Broadband

SAP&DC is working on the second year the Broadband Outreach and Aggregation Fund (BOAF) Program funded by the Commonwealth’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Under Pennsylvania’s Bona Fide Retail Request (BFRR) program, telephone companies must provide access to high-speed service if customers within a Carrier or Customer Service Area (CSA) can demonstrate local demand for service. That is accomplished with signed petitions requesting broadband service from 50 customers or 25% of phone lines within a CSA. Southern Alleghenies is focusing on Blair, Bedford, Cambria, Fulton Huntington and Somerset counties.

The large number of requests for assistance from both businesses and residents illustrates the tremendous difficulty they have obtaining information, organizing, and dealing with the logistical and administrative requirements needed to attract appropriate broadband providers

As part of the BOAF project, SAP&DC:

Advertises and promotes BFRR assistance to community, business, and political leaders.
Recruits community leaders interested in serving as “sparkplugs” within their communities.
Coordinates with telephone companies and other broadband service providers to ensure awareness of the BFRR assistance available to a community/CSA.
Educates communities on the value of broadband.
Aggregates the demand for broadband at a grassroots level, with organized community outreach meetings, community marketing and face-to-face contact.
Presents the aggregated customers to the appropriate broadband providers.
Educates community leaders on the benefits, uses and procurement of broadband services.

Southern Alleghenies is offering technical assistance to aggregators in the field with phone company interactions, flyer and petition distribution, CSA mapping assistance, as well as other local advertisements of the program.

Business Attraction and Retention Program (BARP)

Act 183 establishes a process to allow the DCED to refer potential business attraction and retention prospects to the participating providers. The Act requires that broadband service be delivered to qualified businesses following agreement on a service delivery proposal, or following meeting eligibility criteria for a Bona Fide Retail Request (BFRR). For more information, please visit DCED at:

http://www.newpa.com/strengthen-your-community/broadband-initiatives/businesses/index.aspx