CSAC Annual Conference Ready, Set, Broadband! Dianah Neff IT Director December 2, 2015

1. CountyofMonterey Information Technology Department CSAC Annual ConferenceReady, Set, Broadband!Dianah NeffIT Director December 2, 2015

2. Information Technology Department Monterey County Monterey County was one of the original counties of California. It was created on February 18, 1850, at statehood and derives its name from Monterey Bay, named by Sebastian Vizcaino in 1602. Encompassing 3,771 sq. miles, Mo ntereyCounty has grown into a diverse economy based upon tourism in coastal regions, agriculture in the Salinas Valley, and educational-research opportunities. With a population of 426,762, the races are 56% Hispanic or Latino, 33% white, 6% Asian and 5% other The County is served by three cable operators: Comcast and AT&T in coastal regions; and City of Salinas with Charter covering North and South County. One of the major complaints on ability to attract additional research and hi-tech companies to the County is the lack of broadband.

3. The FCC Broadband Progress Report reported that 17 percent of the U.S. population lacks access to broadband internet. The broadband gap is widest in rural communities. This statistic accurately describes poor internet access in rural portions of Monterey County. The Pew Research Center has found that high-speed internet service often is too expensive for lower income families with school-age children. 27,417 households in rural MC do not have access to any type high-speed internet. Based on data from the CPUC, we compared Charter's broadband service reports with their DIVCA video franchise area data, and found that 109,061 residents live in rural areas with analog or DSL service only. A Significant Number of Monterey County Residents Do Not Have Access to Reliable, High Speed Internet Information Technology Department

5. Impact on Rural Areas Information Technology Department Health Care • Stroke victims have a three-hour window in which to receive serious treatment after a stroke, and for a person living alone in a community that lacks broadband, that means the start of treatment has a high probability of falling outside of that window. Broadband internet enables emergency responders to communicate with a hospital emergency room team, and thus to treat the patient while the patient is still at home and en-route to the hospital. Sufficient broadband internet access is necessary to make this early, critical treatment possible. Education • Although public access to technology is increasing, computers in libraries and schools are not enough. Studies show that children who have access to computers and the internet at home have higher self-esteem as a result of developing new skills and taking a pro-active approach to learning and exploring their interests. Digital Service Disparity • In Watsonville (Santa Cruz County), residents can receive more than 200 channels of HDTV, 60 Mbps Internet service, unlimited long distance telephone calling, and a DVR for as little as $70 a month, on an introductory basis. In Charter areas in MC, residents can only buy 32 channels of basic television service for $55, plus four channels of premium service sold on an a la carte basis for $12 to $14 each, with no discounts for bundles. There is no internet service or unlimited long distance telephone service available for purchase.

6. A Vision for Economic Development In Monterey County Capitalize on Key Pillars of Monterey County’s Economy Pursue Innovative Opportunities for Growth Tourism Recreation & Wellness Become a destination of choice for enthusiasts of outdoor recreation and for health-conscious individuals Targeted marketing for niche tourists, and support Laguna Seca Recreation Area improvements and State Route 156 highway widening Nurture research/academic resources and support the California Homeland Security Consortium Become a center for a new class of vacation/recreation activity focused on environmental study and world-class forums in marine science Education Education, Research, & Technology Reduce regulatory burdens, support technical assistance, and expand broadband service & research Small Business Research & Dev Blue Economy Become a “thought leader” and experimental test-bed for new types of maritime commerce and for policy innovations in water and land management Create the Salinas Valley Wine Corridor and monitor key federal and state legislation Agriculture Agri-Technology Enhance the efficiency and sustainability of Ag processes for local firms, and create a Center of Excellence for exporting technologies and expertise to other regions

7. Current Actions Information Technology Department • A grant funded private sector fiber build-out to expand fiber into North Monterey County from City of Watsonville through Salinas to Soledad has begun. Completion date is expected in spring 2017.  • Information Technology Department successfully negotiated an agreement between CENIC and the County Library to connect to their statewide educational, gigabyte network at no additional cost, eliminating the library’s slower speed connections.  • We are working with CENIC to connect four hospitals in Monterey County. • Monterey County has filed as a party to the Charter/Time Warner merger to present information to educate the CPUC on deficiencies in Charter’s services, and request that the merger be approved only if the needs of rural residents are upgraded from analog to digital and a low income rate is offered. • Economic Development Department is working with AMBAG to identify fiber build out opportunities.