SATNET Taskforce Meeting November 7, 1997

Meeting called to order by Councilman Bannwolf at 2:40 p.m.

Feedback on October 18 meeting at R20:

• High level of energy
• Great potential
• Much discussion on connectivity and benefits

• Set vision for where group wants to go.
• Have basic outline from first meeting
• What will attract people? Because it will cost.
  • Enhance classroom learning
  • Cost-effective for schools
  • Electronically is beneficial

Mission Statement: To pursue the establishment of an affordable metropolitan public/private high-speed voice, video, and data communications network linking all schools, universities, community colleges, City libraries, City/County governments, and local research facilities and develop a plan of action for implementing such a network in the Greater San Antonio area.

Taskforce job is to gather information, make recommendations and inform. Taskforce is not the implementor.

• Create master plan
• Taskforce needs to focus on mechanism to bring down barriers.
• There is a lack of administrative communication between entities.

SATNET brings:

• Improved learning
• Expanded resources and services
• Efficiencies
• Expanded access for citizens
• Improved equity
• Enhanced delegation of services

Need to develop plan and specify items to be built into plan. What fiber optic cables are accessible? Feasibility for funding? Take inventory of what is here and now and then look at possible funding.
Free fiber is nothing - electronics is what is expensive.
Leave door open to retreat if so expensive and need to set sights lower.

Major resources:

1. fiber
2. enabling equipment
3. administration and support

Benefits and needs are so compelling that funding is available.
May have several steps to funding
Barriers and issues are complex. Use web page to inform and update.
Education on this is very important

High speed voice/video/data communications:

• Cost is barrier
• Technology is there - money is there
• What services can you displace or what value can you place on this to get constituents to agree?
• What speed of communication will be needed by individual partners?
• Right sizing is key to funding
• How fast is fast enough?

Basically, entities will have to pay for their connections. Don't short change because of right sizing.

Workplan Schedule: April/May 1998 was original presentation date to City Council

Resources:

• Take inventory, city has mapping tools.
• SW Bell has inventory capabilities.
• Inventory will identify gaps in services or coverage.
• What is out there?
• Someone may have fiber, but what is running on it?
• Standardize?
• Entities can have own network, but to communicate with other entities, use SATNET.
• Divergent systems can hand out to each other.

April/May looks good for concrete recommendations to City Council.

TASKS:
1. Inventory

• What is there (available capabilities)?
• What gaps exist?
• What protocols are in place?
• What cost to use?
• Need one entity responsible to get started. SW Bell? CPS? Who to turn maps over to?

• This is obstacle to inventory.
• Still need inventory to know what is there.
• Rightsizing
• Network already exists.
• Commercial interests will be reluctant to participate.
• What is available from commercial side?
• What are options?
• What is cost to connect? Monthly service rate? Staffing?
• How many partners?
• Who to connect?

• Needs/Services
• Locations
• Volume, Users, Who can afford?
• Define needs before inventory.
• Re-group to define needs before going on to inventory.
• Still possible to begin inventory.

• Will city undertake?
• Commercial entity?
• Consortium?

• Map fiber optics around city and map sites.
• Go ahead and start inventory process.
• Have groups meet to come back to committee with needs at first of year.
• Chairs will come from steering committee.
• Divide into Chair and Co-chair at next task force meeting
• Then re-group complete task force.
• Look at end user needs.

• Inventory requirements
• Inventory what is there
• Inventory financing

Committee efforts will run in tandem.

NEXT MEETING: Saturday, December 13, 1997 9:00 a.m. - Noon Plaza San Antonio Conference Center (possible site)

6. Identify possibilities.

7. Identify the need.