The California Department of Technology on Friday released documents showing its recommended design for the $3.25 billion statewide broadband network Gov. Gavin Newsom approved last summer.
The proposal, drafted by GoldenStateNet, the organization tasked with administering the network, outlines 8,700 new miles of “middle-mile” fiber optic cable to connect regions with poor internet access. It provides guidance on how to optimize routes of new fiber builds and recommends “joint build partnerships” to reduce costs.
Maps show where the department recommends building the broadband network, based on factors including the number of underserved communities that could be reached and the ability to piggyback on other state infrastructure.
“This set of maps that GoldenStateNet delivered will enable the state to dive deeper and conduct the engineering and economic analyses that will inform the construction and leasing plans for the middle-mile network,” Russ Nichols, the technology department’s acting director, said in a press release.
“This represents a real milestone – a tremendous accomplishment – to give us what we need to get into the weeds on construction planning and a timetable to complete the build by 2026.”
The California Department of Technology is now evaluating bids for materials so it can start building, according to the release.
The network follows legislation passed last year with a goal of reaching 98% connectivity across the state.
-Written by Colin Wood
Challenge
High-speed broadband telecommunications access is critical for businesses to thrive in the global marketplace and for San Joaquin Valley residents to access services and education. Adoption rates continue to be low and must be increased in order to reduce the digital divide and provide for increased employment opportunities. Access to Digital Literacy education continues to lag in our urban poor and rural areas in the San Joaquin Valley.
Request for Qualifications for Prospective Partnerships (RFQPP) for Broadband Deployment
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The San Joaquin Valley Regional Broadband Consortium (SJVRBC), in collaboration with the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) as co-sponsor of #SanJoaquinValleyNetwork, invites interested parties to submit proposals in response to this Request for Qualifications for Prospective Partners (RFQPP) to deploy high-speed Internet infrastructure—referred to generically as “broadband” and including both wireline and wireless networks—throughout the San Joaquin Valley. SJVRBC seeks organizations comfortable working as partners or collaborators to increase knowledge of the unserved and underserved residents and improve access to broadband in the San Joaquin Valley.