East Texas regional broadband Project Overview

1. East Texas regional broadband Project Overview NARC National Conference Omaha, Nebraska June 11, 2019

2. Regional broadband initiativeHistorical Background

3. The East Texas region acknowledges that affordable Broadband service to every business is critical to the continued current and future economic success of our region.  Therefore, by the close of the year 2028, no less than 90 percent of our regions’ businesses, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions will have access to the marketplace equivalent of gigabit internet service as it existed in 2016, at an affordable cost within the reach of the average small business within our region.   REGIONAL BROADBAND INITIATIVEVision Statement

4. Regional broadband initiativeOur Strategy • Regional Strategic Plan will focus exclusively on the identification and elimination of Business Barriers to Broadband Access and use • Broadband Infrastructure needs will be addressed on a project by project basis • Projects included in the strategic plan will be locally identified and verified on a county by county basis • Key focus: unserved and underserved areas of the region • We will partner with and include existing Broadband providers in plan development, individual project sponsorship, and through the use of a consortium of businesses & open source networks

5. Regional broadband initiativeOur Strategy (Continued…)

6. Regional broadband initiativeOur Strategy (Continued…) How will projects be identified?

7. Regional broadband initiativeOur Strategy (Continued…)

8. EDA Process & What WE Learned • ETCOG and the EDD began working on Regional Broadband Issues and needs in 2009 • BTOP Project first, then Connected Texas • These experiences combined to give birth to our present strategy • In early 2016 Concept paper supporting what is now our present project was written • In February of 2017 we had initial discussions with EDA staff about the possibility of supporting a Rural Broadband Demonstration Project. • In March of 2017 we sent a very rough draft proposal to EDA

9. EDA Process & What WE Learned • In the late Summer of 2017 we submitted the first full grant application to EDA • EDA advised in September of 2017 they could not fund the project this time but asked us to resubmit the application with some requested modifications. • NTIA Staff Review • In the fall of 2018, the application was submitted with all the requested information and modifications • In late February 2019, EDA announced the grant award • April 2019 Project Announcement

10. EDA Process & What WE Learned • In the late Summer of 2017 we submitted the first full grant application to EDA • EDA advised in September of 2017 they could not fund the project this time but asked us to resubmit the application with some requested modifications. • NTIA Staff Review • In the fall of 2018, the application was submitted with all the requested information and modifications • In late February 2019, EDA announced the grant award • April 2019 Project Announcement

11. EDA Process & What WE Learned • Be sure to develop and refine your strategy….You cannot solve all rural BB issues in one project • Expect adversity from multiple sources. Build partnerships with stakeholders as much as possible • NTIA Staff serve as an excellent review resource before the grant application is submitted • Perseverance is key. Don’t give up. Consider our experience: 10 years before success was realized