McLean County �Broadband Breakthrough

Team Members

• Anthony Grant, McLean County Government, Team Leader
• Ray Lai, McLean County Regional Planning Commission
• Francesca Lewis, McLean County Regional Planning Commission
• Kyle Mueller, McLean County Government
• Anna Ziegler, McLean County Farm Bureau
• Casey Peterson, Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council
• Marty Hickman, McLean County Unit 5
• Mark Jontry, Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents
• Mark DeKeersgieter, Central Illinois Regional Broadband Network
• Craig Jackson, Illinois State University
• Joey Keller, Mid Central Community Action
• Matt Mollenhauer, Chestnut Health Systems
• Charles Edamala, Illinois State University
• Spencer Johansen, City of Lexington
• Mark Kotte, Village of Hudson

McLean County Broadband Survey

• February 28 to March 30

​

• 1,230 responses
• 95% Home / Home Business
• 9% Farm / Ag Business
• 8% Business
• 2% Community Building
• 1% Other

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

5

McLean County’s Broadband survey results indicate that an estimated 72% of respondents reported access and speeds that represented being unserved and underserved.*

*(FCC) Federal Communications Commissions Standard

Unserved: speed less than 25M download and 3M upload; Underserved: speed less than 100M download and 20M upload

Of those who had access to fixed internet and took the speed test, 35% reported a speed of less than 25 mbps download or 3 mbps upload, meeting the FCC standard for "unserved."

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

7

Farm and Agribusiness Survey Findings

• 32% indicated satisfaction with their fixed internet connection.
• 38% indicated satisfaction with how their fixed internet connectivity supports business functions
• 26% of respondents indicated satisfaction with how their fixed internet connectivity supports family life

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

8

Additional Survey Findings

• 85% of respondents reported needing to resort to the cellular data for internet.
• 40% tested a speed of less than 25M download or 3M upload
• More than one fifth (22%) of locations without local internet access were businesses.
• Nearly two thirds (62%) of respondents were dissatisfied with the affordability of their internet service.
• 44% of respondents were not satisfied with the reliability of their internet service

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

9

Survey Findings – How internet is used

• 96% of respondents reported currently using their internet connection for communications, such as emails, social media, video calls
• 75% of respondents reported currently using their internet connection to access cloud-based services
• 60% of respondents reported currently using their internet connection for education

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

10

Survey Findings – How internet is used

• 53% of respondents reported currently using their internet connection for workforce training.
• 79% of respondents reported currently using their internet connection for healthcare information or services.
• 69% of respondents reported currently using their internet connection for remote work / telecommuting.

11

My husband has stage 4 cancer. We rely on phone apps, cell phone, and email to communicate with his health care providers 120 miles away. These forms of communication aren't a luxury for us; they're a necessity. Costs have gotten out of control. Plans are complicated. We have too few choices.

We live in a rural, wooded area. Mobile hotspots are our only option for internet. With two children and a work-from-home parent reliable internet is important. We need the ability for a parent to work from home on a daily basis, and our children need to be able to do virtual learning during weather related virtual learning days. Due to our lack of good, reliable internet, we have added costs with cable internet for entertainment. We do not have the capability to stream service.

We pay about $132 each month for very slow service! It is difficult to stream tv shows and movies. It is impossible to download large picture files. Large parts of our house get no internet service…. In this digital age, high speed internet is a necessity, not a luxury.

Being a family of 6 with 4 kids, when the internet goes out, our whole house stops working. From our Nest home thermostat to TV and school work, its all based on internet access.

Key Survey Finding

Over half (54%) of agriculture entities reported their willingness to host equipment on some sort of vertical asset, providing the height in feet.

​

​

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

13

�Along with respondents with no internet access, 51% of respondents reported access and speeds that represented being "unserved”.

14

Accelerate Access McLean County (AAMC) will work to ensure all residents have access to quality choices of high-speed internet.

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

16

AAMC’s Guiding Principles

Accelerate Access McLean County strives to expand access for all residents to quality choices for reliable, affordable, and robust high speed internet services to promote economic prosperity, foster educational opportunities and improve quality of life.

​

Priority Strategy Overview

1. Continue outreach to local Internet Service Providers
• Seeking to find partners for a private public partnerships
2. Continue development of mapping resources for ISPs
• Being able to provide additional visibility into location of current fiber or field tiles would aid a potential ISP with their performa
3. Conduct a Feasibility Study to Build a Framework for AAMC’s work
• A feasibility study could be beneficial in aiding potential ISPs with aspects related to their buildout
4. Explore a Variety of Opportunities to Secure Funding
• Ensuring that potential partners are aware of available funding
5. Locate and improve processes related to permitting for the development of a high-speed network
• Government ‘red tape’ can be a hurdle that prevents investment in this infrastructure

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

17

What we have learned…

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

18

Targeted Areas

Access to all fixed broadband with speeds of at least 100x20 Mbps

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

20

Provider Interview Summaries

• Completed 5 interviews thus far with local ISPs, with several more upcoming
• Collaboration is key
• Leverage state and federal funding programs
• Hybrid approach

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

21

Vertical Assets

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

22

What are we going to do?

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

23

Strategy 1

Pursue Partnerships that leverage a combination of technologies and infrastructure.

• AAMC acknowledges that the key to delivering a robust marketplace for high-speed internet services will require both fixed wireline and fixed wireless services
• Cellular solutions are going to be appropriate in certain locations of the county; especially with the anticipated increase adoption of 5G technologies
• Encourage fiber installation that can facilitate an open access model which will drive a competitive marketplace

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

24

Prepare to assist potential ISPs in navigating governmental permitting processes.

• Feasibility study to aid potential ISP identifying engineering needs
• Collaborate with partners to collect data and create GIS layers of:
• Fiber locations
• Field tiles
• Consolidated ROW
• Clarify easements/permitting to address ISP concerns with ROW

​

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

25

Strategy 2

Encourage installation of fiber to provide affordable, symmetrical services

• Remove barriers to high-speed internet for families by raising awareness of the Affordable Connectivity Program
• Support planning efforts of companies that offer symmetrical speeds and developmental goals
• Provide technical assistance with leveraging available government funding with applications, raising awareness of programs, and partnerships that could developing a high-speed network

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

26

Strategy 3

Keep eye on the prize!!! Flexibility, Flexibility, Flexibility

Funding Opportunities

• Feasibility Study
• Leverage federal and state funding
• Connect Illinois: $350M in competitive State funding
• Explore other funding opportunities: USDA Reconnect
• BEAD Program: Federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment

​

​

​

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

27

AAMC’s Role

• Continue to develop relationships to spur development of a high-speed rural network
• Maintain public awareness of McLean County’s broadband initiatives
• Ensure elected leaders are aware of efforts and opportunities to continue to push initiatives
• Affirm delivery of promised services and appropriate development with identified partners

​

McLean County - Broadband Breakthrough

28

The conclusion of the Broadband Breakthrough initiative is only the end of the beginning of this process. ��Keep an eye on the prize and remain flexible in how to accomplish our goals because our residents are depending on us doing this.