Regional Broadband Infrastructure Initiatives
Supporting Broadband Deployment Projects
The North Bay/North Coast Broadband Consortium (NBNCBC) is funded by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to assist Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other stakeholders in planning and implementing broadband infrastructure projects throughout our region. As part of the CPUC’s Regional Broadband Consortia program, NBNCBC works to:
- Identify and prioritize unserved and underserved areas
- Facilitate partnerships between ISPs, local governments, and community stakeholders
- Provide assistance with project planning and application development for broadband grants, including the CASF Broadband Infrastructure Grant Account
- Coordinate efforts to align infrastructure development with digital equity goals
We’re here to help accelerate broadband deployment that meets the needs of North Bay and North Coast communities. Please reach out to us for support: Contact Us
Regional Fixed Wireless Analysis
Given the high cost of deploying fiber optic cable, particularly in the low-population density, rural, coastal and mountainous areas found within the Member Counties, alternatives are being considered, including fixed wireless.
NBNCBC has engaged Etheric Communications LLC to perform a Fixed Wireless Infrastructure Analysis to determine the cost and utility of fixed wireless as last-mile and middle-mile solutions, and to provide a basis for comparison to fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) solutions.
Objectives of this analysis include:
- To determine the feasibility of fixed wireless solutions to provide a minimum of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speed connectivity to as many unserved addresses within each Member County as possible.
- To determine which areas within the Member Counties, if any, are not feasible for fixed wireless due to geographic barriers.
- To determine which areas within the Member Counties are best suited for fixed wireless.
- To determine, quantify, and cost the backhaul/middle-mile requirements to connect the last mile network to the larger internet.
- To determine the utility of fixed wireless as an alternative to fiber optic middle mile solutions.
- To determine, as accurately as possible within the constraints of the Analysis budget, the costs to implement fixed wireless solutions so that they may be compared to the costs of providing fiber optic solutions.
- To determine the costs of operating and maintaining fixed wireless solutions and their affordability to the end consumer.
Middle Mile Broadband Initiative
The California State Middle Mile Broadband Initiative is a statewide effort to expand access to high-speed internet by constructing an open-access middle-mile broadband network. Managed by the California Department of Technology in collaboration with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), this initiative aims to bridge the digital divide by connecting underserved and unserved communities to critical infrastructure that enables last-mile providers to deliver affordable, reliable internet. The network is designed to lower costs and increase competition among internet service providers, fostering greater digital equity across the state.
The Middle Mile Network is the backbone for which internet service providers and local governments can plan last mile broadband projects, offering connections from the Middle Mile to each home, business, or institution.
Learn more: Middle Mile Broadband Initiative