
• CA Manages Charge off of 10 to utility

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Challenges Facing WaupacaOnLine

• State/Federal legislative initiatives
• Not occurring locally
• Keeping Prices/Service competitive
• Financial
• Making project cash flow positive
• Projected on Monthly in Summer of 2004
• Projected System Wide in 4th Quarter - 2006

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Challenges (Continued)

• Quality workers and endpoint installations
• Determining where our responsibility ends and the
  customers begins
• Getting Cellular Providers on City Owned Tower
• Technical Services to other areas
• Managing/Council decision-making in a different
  mode entrepreneurial

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BENEFITS

• ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNITY
• Increased Consumer Choice
• Service to those that would never get broadband
• Ability to Charge off General Fund costs
• Technology Park designation
• Property Tax Stabilization eventually
• PERSONAL
• Opportunity to manage in a different mode
• Learn how creative/capable the younger generation
  is w/technology

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How to get started?

• Identify that demand exists
• Bring together current providers to understand
  where they are now and where they are going
• Need seed money 30,000 50,000
• SB272 Creates Problems Cant subsidize w/taxes
• Visit other communities that are providing the
  service. Bring elected officials.

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FINAL POINT . . . . . . . .

• COME OFF THE 1,500 AND GET YOUR CLEC
  CERTIFICATION FROM THE PSC
• OR AT THE VERY LEAST. . . . . . .
• ADOPT AN ORDINANCE CREATING A COMMUNICATIONS
  UTILITY

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WaupacaOnLine.Net

• The End