Rural Education and Aggregation of Community Telecommunications (REACT) Project

In 2006, SAP&DC initiated a targeted outreach program to address the benefits, use and procurement of broadband services within the multi-county region.  This project will identify the aggregate customer demand among communities with little or no service, so providers respond more promptly to the demand.  Specific objectives and detailed tasks for the project are outlined below.The ultimate goal of the outreach and aggregation project is to increase the availability of affordable broadband services in communities and customer service areas (CSAs) that do not have access.

Customer aggregation at a community and CSA level will enable the region to participate in the Bona Fide Retail Request Program (BFRR) established by Act 183, Pennsylvania’s telecommunications law.  As part of the outreach project, SAP&DC will:

• Advertise and promote BFRR assistance to community, business, and political leaders.
• Recruit community leaders interested in serving as “sparkplugs” within their communities.
• Coordinate with telephone companies and other broadband service providers to ensure awareness of the BFRR assistance available to a community/CSA.
• Educate the community on the value of broadband.
• Aggregate the demand for broadband at a grassroots level, with organized community outreach meetings, community marketing and face-to-face contact.
• Present the aggregated customers to the appropriate broadband providers.
• Educate community leaders on the benefits, uses and procurement of broadband services.

Our goal is to “future proof” the area.  SAP&DC seeks to make the region competitive in the global Knowledge Economy, help the area attract and retain new and start up businesses, increase the level of business and economic development, and improve the quality of life in the region while respecting traditional rural values.  Affordable broadband can enhance and support opportunities in traditional agricultural and businesses by providing better access to customers and markets.

Rural Pennsylvania must remain competitive in the global knowledge economy.  Affordable access to broadband is a basic requirement to accomplish this task.  Most regions of Pennsylvania currently have access to ample broadband services.  Because of low population density or geographic remoteness, some rural areas have no access to affordable service.

Without sufficient broadband service, the rural Southern Alleghenies regions have less effective local government services, a less attractive workforce, and less competitive communities.  Fewer opportunities for adult vocational training and childhood education will be available to maintain the highly skilled workforce needed to compete in a global economy.

SAP&DC has addressed community technology and telecommunications needs since 2000, with a focus on education and outreach.  The successful Municipal Technology Assistance Program (MTAP) help provide local governments with computers, Internet access, web sites, and a variety of basic, intermediate, and advanced training.  In fact, SAP&DC’s MTAP program recently received the 2005 Distinguished Achievement Award from the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC).

The most recent project, e-COMMonwealth, is only one in a long history of technology and telecommunications-related efforts by the Local Development District Association of Pennsylvania (LDDAPA).  In the past six years, the accelerated adoption of technology and the acquisition of higher speed connectivity have figured prominently in statewide and local LDD projects.

For the Southern Alleghenies Region, surveys indicate:

• Residents access the Internet primarily using dial-up over a regular telephone line (67%).
• Of the residential users surveyed, 38% claim higher speed services are not available to them.
• Business Internet access methods vary greatly.  A significant 40% of businesses still use dial-up over a regular telephone line.
• Of the businesses currently accessing the Internet via dial-up, 48% state higher speed services are not available to them.
• Of those surveyed, 39% of the residential users and 46% of the businesses perceive higher speed services as too expensive.

For the Southern Alleghenies Region, the surveys identified the following needs:

• Internet access is described as “very important” by 55% of residents;
  25% of respondents use the Internet to work from home at least part of the time;
  71% use the Internet to complete assignments at least once per week; and
  29%, at least once per month.
• About 43% of businesses describe their current Internet bandwidth as “inadequate.”
• When asked if they need help getting broadband providers to serve their area, 45% of both the business and residential survey groups indicated that they do indeed need help.

Business Attraction and Retention Program (BARP)

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.  They would benefit greatly by sharing experiences, materials and skills to achieve results.

For more information please visit: http://www.newpa.com/default.aspx?id=201