GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE AND THANK
YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE
COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATION AND
CONVEYANCE. MY NAME IS TASHA
BURNER, AND I SERVED AS THE
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE JOINING
ME ON THE DIETS TODAY OR SOME OF
MY COLLEAGUES. WE HAVE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S ME AND BONTA AS
WELL AS JOSHUA OVER AND I THINK
SOME OF OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES
WILL BE COMING IN AND OUT
THROUGHOUT THE HEARING TODAY
ALSO HAVE WITH US EMILIO PEREZ,
CHIEF CONSULTANT FOR
COMMUNICATIONS AND CONVENIENCE.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
IN THE ROOM OR WATCHING REMOTELY
ONLINE. THE REASON WE'RE HERE
TODAY IS TO GET AN UPDATE FROM
THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION AND OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS ON IMPLEMENTATION
OF NEW FEDERAL BROADBAND
PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA. THE
BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS AND
DEPLOYMENT OR B PROGRAM IS A 4
$42.5 BILLION FEDERAL BROADBAND
PROGRAM ESTABLISHED BUT THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PURSUANT TO
THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
AND JOBS ACT, THE FUNDING WILL
BE USED TO FUND GRANTS TO
ELIGIBLE ENTITIES TO BUILD
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE AND
UNSERVED AREAS OF THE STATE.
THERE'S A GREAT NEED FOR THIS
WORK AS WE KNOW FROM THIS
COMMITTEE'S WORK ON THIS TOPIC.
CURRENT ESTIMATES FOR CALIFORNIA
SHARE OF THE BEAT FUNDING, RMS
ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND $900
MILLION OR MORE. ADDITIONAL
FUNDING IS CERTAINLY WELCOMED.
UH UM, DEVELOPMENT AND WE THINK
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THIS
HISTORIC INVESTMENT IT RAISES
UNIQUE QUESTIONS FOR CALIFORNIA
BECAUSE. FOR OUR, UM SORRY. IT
RAISES UNIQUE QUESTIONS FOR THE
CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF OUR
EXISTING SUITE OF PROGRAMS.
CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN A LEADER IN
SECURITY FUNDING FOR BROADBAND
PROJECTS FOR A STATE FOR OVER A
DECADE. NOW WE'VE HAD THE
CALIFORNIA ADVANCED SERVICES
FUND KASICH AND THAT'S EXISTED
FOR BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE IN
2021, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED SB
1 56, WHICH INVESTED $6 BILLION
INTO THE BROADBAND PROGRAMS. NO
THEY'RE STATE HAS INVESTED THIS
LEVEL OF FUNDING AND TO
BROADBAND LIKE CALIFORNIA HAS
YET WE HAVE CHALLENGES OF OUR
OWN, AND IT'S UNCLEAR HOW BEAD
WILL COMPLEMENT OUR EXISTING
PROGRAMS. WHAT WE ALL SHARE THE
SAME GOAL OF CONNECTING THE
DISCONNECTED THERE ARE DIVERGENT
PERSPECTIVES ON THE BEST
STRATEGY HERE. OVER THE COURSE
OF THE HEARING WILL BE DOING
HERE DIRECTLY FROM THE PUC AND
STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE CLOSELY
INVOLVED AND BEAD IMPLEMENTATION
IN CALIFORNIA AND OTHER STATES.
MY GOAL FOR THIS HEARING IS FOR
EVERYONE TO COME AWAY WITH
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE
OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE IN FRONT OF
US AND AS LEGISLATORS HOW WE CAN
BEST SUPPORT THE PROCESS WITH
THAT. I'D LIKE TO OFFER ANY OF
MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DIETS TO
MAKE AN OPENING REMARK. WOULD
YOU LIKE TO MAKE AN OPENING
REMARKS? JUST THANKFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY AND
LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION
AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE
ISSUE. THANK YOU. OKAY UM, AND
BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR OVERSIGHT
HERE, AND I LIKE TO TAKE CARE OF
SOME LOGISTICAL HOUSEKEEPING IF
ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IN THE
ROOM WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY
DURING PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON
VIÆT YOU TO APPROACH THE
MICROPHONE AT THE APPROPRIATE
TIME. I ASKED THE PUBLIC NOT
TOUCH THE MICROPHONE. YOU CAN
EXIT THE HEARING ROOM. ONCE
YOU'RE DONE TESTIFYING OR RETURN
TO YOUR SEAT OR WELCOME TO HAVE
YOU UM, NOW LET'S COVER THE
GROUND RULES FOR INAPPROPRIATE
CONDUCT. THE ASSEMBLY HAS
EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF
DISRUPTIONS TO COMMITTEE AND
FLOOR PROCEEDINGS IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS, CONDUCT THAT DISRUPTS
DISTURBS OTHERWISE IMPEDES THE
ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE HEARING
IS PROHIBITED. SUCH CONDUCT MAY
INCLUDE TALKING OR MAKING LOUD
NOISES FROM THE AUDIENCE,
UTTERING LOUD THREATENING OR
ABUSIVE LANGUAGE SPEAKING LONGER
THAN THE TIME ALLOTTED, EXTENDED
EXTENDED DISCUSSIONS A MATTER
NOT RELATED TO THE SUBJECT OF
THE HEARING. AND ANY OTHER
DISRUPTIVE ACTS TO ADDRESS ANY
DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT. I WILL TAKE
THE FOLLOWING STEPS OF AN
INDUSTRY IF AN INDIVIDUAL
DISRUPTS OUR HEARING PROCESS, I
WILL DIRECT THEM TO STOP AND
WARNED THEM THAT CONTINUE
DISRUPTIONS MAY RESULT IN
REMOVAL FROM THE CAPITOL
BUILDING ALSO DOCUMENT ON RECORD
, THE INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED AND
THE NATURE OF THE DISRUPTIVE
CONDUCT AND I MAY TEMPORARILY
RECESSED THE HEARING. IF THE
CONTACT DOES NOT STOP. ALSO
REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM OUR
SERGEANTS AND ESCORTING THE
INDIVIDUAL FROM THE CAPITOL
BUILDING. NOW WITH THAT, OUT OF
THE WAY, UM WE'LL BEGIN THEIR
OVERSIGHT PORTION OF THIS
MEETING FOR PANEL ONE. WE HAVE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION. WE HAVE RACHEL
PETERSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTION A
DIRECTOR OF THE PUC AND ROB
OSBORNE. DIRECTOR OF
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION OF PUC.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP TO
TODAY'S THANK YOU. AND MEMBERS
THE LAST YOU TO HOLD YOUR
SUBSTANTIVE QUESTIONS INTO THE
END OF THE PRESENTATION. IS THAT
OKAY? YEAH OKAY. THANK YOU.
YEAH. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR.
BOERNER UH, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS RACHEL
PETERSON. IT'S VERY GOOD TO BE
HERE THIS MORNING WITH YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE HERE TO PRESENT ON OUR
IMPLEMENTATION TO DATE OF THE
BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS AND
DEPLOYMENT OR BEAT PROGRAM. I'M
HERE WITH MY DIRECTOR ROB
OSBORNE FROM THE CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION AS
WELL. I'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW
AND THEN DIRECTOR OSBORNE WORLD
TO TURN TO MORE OF THE DETAILS
OF IMPLEMENTATION. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. SO OVERALL THROUGH BEAD
. WE ARE BUILDING ON AN
ADVANCING AND DELIVERING ON
CALIFORNIA'S HISTORIC INVESTMENT
IN BROADBAND FOR ALL I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE THREE ESSENTIAL AREAS
OF ACTION THAT ARE FLOWING
THROUGH ALL OF OUR
IMPLEMENTATION OF BEAD. FIRST WE
ARE ACTIVELY ADVOCATING AND
LOOKING TO DELIVER ON ALL FRONTS
AVAILABLE. TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE MAXIMIZING FEDERAL FUNDS FOR
CALIFORNIA WITH A B PROGRAM THAT
ADDRESSES THE NEEDS FOR A STATE
AS LARGE AND GEOGRAPHICALLY
DIVERSE AS OURS. WE HAVE
EVERYTHING IN CALIFORNIA WE HAVE
DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, LARGE URBAN
AREAS, REMOTE RURAL COMMUNITIES
. WE HAVE 172 FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED AND NON FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES. COASTAL AND
INLAND AREAS AND A HIGHLY
DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY. BUT WE ALSO
KNOW THAT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS
VERY REAL, AND IT IS AFFECTING
MILLIONS OF CALIFORNIANS, SO
WE'RE USING EVERY TOOL IN THE
TOOLKIT TO ADVOCATE FOR AND
DEVELOP A BEAD PROGRAM THAT IS
RESPONSIVE TO CALIFORNIA'S
NEEDS. THE TOOLS INCLUDE THE
FIVE YEAR ACTION PLAN
COORDINATION WITH THE MIDDLE
MILE NETWORK COORDINATION WITH
THE DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAM AND
COORDINATION WITH THE PROGRAMS
IN THE CALIFORNIA ADVANCED
SERVICES FUND. SECOND WE ARE
WORKING AS CLOSE PARTNERS WITH
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
TECHNOLOGY GO BIZ AND GOV OPS TO
CONDUCT A ROBUST STATEWIDE
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. I'LL SPEAK
MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT. AND
THIRD. WE ARE DEPLOYING OUR
PEOPLE. OUR CASE WORKERS TO MEET
WITH COUNTIES TO ENSURE THAT
THEY ARE AWARE OF ALL OF THE
PROGRAMS AVAILABLE ALONGSIDE
BEAT. WE'VE MET WITH 21 COUNTIES
SO FAR AND THAT COUNTY BY COUNTY
AND LOCAL OUTREACH WILL CONTINUE
. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND NOW
HERE, I WANT TO FOCUS IN ON OUR
WORKSHOP IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
PROCESS. THIS IS A REAL TIME
UPDATE. UM, AND AS I MENTIONED,
WE'RE EXECUTING THIS PROCESS
JOINTLY WITH CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY GO BIZ
AND GOV OPS. THE FEDERAL FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY THROUGH BEAD
REQUIRES EACH STATE TO DESIGN
ITS OWN PROGRAM RULES. AND THIS
PROCESS IS THE WAY WE ARE DOING
EXACTLY THAT. WE'RE ENGAGING
PEOPLE AND THEN INCORPORATING
THEIR INPUT INTO OUR BEAD FIVE
YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND YOU CAN
SEE SOME OF THE STATISTICS ON
THIS SLIDE. WE'VE HAD MORE THAN
1200 PARTICIPANTS SO FAR. WE'VE
HELD 13 OUT OF 20 WORKSHOPS TO
DATE. THEY RANGE ACROSS THE
STATE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE
CONDUCTED STATEWIDE, AND WE HAVE
THREE TRIBAL CONSULTATIONS
PLANNED AT THE END OF JUNE AND
EARLY JULY. AND I JUST WANT TO
EMPHASIZE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW
THE ENGAGEMENT IS HAPPENING. AT
EACH WORKSHOP. PEOPLE BREAK INTO
SMALL GROUPS TO DISCUSS BARRIERS
, OPPORTUNITIES AND OUTCOMES FOR
THE GROUPS THAT ARE COVERED BY
THE FEDERAL BEAD REQUIREMENTS.
I'LL GIVE YOU JUST A COUPLE OF
EXAMPLES AT THE WORKSHOP IN SAN
JOSE, I SAT WITH A YOUNG MAN WHO
WAS STILL IN THE FOSTER YOUTH
SYSTEM AND WHO IS HELPING TO
ENSURE THAT OTHER FOSTER YOUTH
HAVE BOTH DEVICES AND DATA PLANS
TO USE AS THEY STAY CONNECTED
WITH THEIR SOCIAL WORKERS STAY
IN SCHOOL OR PERHAPS APPLY FOR
THEIR FIRST JOBS. IN LOS ANGELES
. MY BREAKOUT TABLE INCLUDED
STAFF FROM THE COUNTY OF VENTURA
, WHO WORK WITH THE ELDERLY WHO
LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND HELP
THEM USE TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY
TO ACCESS TELEHEALTH AND STAY
CONNECTED WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF THE DIRECT
ON THE GROUND INPUT ABOUT THE
CHALLENGES OF CLOSING THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR PEOPLE ALL
ACROSS CALIFORNIA, AND THESE
SAME PARTICIPANTS ARE PROPOSING
TERRIFIC IDEAS AND STRATEGIES
ABOUT HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT
OUTCOME. THE 1200 WORKSHOP
PARTICIPANTS SO FAR COME FROM
THESE COMMUNITIES WORK WITH
THESE COMMUNITIES AND ARE
PROPOSING STRATEGIES THAT BEAD
AND DIGITAL EQUITY WILL BE
DESIGNED TO SERVE. THIS IS HOW
WE'RE PREPARING TO MAXIMIZE THE
FEDERAL FUNDS FOR CALIFORNIA
THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND OF
DESIGN, A PROGRAM THAT MEETS
CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSITY AND
NEEDS. AND I'LL CLOSE WITH THE
LAST NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS
SLIDE HAS SOME PHOTOS FROM SOME
OF OUR WORKSHOPS. YOU CAN SEE
SENATOR ASIA. WAHAB SPEAKING AT
OUR CENTER SAN JOSE WORKSHOP
CHAIR. YOUR STAFF ATTENDED OUR
SAN DIEGO WORKSHOP AND WE WERE
VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THEM THERE
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW PEOPLE ARE
ACTIVELY DISCUSSING. AH SPEAKING
IN FRONT AND THEN VOTING TO PUT
FORWARD THE IDEAS THAT THEY
THINK WILL BE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN
SERVING THE COMMUNITIES THAT
THEY WORK WITH. THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE
AND I'LL TURN IT TO DIRECTOR
OSBORNE FOR ADDITIONAL DETAIL
AND INFORMATION. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND FELLOW
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M DIRECTOR
OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION,
ROB OSBORNE AT THE CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION. I'M
GOING TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE GOING TO
PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING
PROGRAMS. THE BEAT PROGRAM
RULEMAKING, THE BEAD AND DIGITAL
EQUITY OUTREACH, THE FIVE YEAR
ACTION PLAN AND THEN FINALLY,
THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE FOR
BEAD. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THE
LOCAL AGENCY TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS BUDGETED
FOR $50 MILLION FOR LOCAL AND
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS TO FACILITATE
LAST MILE BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
ELIGIBLE COSTS FOR OUR INCLUDE
PRECONSTRUCTION DELIVERABLES,
SUCH AS ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS,
ENGINEERING STUDIES AND
STRATEGIC PLANS. THE CPC BEGAN
AWARDING THESE GRANTS IN OCTOBER
OF LAST YEAR. AND TO DATE HAS
RECEIVED 119 APPLICATIONS
TOTALING 52.5 MILLION AND
AWARDED GRANTS TO 82 APPLICANTS
FOR A TOTAL OF 36 36.4 MILLION.
48 OF THE 58, A COUNTY COUNTIES
HAVE APPLIED THERE'S STILL
SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS
AVAILABLE FOR TRIBES TO APPLY.
NEXT ONE. THE LOAN LOSS RESERVE
PROGRAM. UM SO THIS PROVIDES 750
MILLION TO ENABLE LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFITS TO
SECURE FINANCING FOR BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE. THE CPC
PUBLISHED A STAFF PROPOSAL LAST
YEAR AND RECEIVED COMMENTS AND
REPLY COMMENTS IN THE MONTH OF
OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER. THE CPC
AND THE CALIFORNIA
INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT BANK, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS I BANK SIGNED AN
INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT TO WORK
TOGETHER TO DEVELOP THE LOAN
LOSS RESERVE FUND. THE CPC HELD
THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
WORKSHOP IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR
TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO
PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE STAFF
PROPOSAL. THE CPC IS WORKING
CLOSELY WITH MY BANK TO DEVELOP
A REVISED STAFF PROPOSAL AND
PROPOSED DECISION EXPECTED IN
QUARTER THREE OF THIS YEAR. NEXT
IS THE FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT.
THIS IS BUDGETED FOR 2 BILLION
FOR LAST MILE BROADBAND PROJECTS
FOR UNSERVED COMMUNITIES AS
DEFINED BY THE PROGRAM RULES OF
SPEEDS LESS THAN 25 MEGABITS PER
SECOND DOWN AND THREE MEGABITS
PER SECOND UP. THROUGH THE
BROADBAND FOR ALL PROCEEDING,
THE CPC ADOPTED PROGRAM RULES
FOR THE FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT
AND HAS BEEN HIRING STAFF
DEVELOPING A GRANT APPLICATION
INTERFACE SYSTEM, INELIGIBILITY
MAP AND FEDERAL AND STATE
FUNDING REPORT FORMATS. THE CPC
PUBLISHED A FIRST VERSION OF THE
ELIGIBILITY MAP, WHICH SHOWED
THE LOCATION AND DATA ABOUT
POTENTIAL LAST MILE BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROJECTS.
AFTER PUBLISHING A FIRST VERSION
OF THAT MAP, THE PUC RECEIVED
VALUABLE FEEDBACK FROM
STAKEHOLDERS AND INPUT AND
RESPOND IN RESPONSE TO THIS
FEEDBACK AND INPUT. THE CPC
UPDATED THE MAP AND RELEASED A
SECOND VERSION IN APRIL THAT
REMOVED THE PREDEFINED PRIORITY
AREAS UPDATED THE UNDERLYING
DATA TO BETTER REFLECT THE
NUMBER OF UNSERVED LOCATIONS. UM
ALSO, WE ADDED MORE
SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS TO
CAPTURE MEASURES OF POVERTY AND
BETTER IDENTIFIED DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES USING MEDIAN
HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND SENATE BILL
535 METRICS. THE MEDIAN INCOME
LAYER SHOWS LOW INCOME AREAS
WHERE AGGREGATED HOUSEHOLD
INCOMES ARE LESS THAN 80% OF THE
COUNTY OR STATE MEETING INCOME,
WHICHEVER IS HIGHER. THE MEDIAN
INCOME DATA SET COMES FROM THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
IS 55 YEAR. ESTIMATES BASED ON
THE 2016 THROUGH 2020 AMERICAN
COMMUNITY SURVEY. THE
APPLICATION WINDOW FOR THE LAST
MILE FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT IS
PLANNED TO OPEN IN JUNE AND
REMAIN OPEN FOR THREE MONTHS.
THE CALIFORNIA EVENTS SERVICES
FUND UNDER THE FAR RIGHT CAN
COLLECT UP TO 150 YEAR AND
ASSISTS WITH BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT AND
ADOPTION IN PUBLIC HOUSING,
TRIBES AND UNSERVED AREAS AND
APPLICATIONS FOR THE
INFRASTRUCTURE. GRANT PROBABLY
PROGRAM ARE DUE BY JUNE OF THIS
YEAR. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. NOW
I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON
THE BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS AND
DEPLOYMENT OR BEAD PROGRAM. THIS
IS THE LAST MILE GRANT PROGRAM
CREATED BY THE BIPARTISAN
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND
JOBS ACT, OR I J OF 2021 AND
ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND
INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION, OR
NT A NATIONALLY, 42.45 BILLION
IS AVAILABLE FOR BEAD AND THE
ALLOCATIONS WILL DEPEND IN LARGE
PART ON THE FCC'S BROADBAND MAP.
THE DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY IS
THE ADMINISTERING ENTITY FOR THE
DIGITAL EQUITY PLANNING PROGRAM
, AND THE PUC IS THE
ADMINISTERING ENTITY FOR THE
BEAT PROGRAM. IT MAY HAVE. LAST
YEAR, THE NT PUBLISHED A NOTICE
TO FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, WHICH
DESCRIBES THE FEDERAL PROGRAM
RULES FOR THE BEAT PROGRAM. IN
JULY LAST YEAR, THE CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA SUBMITTED A LETTER OF
INTENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
PROGRAM, AND I'LL GO INTO THE
DETAILS OF THIS TIMELINE LATER.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS SLIDE.
I REALIZE IT'S A LITTLE
COMPLICATED WITH A LOT OF SMALL
WORDS, BUT IT'S REALLY
SUMMARIZES IN A HIGH LEVEL, THE
VARIOUS GRANT PROGRAMS THAT I
JUST COVERED FOR LAST MILE GRANT
FUNDING GIVEN THE STATUTES AND
ORIGIN OF EACH PROGRAM. IT'S
DIFFICULT TO MAKE THEM ALL WORK
TOGETHER IN LOCKSTEP, BUT THE
GOOD NEWS IS WITH MORE GRANULAR
MAPPING AND BUILDING OFF THE
LOCAL AGENCY, TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE GRANTS AND UTILIZING
THE EXPERIENCE OF THE VARIOUS
CALIFORNIA EVENTS SERVICES FUND
CONSORTIUM OF THE REGIONAL
CONSORTIUM THAT WE FUND AND THE
CASEWORKERS AS DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PETERSON
MENTIONED EARLIER APPLICANTS ARE
BETTER POSITIONED THAN EVER TO
GET FUNDING TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE. A FEW KEY POINTS TO
REITERATE SO THE CALIFORNIA
EVENTS SERVICES FUND PROGRAM
RULES HAVE BEEN UPDATED WITH THE
SAME SPEED THRESHOLD OF 25 3 AS
THE OTHER PROGRAMS. THE MAPPING
HAS FOLLOWED THE NATIONAL TREND
TO TRANSITION FROM CENSUS BLOCK
LOCATION, TWO LOCATIONS AND THIS
HAS INCREASED THE COMPLEXITY OF
THE MAP, BUT IT'S ALSO
IDENTIFIED LOCATIONS THAT WERE
PREVIOUSLY MASKED BY THE CENSUS
BLOCK APPROACH. FOR BROADBAND
ADOPTION. THERE'S MORE FOCUSED
NOW ON FUNDING AND TRAINING OF
DIGITAL NAVIGATORS, WHICH IS A
JOB THAT DIDN'T EXIST AT LEAST
IN NAME 10 YEARS AGO, AND WE
RELY ON OUR ADOPTION ACCOUNT
GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP US WE
ALSO HOPE THAT THE NEW ADOPTION
MAP WILL HELP US BETTER TARGET
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LOW
CONNECTIVITY RATES. FINALLY IN
LOOKING AT UNSERVED COMMUNITIES
ACROSS THE STATE. THERE'S A
CONCERTED FOCUS ON PROVIDING
CAPACITY GRANTS TO TRIBES, BOTH
THE CSF TRIBAL TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE AND THE LOCAL AGENCY
. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS
PROVIDE THESE NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR,
THE CPC OPENED IN ORDER
INSTITUTING RULEMAKING TO
DEVELOP RULES DETERMINING GRANT
FUNDING ELIGIBILITY AND
COMPLIANCE FOR BEAD FUNDS
DISTRIBUTED TO CALIFORNIA. MORE
INFORMATION ON THE RULEMAKING IS
AVAILABLE ON THE CPCS BEAD
WEBSITE. THE ROLE MAKING SIX
INPUT ON 14 CATEGORIES OF
QUESTIONS DESCRIBED IN THE ROOM,
MAKING THOSE INCLUDED
DETERMINING AN EXTREMELY HIGH
COST THRESHOLD, AND THIS IS THE
POINT AT WHICH WE DECIDE THAT
IT'S NO LONGER ECONOMIC TO
DEPLOY FIBER AND THEN OTHER
TECHNOLOGIES WOULD COME INTO
PLAY. GEOGRAPHIC LEVEL OF
APPLICATIONS, OVERLAPPING
PROJECT AREAS SELECTION AMONG
BROADBAND PRIORITY PROJECTS
SELECTION AMONG OTHER LAST MILE
BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT PROJECTS.
THE CHALLENGE PROCESS MATCH
REQUIREMENT. STATEWIDE MIDDLE
MILE MINISTERIAL REVIEW GRANT
CONDITIONS GRANT APPLICATIONS,
PAYMENT MILESTONES, IMPACTS ON
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL DISTANCE
COMMUNITIES, AND THEN FINALLY
ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT THE
COMMISSION SHOULD IMPLEMENT FOR
WHICH IT HAS DISCRETION.
COMMENTS WERE DUE ON APRIL 17TH
AND REPLY. COMMENTS WERE DUE ON
MAY 8TH AND A PRE HEARING
CONFERENCE IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT
WEDNESDAY. THE 31ST OF MAY NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. SO OVER AS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR PETERSON MENTIONED OVER
1200 PARTICIPANTS IN THE FIRST.
ACTUALLY NOW WE'RE 13. WE HAD
OUR MOST RECENT EVENT ON
SATURDAY IN LONG BEACH, UM, HAVE
BEEN HELD. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THE UPCOMING TOMORROW WE
HAVE ANOTHER EVENT IN SANTA ANA,
FOLLOWED BY PTOLEMY SANTA MARIA
SEASIDE OAKLAND READING. UM
SORRY READING WILL BEGIN OUR
THREE TRIBAL CONSULTATIONS IN
PERSON AND THEN WE END THAT WITH
A VIRTUAL TRIBAL CONSULTATION.
ACTUALLY, THAT WILL BE YET THE
VERY END. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO
WE INCLUDED IT IN THIS SLIDE
LINKS TO VIDEOS THAT WERE
CREATED FROM THE MERCED EVENT
AND THE FRESNO EVENT. WE'RE NOT
GOING TO PLAY THEM HERE, BUT THE
RLS ARE INCLUDED IN THE SLIDE
DECK SO YOU CAN WATCH THOSE
LATER. BUT BASICALLY AS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PETERSON
MENTIONED THEIR SMALL BREAKOUT
SESSIONS WITH RESULTS THAT ARE
REPORTED OUT TO THE LARGER GROUP
. REALLY THE TWO MAIN QUESTIONS
WE'RE ASKING OR WHAT ARE THE
CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO
ACHIEVING DIGITAL EQUITY? WHAT
ARE THE EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR
OVERCOMING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE?
AND THIS IS IN WITH REGARD TO
THE 10 COVERED POPULATIONS AND
THEN SIX OUTCOME AREAS, WHICH
INCLUDE EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE.
DIGITAL LITERACY AND INCLUSION,
WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, ESSENTIAL SERVICES
, ACCESSIBILITY AND CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT AND THEN FINALLY
TRIBAL COLLABORATION. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THE FIVE YEAR
ACTION PLAN IS THE NEXT LARGE
DELIVERABLE FOR THE BEAT PROGRAM
. THIS IS DUE IN MID AUGUST. UM
THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL STRATEGY
DOCUMENT ON CLOSING THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE AND ENSURING EQUITY AND
IS DUE TO 170 DAYS FROM THE
INITIAL PLANNING FUNDS, AND I'LL
TALK ABOUT THAT LATER THE
INITIAL PLANNING FUNDS CENTRAL
TO COMPLETING THE FIVE YEAR
ACTION PLAN IS A PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WE'VE JUST
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER ABOUT THE
20 EVENTS. AND THE OUTPUT OF
THOSE EVENTS AS BEING DOCUMENTED
AND WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE
RECORD OF THE CPCS BEAD
RULEMAKING. THIS INCLUDES THE
ESTIMATED TIMELINE AND COST FOR
UNIVERSAL SERVICE, THE PLANNED
USE OF FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL
FUNDING SOURCES. PRIVATIZATION
OF AREAS FOR FEDERAL SUPPORT USE
OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
OR CO OPERATIVES TO ADDRESS
CALIFORNIA'S NEEDS. STRATEGIES
TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY ISSUES
SUCH AS INCREASING ENROLLMENT IN
THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY
PROGRAM AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE
AVAILABLE AND HIGHLY SKILLED
WORKFORCE, INCLUDING PLANS TO
ATTRACT, RETAIN OR TRANSITION TO
SKILLED WORKFORCE NEEDED TO
ACHIEVE THE PLAN'S GOALS. OUR
INITIAL AND FINAL PROPOSALS WILL
BE INFORMED BY AND COMPLEMENTARY
TO AND CLOSELY INTEGRATED WITH
THE FIVE YEAR ACTION PLAN AND
STATE TOTAL EQUITY PLAN TO
ADDRESS THE GOAL OF UNIVERSAL
BROADBAND ACCESS. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. AND THIS IS THE FINAL
SLIDE. SO HERE'S AN OVERVIEW OF
WHAT THE CPC HAS BEEN DOING TO
SECURE FUNDING FOR THE BEAT
PROGRAM IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR,
THE CPC SUBMITTED A FABRIC
CHALLENGE TO THE FCC IDENTIFYING
OVER 40,000 LOCATIONS THAT WERE
EITHER MISSING OR MISLABELED.
FOLLOWING THAT, THE FCC ADDED
OVER 16,000 LOCATIONS TO THE
FCC'S FABRIC IN VERSION TWO FOR
CALIFORNIA. IN DECEMBER, THE
ANTILLA AWARDED 4.9 MILLION IN
FEDERAL FUNDING TO THE STATE TO
DO PLANNING ACTIVITIES LEADING
UP TO A FIVE YEAR ACTION PLAN
AND LAUNCHING OF THE BEAD LAST
MILE SUB GRANTEE PROGRAM. THE
NOVEMBER VERSION OF THE FCC'S
AVAILABILITY MAP HAD LARGE
INACCURACIES AND SUGGESTED
CALIFORNIA WOULD BE GETTING LESS
THAN 1 BILLION OF OVER THE 42
BILLION, AVAILABLE NATIONALLY
BETWEEN THE RELEASE OF THE FCC'S
NOVEMBER MAP AND JANUARY 11TH.
THE CPC WENT THROUGH 9 MILLION
PLUS RECORDS, REVIEWING
BROADBAND DATA FOR PROVIDERS AND
SUBMITTED AN AVAILABILITY
CHALLENGE TO THE FCC. WE'RE
STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT
CHALLENGE IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE FCC'S BROADBAND MAPPING
TEAM TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE FCC'S MAP ON WHICH THE NT
WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH MONEY
CALIFORNIA RECEIVES IS AS
ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE. EARLIER
THIS MONTH, WE FILED COMMENTS TO
THE ENTE ON THEIR PROPOSED MODEL
CHALLENGE PROCESS, WHICH, UM
WILL BE CENTRAL TO DETERMINING
WHICH ELIGIBLE LOCATIONS ARE
THERE THERE ARE FOR THE BEAT
PROGRAM. AS DISCUSSED EARLIER,
THE CPCS, COORDINATING WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY AND
CONDUCTING OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
AND ALIGNING DIGITAL EQUITY,
PLANNING, WITH BEAD AS THE
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY IS
DESIGNATED DESIGNATED ENTITY FOR
THE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN. I
BELIEVE ALSO, I'LL STOP THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF DATA HERE ON
THIS TIMELINE SLIDE AND I'LL BE
HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU. UM THANK YOU FOR THAT
PRESENTATION IS A LOT OF DATA
AND INFORMATION TO DIGEST THERE.
UM AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO
OTHER MEMBERS, I HAVE FEW
REMARKS AND QUESTIONS. AS YOU
KNOW, I'VE HAD MY CONCERNS WITH
HOW THE PUC HAS APPROACHED THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OTHER
BROADBAND GRANT PROGRAMS,
ESPECIALLY THE MAPPING PROCESS
AND DELAY THAT IT HAS CAUSED THE
F F F F A I HOPE WE CAN AGREE
THAT THERE ARE LESSONS LEARNED
ALWAYS SAY IN MY OFFICE, THERE'S
NO MISTAKES. THERE'S ONLY
LESSONS LEARNED. UM FROM OUR
PAST EXPERIENCE, AND WE
SHOULDN'T HAVE THEM AGAIN WHEN
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BEAT
FUNDING. IDEALLY WE WOULD HAVE
BEEN AWARDING GRANTS FROM THE F
A. V BY NOW SO WE CAN HAVE SOME
RECENT DATA ON TO TURN TO FOR
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S
WORKING AND WHAT ISN'T AS
LEGISLATORS. I THINK WE WANT TO
BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THAT
EXPERIENCE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE
POLICY CHANGES IF NECESSARY TO
IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE IN
CALIFORNIA. WHAT CONCERNS ME
MOST WITH THE BEAD FUNDING IS
OUR AND THE PROCESS IS THAT
THERE ISN'T A STATUTORY
FRAMEWORK FOR THE PSD TO FOLLOW
WHEN IT COMES WITH IMPLEMENTING
THIS PROGRAM AND RESPECTFULLY WE
HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE
GOVERNOR. ON HIS PRIORITIES ON
OUR SUITE OF BROADBAND PROGRAMS
AND HOW IT MIGHT CHANGE OR
COMPLEMENT THIS APPROACH.
WITHOUT A CLEAR POLICY AGENDA
FROM THE LEGISLATURE OR FROM THE
GOVERNOR. IT PUTS A LOT OF POWER
IN THE HANDS OF FIVE UNELECTED
COMMISSIONERS TO COMPLETELY
CONTROL THE ENTIRE PROGRAM AND A
VERY, VERY LARGE SUM OF FUNDING.
AND I REALIZED IT'S STILL EARLY
IN THIS PROCESS. THERE ARE A LOT
OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS I SAW
EVEN ON ONE OF YOUR SLIDES. YOU
HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS THAT
YOU'RE ASKING, UM AND THAT'S WHY
WE'RE HAVING THIS HEARING,
RIGHT. IT'S A CHANCE FOR US TO
LEARN FROM YOU AND YOU TRADE
HEAR FROM US. AND I WANT TO
START THAT ENGAGEMENT EARLY AND
COLLABORATE TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM
WORK FOR CALIFORNIA. UM OUR
NEEDS AND BROADBAND AND DIGITAL
EQUITY ARE LARGE. AND I ALWAYS
SAY WHENEVER WE HAVE ANY
APPROACH ANY POLICY ISSUE IN
CALIFORNIA, WE'RE DEALING WITH
THE INEQUITIES OF THE PAST. TRY
NOT TO REPEAT THEM IN THE FUTURE
AND TRYING TO COMPENSATE FOR
WHAT IT HAS NOT GONE WELL IN THE
PAST. THAT MAKES EVERY POLICY
AREA THAT WE DO IN CALIFORNIA
MORE CHALLENGING AND YET
HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF THE DAY,
MORE REWARDING FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS TO COME. AND AS YOU
KNOW, UM I'M RUNNING LEGISLATION
TO ADDRESS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
BEAD AND I HOPE THROUGH THIS
HEARING. WE CAN CONTINUE TO
LEARN AND INFORM THAT
LEGISLATION WITH THAT I HAVE
QUESTIONS ABOUT TIMELINES THAT I
WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUES TO ASK THEIR
QUESTIONS FIRST. SO DO WE HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR COMMITTEE
MEMBERS WERE JOINED BY REMEMBER
EDDIE GARCIA AND DIANE PAPIN AS
WELL AS ME ABOUT HER. ANY
QUESTIONS BEGIN. APOLOGIES. SO I
WOULD LOVE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THE PRESENTATION. I WOULD LIKE
TO JUST GET A SENSE OF THIS
INTEGRATION AND COORDINATION
BETWEEN BEAT AND CASA IF YOU
SPOKE A LITTLE BIT TOO THAT, UH,
FIRSTLY, WE WANT TO JUST GET AN
UNDERSTANDING OF WHETHER THE
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT
PROGRAM IN THE SUITE OF PROGRAMS
THAT THE SEA CPUC ADMINISTERS IS
ACTUALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US
TO HAVE DIFFERENT SIMILAR
FUNDING CRITERIA AND RULES
ACROSS ALL THREE SO CAN YOU
HIGHLIGHT WHAT KIND OF
COORDINATION INTEGRATION YOU'RE
DOING AROUND THAT START? THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S BONZO FOR
THE QUESTION. IT'S AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION AND IS ONE THAT WE
THINK ABOUT AND WORK ON DAILY
ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE WE WANT THE
COORDINATION TO OCCUR, BUT WE
ALSO WANT TO BE ATTENTIVE TO THE
ORIGINAL RULES AND REQUIREMENTS
THAT ARE SET OUT BY EITHER
FEDERAL OR STATE RULES. RELATED
TO HOW THOSE DIFFERENT FUNDS CAN
BE GRANTED AND DISTRIBUTED. SO
WE WANT COORDINATION, BUT WE
ALSO ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, UM
CAN COVER DIFFERENT NEEDS AND
GAPS OUT THERE IN THE WORLD. SO
WE'RE ONE PROGRAM THERE MAY NOT
COVER S¼ ADOPTION, FOR EXAMPLE,
AND DIRECTOR OSBORNE CAN PROVIDE
MORE OF THESE DETAILS. WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR
PROGRAMS I LIKE TO THINK OF IT
AS A JIGSAW PUZZLE THAT WE'RE IN
THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER,
UM, THAT WE HAVE COVERAGE
THROUGH IN ORDER TO MEET THE
NEEDS OF WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT
WE'RE HEARING ABOUT FROM THE
WORKSHOPS. SO WITH THAT, I'LL
ASK DIRECTOR OSBORNE TO SPEAK TO
MORE DETAIL. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. YES. THANK YOU. FOR YOUR
QUESTION. SOMEBODY MEMBER BONTA.
THE OUTLINE OF WITH I SHOWED
EARLIER SHOWING THE ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS ARE TRYING AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE TO ALIGN SO THAT WE
DON'T HAVE DIFFERENCES WHEN
WE'RE EVALUATING APPLICATIONS,
AND CERTAINLY THERE'S ALSO A
TIMING ASPECTS. SO, AS I SAID
EARLIER, THE CALIFORNIA AND
SERVICES FUND APPLICATIONS ARE
DUE IN JUNE. SO THAT'S PRETTY
SOON THE BEAD PROGRAM WON'T BE
OPENING UP, PROBABLY UNTIL NEXT
YEAR, SO UM, CERTAINLY ANY
APPLICANT THAT'S INTERESTED IN
BROADBAND FUNDING. I WOULD
ENCOURAGE TO APPLY FOR CSF, AND
THEN NEXT, WE'LL BE HAVING THE
FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT PROGRAM.
DO YOU? ANTICIPATE UH, HOW? HOW
WILL WE, AS LEGISLATURE
ESSENTIALLY KNOW WHETHER OR NOT
THERE'S COMPLETE COVERAGE IN
TERMS OF THE DIFFERENT CRITERIA
OR UM OR WHETHER THERE'S BEEN
THAT KIND OF ALIGNMENT? SO YEAH
, THERE WILL NEVER BE COMPLETE
ALIGNMENT WITH ALL THREE
PROGRAMS. UM JUST AS AN EXAMPLE
THAT BEAT PROGRAM HAS CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS REGARDING
PRIORITIZATION OF COMPETING
APPLICATIONS THAT THIS CSF
PROGRAM DOESN'T HAVE. AND SO
WHEN YOU HAVE TWO APPLICATIONS
FOR BEAD, FOR INSTANCE, FOR THE
SAME AREA YOU NEED TO ALSO LOOK
AT AND THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE
FEDERAL PROGRAM RULES THAT
REQUIRE IT. AFFORDABILITY
REQUIREMENTS AND FAIR LABOR
PRACTICES. TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE
APPLICANT APPLYING FAIR LABOR
PRACTICES? AND THAT'S NOT
SOMETHING THAT'S PRESENT IN THE
CALIFORNIA EVENTS SERVICES FUND
APPLICATION. AND JUST SWITCHING
A LITTLE BIT TO THE, UM
UNDERLYING GOALS OF THE BEAD
FUNDS. SO IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE
GRANT ACCOUNT THE GOAL OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT ACCOUNT IS
TO CONNECT 98% OF HOUSEHOLDS AT
THE GOAL OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING
ACCOUNT IS NOT CLEARLY DEFINED,
AND I BELIEVE THIS HAS
CONTRIBUTED TO SOME CHALLENGES
WITH THAT SPECIFIC FUND. DOES
THIS CPUC HAVE A SPECIFIC AND
MEASURABLE GOAL IN MIND FOR BEAT
FUNDS? SO I'LL LET YOU KNOW. GO
AHEAD IF YOU CAN. SO, UM I THINK
THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE IS LOOKING
AT THE TOTAL NEED IN THE STATE
VERSUS HOW MUCH FUNDING IS
AVAILABLE AND THIS IS WHERE WE
SEE BEAT IS REALLY BEING
COMPLEMENTARY TO CSF AND THE
FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT. THE
LAST TIME WE ESTIMATED THE TOTAL
COST OF DEPLOYING FIBER TO ALL
LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA, WAS IN
EXCESS OF 8 BILLION. IF WE TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT THE EXCUSE ME FIRE
RESILIENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR
RURAL AREAS. SO WHEN WE'RE
LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW ALL OF THE
PROGRAMS TOGETHER WE SEE BEAT AS
A COMPLEMENTARY PROGRAM TO THESE
OTHER TWO I DID WANT TO JUST
I'LL DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUES, BUT
I DID WANT TO ASK A BIT ABOUT
THE, UM, INTEGRATION OF THE
STATEWIDE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN.
UM STATUTE THAT REQUIRES
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP A
STATEWIDE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN
AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS
ENCOURAGED TO BE PROGRAMMED TO
BE IMPLEMENTED IN A MANNER THAT
REFLECTS THE STATE'S DIGITAL
EQUITY GOALS. HOWEVER UNLIKE
OTHERS, OTHER STATES BOTH
PROCESSES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED
BY DIFFERENT AGENCIES IN THIS
CASE. ANY CALIFORNIA SO IT'S
UNCLEAR TO ME WHAT KIND OF
HIGHER LEVEL COORDINATION IS
GOING TO BE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT
. OBVIOUSLY VERY COMMITTED TO
MAKING SURE THAT WE EXECUTE WITH
FIDELITY COMPLETING THE DIGITAL
EQUITY PLAN. UM SO CAN YOU SHARE
WITH US AND OVERLAY OF THE
TIMELINE ASSOCIATED WITH
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STATEWIDE
DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN AND THE
RELATIONSHIP TO FINALIZING THE
ROLES? CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR
THAT QUESTION. UM SO THE STATE
DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN IS UNDER THE
PURVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
TECHNOLOGY. WE ARE WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH DEPARTMENT AND
TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS AND
INVOLVED IN THE STATEWIDE
DIGITAL EQUITY PLANNING PROCESS
, AND THERE'S SEVERAL COMPONENTS
TO THAT. THERE'S A STATE DIGITAL
EQUITY PLANNING MEETING AND THEN
SUBGROUPS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON
THE VARIOUS OUTCOME AREA WHERE
WORKING GROUPS THAT I MENTIONED
EARLIER THERE WERE ALSO
ADDRESSING IN THE PUBLIC
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. THESE 20
EVENTS THAT WE'RE DOING. THE
DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN AS PART AND
PARCEL OF THIS FIVE YEAR ACTION
PLAN, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT
WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER THAT'S
DUE TO THE TO IN A P R AND SORRY
IN AUGUST. UM SO THAT DIGITAL
EQUITY PLAN AS THEY SAY, BEAD.
THE E AND B IS EQUITY WITHOUT
BEING BEAT AS BAD SO THE IDEA IS
THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE EQUITY AND
THE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN AS PART
OF THE BEAD PLAN, AND THAT BEAD
PLAN IS THEN PART OF THE
RULEMAKING. APPRECIATE THAT. TO
FOR SMALLER QUESTIONS, BUT THANK
YOU. UM GOING BACK TO I
UNDERSTAND, AND MAYBE THIS WILL
BE HELPFUL, AND WE'RE JOINED BY
OUR APPROPRIATIONS CHAIR HOLD.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. UM I
THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR
EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND. UM THE
WAY I UNDERSTAND IT IS, THE PUC
WILL NEED TO REQUEST BUDGET
AUTHORIZATION TO DEPOSIT THE
BEAD FUNDING INTO A STATE
ACCOUNT. AND WHEN CAN THAT
LEGISLATURE EXPECT THAT BUDGET
REQUESTS? SO THANKS FOR THE
QUESTION CHAIR ON THOSE BUDGET
TYPE OF QUESTIONS. WE WOULD
DEFER TO OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, BUT THEY
WOULD I ASSUME WE'D BE USING THE
STANDARD BUDGETARY TOOLS AND
BUDGET PROCESS. UM AND I THINK
YOU'VE GONE THROUGH KEY DATES
THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF. I
SHARE THE CONCERNS THAT I THINK
MANY OF US HAVE IN THE
LEGISLATURE ABOUT. THE CLARITY
WE HAVE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS, SCHOOLS. AND HOW
THEY'RE COMPLEMENTARY. I THINK
THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING I DON'T
KNOW. IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO IT. IT
DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY'RE
WORKING TOGETHER. SO IT'S GREAT
TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE IT SOUNDS
LIKE YOU'RE MEETING ON A DAILY
BASIS OR WEEKLY BASIS TO
COORDINATE THEM. THAT'S NOT
CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC. HOW THAT
COORDINATION IS HAPPENING, AND
THAT THE MIDDLE MILE FUNDING
CASTLE F F A BEAT IS ALL WORKING
TOGETHER. AND I THINK YOU KNOW
IT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT WE HAVE
AN $8 BILLION NEED, BUT WE'RE
NOT GOING TO HAVE $8 BILLION SO
THEN THERE'S THE QUESTION OF
PRIORITIZATION AND EQUITY, WHICH
I THINK IS, UH, YOU KNOW THE
CENTER OF THIS CONVERSATION. UM
SO I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY OF MY
OTHER COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. OTHERWISE I
MEAN, I THINK IT'S THE MEMBERS
AROUND BONTA AND I HAVE TONS OF
QUESTIONS. BUT YOU KNOW IF
ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY OKAY? DIANE
TO JAIL QUESTIONS. SORRY THIS IS
MY MEMBER PAT. PARTICULARLY
ARTICULATE. BUT I, UM I GUESS MY
QUESTION IS EQUITY. HOW ARE YOU
ULTIMATELY GOING TO WHERE WERE
THE RULES COME FROM TO
ULTIMATELY DETERMINED WHERE ARE
YOU GOING TO CUT AND WHERE
YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE. SO THERE'S
A LOT OF WORKSHOPS A LOT OF
INPUT TO CREATE RULES. AND I
GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHEN DOES
THAT HAPPEN? AND WHAT DO YOU
ANTICIPATE THE CRITERIA TO BE
PARTICULARLY PARTICULAR BUT I'M
NOT COMING AWAY WITH A CLEAR
PICTURE OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO
MAKE DECISIONS. ULTIMATELY THANK
YOU FOR THE QUESTION
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S YES, AND I
APPRECIATE THAT. AT THE MOMENT
THERE IS A THERE'S AN EXTENSIVE
PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS, WHICH
MEANS THAT WE ARE LETTING THE
PROCESS PLAY OUT AND GATHERING
ALL OF THE ALL THE INPUT THAT
YOU SAW ON SOME OF THOSE SLIDES.
UM THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE THE CPUC
WILL ESTABLISH RULES. BUT THERE
ARE ALSO RULES ALREADY
ESTABLISHED, OR AT LEAST
CRITERIA AND GUIDANCE
ESTABLISHED IN THE FEDERAL
NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
FOR BEAT, SO THERE IS A CERTAIN
AMOUNT THAT IS DERIVED ALREADY
FROM THAT FEDERAL LAW AND
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. THEN THE
CPUC WILL USE OUR RULEMAKING. UM
AS DIRECTOR OSBORNE SHOWED THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES AND
QUESTIONS TD IN THAT RULEMAKING
. WE TYPICALLY HAVE WELL OVER A
FEW 100 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR RULE
MAKINGS. AND SO THE COMMENTS AND
DISCUSSIONS THAT WE RECEIVED
THERE WILL ULTIMATELY INFORMED
COMMISSIONER DECISIONS THAT SET
THOSE RULES AND CRITERIA ABOUT
BEAD, FOR EXAMPLE. THEY ALSO
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTINUALLY SET RULES FOR
PROGRAMS THAT WE ALSO, UM
ADMINISTER, LIKE THE CALIFORNIA
ADVANCED SERVICES FUND. SO WE
ARE MIDSTREAM IN A PUBLIC
PROCESS. NOW THAT PROCESS WILL
FLOW INTO THE RULES THAT ARE SET
BY THE COMMISSION. MAKE FOLLOW
UP, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A
COMBINATION OF WHAT'S
PREORDAINED. AND THEN WHAT
YOU'RE GETTING FROM THE PUBLIC.
YES OKAY, BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS
GOING TO BE MORE NEED THAN THERE
IS MONEY. YES, I THINK WE CAN
ALL CONCUR ON THAT. SO I GUESS
MY QUESTION IS. WELL LET ME LET
ME PUT IT. YOU INDICATED THAT WE
ONLY GOT 1 BILLION SO FAR THAT
WERE DESIGNATED TO GET FROM THE
FEDS. AND YOU'RE TRYING TO
INCREASE THAT AMOUNT. IS THAT
RIGHT? THAT WAS THE INITIAL
INDICATOR FROM THE ESSAY FCC MAP
AS OF LAST FALL, DIRECTOR,
OSBORNE SAID. WE CHALLENGED IT
AND WE'RE CONTINUALLY WORKING
WITH THE FEDERAL PARTNERS IN
ORDER TO INCREASE THAT AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE. BUT YOU ARE CORRECT
THE RANGE RIGHT NOW THAT WE KNOW
OF RUNS FROM 900 MILLION TO 2
BILLION SO WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ADVOCATE
TO MAXIMIZE THAT AMOUNT. BUT IT
IS CORRECT. WE DON'T KNOW WHERE
THE FCC WILL LAND. AND IT WILL
IT. DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT IT
WOULD BE PARTLY BASED ON
POPULATION AND THEN PARTLY BASED
ON WHERE WE HAVE, UM, I NEED
THAT WILL BE A TECHNICAL DETAIL
. I'LL TURN TO OKAY. THANK ROB
FOR THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
THAT QUESTION. SO THERE'S 100
MILLION THAT GOES TO EVERY
STATE. RIGHT OFF THE BAT. OKAY
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF UNSERVED
LOCATIONS IN EACH STATE, AS
DETERMINED BY THE FCC. SO THAT
NUMBER OF UNSERVED IS WHAT WE'VE
BEEN CHALLENGING WITH THE FCC.
OKAY THEN I JUST HAD ONE MORE
FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THE DATA
PROVIDED AND THAT WAS. ON THE
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE. YOU HAD INDICATED
THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED 52 MILLION
APPS AND 36.4 HAD BEEN
DISPERSED. AH! WHEN'S THE REST
GOING OUT? GO AHEAD. THANK YOU
FOR THAT QUESTION. SO WE'RE
OVERSUBSCRIBED NOW FOR THE NON
TRIBAL THERE WAS 5 MILLION SET
ASIDE FOR TRIBAL SO THE NON
TRIBAL IS ALREADY OVERSUBSCRIBED
, SO WE'LL BE ISSUING GRANTS UP
TO 45 MILLION AND THOSE
REMAINING GRANT APPLICATIONS
WILL BE AWARDED SHORTLY. JUST
CURIOUS. THANK YOU. CERTAINLY
NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE, BUT
YOU ENLIGHTEN ME A LITTLE BIT.
THANK YOU. I CAN GO BACK. SO WE
HAVE THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS
AND THEY EACH HAVE. I THINK, AS
YOU'VE EXPLAINED THE EACH HAVE
UNIQUE GOALS. SO WHEN YOU TALK
TO NORMAL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW NOT
TECHNICAL PEOPLE WHO YOU TALK TO
NORMAL EVERYDAY PEOPLE. MAYBE AT
YOUR OUTREACH SESSIONS. HOW DO
YOU DESCRIBE WHAT EACH PROGRAM
IS MEANT TO DO AND HOW THEY WORK
TOGETHER TO GET TO THE GOAL
BECAUSE THE GOAL IS THE SAME
RIGHT? THE GOAL IS TO CONNECT.
UNSERVED OR UNDERSERVED, THAT'S
ACTUALLY NOT EVEN CLEAR UNSERVED
OR UNDERSERVED HOUSEHOLDS AND IN
AN EQUITABLE WAY, RIGHT? AND SO
WHEN YOU DESCRIBED THE THREE
PROGRAMS HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE
THAT TO PEOPLE? AND THEN HOW
DOES THAT RELATE TO THE RULE
MAKING THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE
EACH OF THE PROGRAMS HAVE
DIFFERENT ROLE, MAKING AROUND IT
TO WHICH SO CAN YOU? PROVIDE
CLARITY ON THAT. THANKS FOR THAT
QUESTION. I'LL START THERE SO I
AM IN THE SAME SHOES. I HAVE TO.
PRACTICALLY I HAVE TO STARE AT
THIS CHART MANY TIMES IN ORDER
TO TRY TO REMEMBER ALL THE
PIECES OF THE PUZZLE THAT WE ARE
TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER. THE TEAM
UNDER DIRECTOR OSBORNE IS MUCH
MORE TECHNICALLY FLUENT IN ALL
OF THIS. AND I AM I FULLY
RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGE OF
COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE ABOUT
ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
OPPORTUNITIES AND RULES AND
PROGRAMS. THE WAY WE'RE
APPROACHING, IT IS WE ARE GIVING
A LOT OF INFORMATION AT THE
WORKSHOPS. UM THERE ARE A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT EVER NEED TO
REALLY CARE ABOUT THE
DIFFERENCES IN PROGRAM RULES AS
LONG AS THEY'RE DIGITAL DIVIDE
IN THEIR COMMUNITY BEGINS TO BE
CLOSED. BUT ONE OF THE KEY
GROUPS WHO IS PARTICIPATING AT
THESE WORKSHOPS. OUR LOCAL
GOVERNMENT COUNTY GOVERNMENT, UM
CONSORTIUM MEMBERS, COMMUNITY
COLLEGES, UM, TECHNICAL COLLEGES
PROVIDERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
THEMSELVES, RECEIVING A GRANT
AND BEGINNING TO DEVELOP THOSE
NETWORKS THAT CAN CLOSE THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR THEIR AH
STUDENTS, COMMUNITIES
POPULATIONS THAT THEY SERVE.
THEY ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE
THEN CONNECTING WITH OUR CASE
WORKERS, UM, IN ORDER TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE
TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY
NEED, OR AT LEAST THE ACCESS TO
THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE SO THAT
THEY CAN BEGIN TO SUBMIT THE
APPLICATIONS TO THE DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS. BETWEEN THE
CASEWORKERS, AND THIS IS
ACTUALLY WHAT THE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE GRANTS ACCOMPLISHED
AS WELL. UM AH, I'LL ASK HOW
MANY LOCATIONS WE PROVIDED A LOT
OF GRANTS TO, BUT THOSE GRANTS
ENABLED GOVERNMENTS AND THESE
LOCAL PROVIDERS TO HIRE THE
NETWORK ENGINEERS AND THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE ABLE TO BEGIN ACCESSING
THE FUNDING SO COMPLETELY
RECOGNIZED THAT THIS IS A VERY
CHALLENGING, COMPLICATED
TECHNICAL AREA. I WE ARE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CREATE
THOSE BRIDGES THROUGH PEOPLE WHO
ARE PROVIDING, UM PEOPLE ACROSS
CALIFORNIA THE ABILITY TO ACCESS
THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND THE
DIFFERENT RULES. AND SO I GET
THAT YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO COMES
TO ONE OF YOUR WORKSHOPS, AND
THEY'RE LIKE THIS IS MY
CHALLENGE, AND THEN YOU CAN
DIRECT THEM. THIS IS THE BEST
GRANT PROGRAM FOR YOU. BUT WHEN
WE LOOK AT IT FROM THE MACRO
POLICY LEVEL WE SHOULD BE TAKING
A DIFFERENT APPROACH. WE SHOULD
BE SAYING WHERE THIS PART OF
MONEY. THIS HAS THIS SCHOOL WITH
THESE SET OF RULES. WE HAVE THE
MIDDLE MILE. WE HAVE THE F F A
RIGHT. WE HAVE ALL THESE
DIFFERENT THINGS AT THE END OF
THE DAY FROM THE MACRO LEVEL. SO
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A BOTTOM UP
PROCESS, WHICH IS FINE. YOU WANT
A BOTTOM UP PROCESS, BUT WHAT'S
THE TOP DOWN PROCESS THAT WE'RE
LIKE? THIS IS HOW THEY ALL WORK
TOGETHER. IT'S FINE TO SAY WE'RE
PUTTING TOGETHER THE JIGSAW.
IT'S LIKE WE'RE BUILDING THE
PLANE WHILE FLYING IT, WHICH IS
MAYBE OK, BUT GENERALLY YOU WANT
TO KNOW WHAT THE PLANE LOOKS
LIKE BEFORE YOU START. I SHOULD
NOT DO ANALOGIES BEFORE YOU GET
OFF THE GROUND. I SHOULD NOT DO
THIS. ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING
. UM BUT LIKE, SO, WHEN YOU
THINK ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, HOW DO
YOU SEE THAT JIGSAW PUZZLE
WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE IT'S
FINE THAT SOMEBODY COMES IN. I
MEAN, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS. ARE
WE REALLY GETTING OUR PEOPLE IN
OCEAN SIDE COMING TO THE SAN
DIEGO EVENT, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE
THEY REALLY DO LIKE I KNOW THAT
COMMUNITY FROM THE MY OLD
DISTRICT AND I WOULD GUESS THAT
NOBODY FROM THAT COMMUNITY WAS
PROBABLY AT THE SAN DIEGO EVENT
. UM YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S YOU'RE
GONNA HAVE GAPS. WHEN YOU DO THE
KIND OF OUTREACH YOU'RE DOING.
IT'S GOOD THAT YOU'RE DOING IT.
I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON
THAT. BUT WHEN YOU MY BIGGER
QUESTION IS LIKE WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT PUTTING THE PUZZLE PIECES
TOGETHER. HOW DO YOU SEE THEM
MESHING TOGETHER? BECAUSE IF WE
DON'T HAVE THAT VISION, THEN
WE'RE GONNA HAVE GAPS AND WE'RE
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO CLOSE THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE, LIKE THE
INTENTION IS FROM EITHER THE
GOVERNOR OR THE LEGISLATURE OR
FROM YOURSELVES. DO YOU WANT TO
TAKE THE SURE THANK YOU FOR YOUR
QUESTION. CHAIR SO THE WAY I SEE
IT IS GETTING BACK TO THE HIGH
LEVEL. IT'S BROADBAND. FOR ALL.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO SIMPLER WAY
OF STATING IT. EVERYONE NEEDS TO
HAVE BROADBAND. NOW. THE
QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE GET
BROADBAND FOR ALL AND THERE'S
THE CHALLENGE. WE'VE TRIED OVER
MANY YEARS WITH TRADITIONAL
APPROACHES OF HAVING A MAP AND
HAVING COMPANIES APPLY. BUT
ULTIMATELY WE HAVE AREAS THAT
CAN'T YOU KNOW THAT DOESN'T
PROVE OUT AS A BUSINESS CASE,
WHICH IS WHY WE ARE NOW
PROVIDING LOCAL AGENCY TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO TRY AND OPEN UP
THE UNIVERSE OF BROADBAND
PROVIDERS. EXCUSE ME, SO IT'S NO
LONGER JUST THE INTERNET SERVICE
PROVIDERS, BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING
TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS LIKE
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS OR
FULL PUBLIC MODEL. WHATEVER WE
CAN GET TO GET TOO CLOSE THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE AND IT GETS BACK
TO WHAT PLACES STILL DO NOT HAVE
BROADBAND. THOSE ARE THE
PRIORITY. AND HOW DO WE GET
FUNDING TO BRING BROADBAND TO
THOSE COMMUNITIES AND THAT'S
SORT OF THE GENERAL APPROACH.
AND THEN HOW DO YOU SEE IF
THAT'S THE GENERAL APPROACH? HOW
DO YOU SEE EACH EACH OF THE
PROGRAMS? COMPLEMENTING EACH
OTHER BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE
DIFFERENT RULEMAKING. SO HOW DO
YOU SEE THAT WORKING TOGETHER?
IF YOU CAN THAT'S THAT'S THE
MACROVISION. WE WANT BROADBAND
FOR ALL. BUT YOU SAID IT
YOURSELF. IT'S $8 BILLION IN
NEED. AND THERE'S NOT $8 BILLION
SO WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING TRADE
OFFS AT SOME POINT. AND I THINK
IT I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR MY
COLLEAGUES. BUT I WOULD ASSUME
THE LEGISLATURE'S INTENSE AND I
ASSUME THE GOVERNOR'S INTENT. IS
TO REPAIR PAST INEQUITIES. AND
THAT'S YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE F F A
FUNDING ABOUT THE EQUITY MAPS
THAT WERE NOT EQUITABLY MAPS
RIGHT LIKE THAT'S WHERE WE GO
BACK TO IS SO WHEN YOU SEE WHEN
YOU TAKE IT DOWN FROM THIS
VISION OF BROADBAND FOR ALL,
WHICH IS I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON
AND YOU SEE THE DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS FEEDING INTO THAT
BROADBAND FOR ALL. HOW WOULD YOU
DESCRIBE THE PROGRAMS?
INTERLOCKING. THANK YOU FOR THAT
QUESTION. I THINK THE WAY I SEE
IT IS TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX
RATHER THAN TRYING TO MAKE A
CRESCENT WRENCH INTO A RATCHET
WRENCH. WE'VE GOT DIFFERENT
WRENCHES TO I'M SORRY. I'M USING
METAPHORS HERE, BUT REALLY, SO
YOU HAVE DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT
CAN ACCOMPLISH VERY SIMILAR
THINGS. BUT THEY'RE NOT THE SAME
TOOL AND WE CAN'T MAKE THEM THE
SAME TOOLS. SO WE REALLY HAVE TO
WORK WITH THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE
AND TRY BEST THROUGH THE
CASEWORKERS THROUGH THE REGIONAL
CONSORTIUM TO EXPLAIN AND
CONTINUALLY HAVE THE DISCUSSION
ABOUT WHICH PROGRAM IS MORE
APPROPRIATE. HOW IS THIS PROGRAM
GOING TO HELP YOU OVER THIS
PROGRAM, AS I WAS MENTIONING
EARLIER IS ALSO A TIME COMPONENT
IN TERMS OF WHEN APPLICATIONS
ARE DUE, SO SOME ENTITIES ARE
READY NOW. SOME WON'T BE READY
FOR ANOTHER YEAR, SO IT MAY BE
APPROPRIATE A YEAR LATER TO
APPLY FOR BEAD OR IT MIGHT MAY
BE APPROPRIATE TO FILE FOR
ANOTHER, THE SECOND ROUND OF THE
FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT. SO
THOSE ARE THE SORTS OF
CONSIDERATIONS WE TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT. JUST I'LL SWITCH TO THE
FIVE YEAR ACTION PLAN PROCESS
FOR A MOMENT. WILL THE CPUC
COMMIT TO RELEASING THE DRAFT
PLAN BEFORE IT SUBMITTED TO N T.
A WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD? YES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. WE
YES, WE WILL. WE HAVE TO RELEASE
IT TO THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT AND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO
EVERYONE WELL BEFORE IT
SUBMITTED TO THE ENTE, WILL YOU
BE INCLUDING FEEDBACK FROM THE
DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN? YES. SO
FEEDBACK FROM THE DIGITAL EQUITY
PLAN IS MANAGED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY. THE
DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN ITSELF
BECOMES PART OF THE FIVE YEAR
ACTION PLAN. IT'S ACTUALLY A
CHAPTER OF THAT. ALRIGHT I JUST
AGAIN INTEGRATION. I KNOW THAT'S
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND
PERHAPS WE SHOULD HAVE HAD BOTH
DEPARTMENTS HERE AND IF I'M
ISSUES, BUT IF I MAY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S SO CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE
CPUC OR CO PRESENTING AND
COWORKING THE WORKSHOPS, AND SO
THAT SAME INPUT THAT WE'RE
GAINING FROM THE WORKSHOPS. C D.
T IS GAINING AND OF FEEDING INTO
THEIR DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN
CHAPTER AS WELL. SO IT IS WERE
USING THE SAME WORKSHOPS SO AS
NOT TO WEAR EVERYBODY OUT. WE'RE
USING THE SAME WORKSHOP TO
ACHIEVE THE INPUT THAT WE NEED
FOR BOTH DOCUMENTS. THANK YOU.
I'LL SWITCH FOR A MOMENT TO
INTEGRATION WITH THE STATEWIDE
JUST ONE SECOND, WE DID GIVE THE
GOVERNOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
INVITE WHO HE THOUGHT WAS
APPROPRIATE TO THIS HEARING AND
WE WERE GIVEN THE CPUC. AND THAT
CBT JUST THAT, YOU KNOW.
INTEGRATION WITH THE STATEWIDE
MIDDLE MILE. WHAT DO YOU SEE OUR
ADVANTAGES AND DRAWBACKS OF
REQUIRING AN APPLICANT TO
CONNECT WITH THE STATEWIDE
MIDDLE MILE? I'LL START WITH
THAT ONE. THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION, SO THE MIDDLE MILE IS
A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT BY THE
STATE IN A TRUNK LINE THAT THEN
LOCALS ACROSS THE STATE WILL BE
ABLE TO CONNECT TO SO THAT IS
THE MAJOR ADVANTAGE IS FIBER IS
BEING BROUGHT CLOSER TO THE
COMMUNITIES THAT NEEDED UM MORE
TO ADD. YES, CERTAINLY, I THINK
, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE
STATEWIDE MIDDLE MILE IS, UM,
POTENTIALLY A BIG, UM, REDUCTION
AND COST FOR PROVIDING MIDDLE
MILE SERVICES AND TRADITIONALLY
MIDDLE MILE HAS BEEN A BARRIER
FOR LAST MONTH DEPLOYMENT EITHER
LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF MILITANT
MILE OR OVERLY HIGH COST SO IT
SAVES THE LAST MILE APPLICANT,
SIGNIFICANT MONEY IN THE
APPLICATION. THAT MEANS WE CAN
USE THE LAST MILE FUNDING FOR
MORE LOCATIONS RATHER THAN
PAYING FOR MIDDLE MILE. AND DO
YOU BELIEVE, ER, ARE YOU AWARE
OF ANY KIND OF CHALLENGES IN
TERMS OF DETERMINATION FOR
COORDINATING ACROSS PROJECTS
WITH THE STATEWIDE MIDDLE MILE.
SO IN INSTANCES WHERE PROVIDERS
ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM C,
P, OR CDT ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME
IT TAKES TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE
THAT THERE IS THAT CONNECTION
WITH THE STATEWIDE MINIMUM MILE
UM ARE THERE ANY IMPROVEMENTS?
DO YOU THINK THAT YOU ALL CAN
MAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S
MORE INTEGRATION IN TERMS OF
DECISION MAKING PROCESS. YES
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, AND
I THINK, UM, WHAT WE'VE SEEN
OVER TIME AS THE MIDDLE MILE
LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN BECOME MORE
, UM, DEFINED. WE NOW KNOW YOU
KNOW WHERE THE MIDDLE MILE WILL
BE GOING. WE HAVE BETTER
COORDINATION WITH DEPARTMENT OF
TECHNOLOGY. WE ACTUALLY REQUIRE
LAST MILE APPLICANTS TO CONSULT
WITH DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY IF
THEY HAVE A MIDDLE MILE
COMPONENT. IN THEIR APPLICATIONS
SO THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING
FUNDING AND IN A CASE WHERE
WE'RE PAYING FOR A MIDDLE MILE
LOCATION MIDDLE MILE CONNECTION
. UM THAT BECOMES WE CAN WE
REQUIRE THAT THEY BE OPEN
ACCESS, SO IT ESSENTIALLY WORKS
AS EXTENDING THE MIDDLE MILE
FROM WHERE IT'S ALREADY BEEN
CONSTRUCTED. LIKE A LOGISTICAL
QUESTION. THE MIDDLE MILE WON'T
BE BUILT OUT UNTIL 2026 RIGHT.
THAT'S THE DEADLINE FOR THAT.
AND SO OUR APPLICATIONS ARE
ONGOING AND IF THEY CONNECT THE
MIDDLE MILE, BUT IT WON'T BE
BUILT OUT. 2026 HOW ARE YOU?
COORDINATING THAT DISCREPANCY
AND TIMELINE OF APPLICATIONS
NEEDING TO GET THE FUNDING OUT
THE DOOR AND THE MIDDLE MILE?
MAYBE COMING IN AFTER THE FACT
RIGHT, LIKE THERE'S AND THAT
JIGSAW PIECE. IT SEEMS LIKE
THERE MAY BE TWO DIFFERENT
PUZZLES GOING ON. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR QUESTION. UM SO I AGREE IT
SOUNDS LOGISTICALLY STRANGE,
RIGHT? I KNOW THAT THE 2026 IS
THE DEADLINE FOR THE
LIQUIDATION, SO IT'S NOT NOT
THAT EVERYTHING WILL COMPLETE
AND DECEMBER 31ST 2026. WE
EXPECT THE MINIMAL TO BE
COMPLETED. YOU KNOW, LEADING UP
TO THAT POINT, SO IT'S NOT A
EVERYTHING'S DONE ON ONE DAY.
IT'S OVER PROCESS OF TIME. YEAH,
BUT WHAT? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
IN THE LOGISTICS, SO I'M I'M
DOING AN APPLICATION FOR LAST
MILE MY MIDDLE MILE. MAYBE ON A
MAP SOMEWHERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW
WHAT WHAT POINT IT'S GOING TO BE
COMPLETED. HOW DO YOU EVALUATE
THAT? BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE THERE
THAT THERE'S A REAL FEAR. I
THINK OF BUILDING BUILDING THE
LAST MILE TO KNOW OR YOU KNOW,
OR YOU HAVE TO FEARS OF ONE.
YOU'RE BUILDING MIDDLE MILE TO
NOWHERE, AND THERE'S NO LAST
MILE PROVIDER. SO YOU'RE BUYING
BROADBAND NOWHERE, AND YOU'RE
NOT SERVING ANYBODY WITH THOSE
DOLLARS. AND THEN THERE'S THE
OTHER FEAR OF THE LAST MILE. BUT
MAYBE THAT MIDDLE MILE NEVER
ACTUALLY GETS BUILT. MY RIGHT,
NEVER ACTUALLY GETS FUNDED. AND
SO HOW ARE YOU COORDINATING
THOSE TWO THINGS? THANK YOU FOR
YOUR QUESTION. THE MIDDLE MILE
COORDINATION. I THINK YOU DO YOU
RAISE A REALLY INTERESTING AND
IMPORTANT POINT, THE ULTIMATELY
WE HAVE TO DETERMINE AND THIS IS
PART OF THE BEAD PROCEEDING,
WHETHER YOU KNOW WHETHER AND HOW
WE REQUIRE USAGE OF THE
STATEWIDE MIDDLE MILE WITH
REGARD TO TIMING. SO WITHIN THE
LAST MILE GRANT APPLICATION, WE
HAVE WHAT WE CALL ESSENTIAL
MIDDLE MILE. SO IF YOU'RE
BUILDING A LAST MILE PROGRAM,
AND YOU DON'T HAVE A MIDDLE
MILE, THEN YOU HAVE ESSENTIALLY
AN ESSENTIAL MIDDLE MILE. PART
OF THAT COMPONENT THAT NEEDS TO
BE FUNDED. A LOT OF THIS IS
GOING BACK TO ONE OF THE
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES WHEN WE
PASSED SB 1 56 WAS THERE TO BE A
BROAD BANDS ARE AND THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO COORDINATE
THESE BROADBAND EFFORTS ACROSS
STATE GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? WHAT
WE'RE HEARING IS THERE'S
COORDINATION. THIS TIMING
THERE'S DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. AND
TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE, GIVING POLICY DIRECTION
ON THE, UH, ON THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DIGITAL
EQUITY PLAN AND BEAT. THANK YOU
FOR THE QUESTION CHAIR. UM I
WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING
AT THE DIRECTION OF THE
ADMINISTRATION, AND THIS
COORDINATION THAT WE'RE DOING IS
AT THEIR DIRECTION. SO DO WE
HAVE A BROAD BANDS ARE AND WE
JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT? I
WOULD HAVE TO LET THE
ADMINISTRATION SPEAK TO THAT.
CAN I JUST ASK YOU A FEW
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MATCHING
FUND REQUIREMENT? DOES THE CPC,
UH OTHER BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAMS
REQUIRE MATCHMAKING FUNDS. UM SO
THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO. UM BUT
IF THERE ARE POINTS AWARDED IN
CSF IF YOU HAVE MATCHING FUNDS,
BUT IT'S NOT REQUIRED. AND RIGHT
NOW IT'S A 25. FUNDING MATCH,
RIGHT, RIGHT, SO THE NOTICE OF
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR BEAD
REQUIRES A 25% MATCH. AND HAS
THE CPUC CONSIDERED USING
EXISTING STREAMS OF FUNDING,
SUCH AS CASA FUNDS TO HELP
APPLICANTS MEET THE 25% MATCH
REQUIREMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
QUESTION, SO THAT HAS NOT BEEN
DECIDED. YET. IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING. AND WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS TO
THIS? AND WHAT ARE THE
CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU ARE
FACTORING IN. I'M NOT SURE I
WOULD SAY THERE ARE BARRIERS.
IT'S MORE THAT THERE'S A LIVE
RULEMAKING AND THE COMMISSIONERS
WOULD HAVE TO BE PRESENTED WITH
A PROPOSAL THAT THEY CAN VOTE
ON. DO YOU THINK THAT THE 25
MINUTE REQUIREMENT IS GOING TO
BE A HURDLE FOR SOME APPLICANTS?
YES I DO THINK IT WOULD. IT
COULD BE A HURDLE. FIRST TIME
APPLICANTS? YES. MM HMM. ANY
CREATIVE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO DECREASE THAT
HURDLE SO THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THE WAY THAT
YOU GET EQUITY IS TO BE ABLE TO
REDUCE SOME OF THE BARRIERS AND
HURDLES? YES ABSOLUTELY. THANKS
FOR THE QUESTION. AND I THINK
YES, WE VERY MUCH WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES AS
FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE. BUT THAT'S
THE AND THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY
THAT WILL HAVE THROUGH THE
RULEMAKING. TO ALLOW OTHER
STREAMS OF FUNDS TO BE USED AS
THAT MATCHING FUND. MADAM
CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. UM SOME
MEMBER BONTA FOR THE LINE OF
THINKING QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE
PUT FORWARD. I'M WONDERING ON ON
THE TIME FRAME, RIGHT? UM HAVE
WE IDENTIFIED ANY OF THE
PROCESSES THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO
BE ACCELERATED? UH TO THE EXTENT
THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ROLL OUT SOME
OF THIS MONEY, AND WHEN I SAY
ACCELERATION, I'M NOT TALKING
ABOUT CUTTING ANY CORNERS, BUT
JUST SIMPLY LOOKING AT THE
TIMING AND THE OPPORTUNITY. TO
MOVE THIS MONEY A LOT QUICKER
OUT THE DOOR. ANY THOUGHTS ON
THAT? HAS THERE BEEN ANY
CONSIDERATION ALONG THE WAY ON
WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO
CONDENSE OUR TIMELINES TO BE
ABLE TO GET THIS MONEY OUT, SO
I'LL THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S I'LL START WITH
OUR WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN WITH
F F A OF FUNDS. AND THEN MAYBE
DIRECTOR OSBORNE. MAYBE THE TEAM
HAS HAD SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT, UM
, EXPEDITING FOR YOUR QUESTION.
SO UM, LATE JUNE EARLY JULY OUR
FIRST, UM, APPLICATION
MANAGEMENT PORTAL WILL OPEN.
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING
TUTORIALS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
, UM ABOUT AND LOCAL POSSIBLE
PROVIDERS ABOUT USING THE SYSTEM
AND THE TYPES OF MATERIALS
THEY'LL HAVE TO SUBMIT IN ORDER
TO APPLY. SO THAT WILL OPEN SO
BEGINNING IN JULY. UM
APPLICATIONS CAN START COMING IN
AND WE ANTICIPATE AS WE APPROVE
APPLICATIONS THAT F F A MONEY
WILL START TO GO OUT THE DOOR.
SO THERE IS AN INITIAL FLOW.
THAT'S UH, ON THE CUSP OF
BEGINNING AS FAR AS MOVING UP
TIMELINES AND GETTING OTHER
FUNDS OUT THE DOOR FASTER.
TURNED TO DIRECTOR OSBORNE. YES
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S GARCIA. THE, UM
THE CHALLENGE, I THINK COMES
WHEN WE HAVE APPLICATIONS
BECAUSE IT IS A COMPLICATED
PROCESS. AND SO I THINK THE
DEGREE TO WHICH WE CAN
FACILITATE APPLICATIONS AT THE
FRONT END. IT SAVES TIME DOWN
THE LINE WHEN WE'RE EVALUATING
APPLICATIONS AND HAVE TO GO BACK
AND ASK FOR MORE DATA OR MORE.
INFORMATION FROM THE APPLICANTS
. SO I THINK FRONT LOADING THE
APPLICATION PROCESS SAVES TIME
IN THE LONG RUN. BUT ARE THERE
ANY ANY TIMELINES THAT CPUC IS
SET? UM 30 DAY REVIEW THE 45 DAY
REVIEW AND I'M JUST POINTING OUT
DAYS NUMBERS THAT HYPOTHETICALLY
, BUT ARE THERE ANY OF THOSE
REVIEW TIMEFRAMES THAT MIGHT BE
ABLE TO BE SHORT? I APPRECIATE
THE QUESTION, LET'S WE'LL TAKE
THAT BACK ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S AND
CONSIDER IT AND GET BACK TO YOUR
OFFICE IF WE CAN. THANKS. AND I
THINK Tð ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
GARCIA'S POINT. ONE OF THE
CONCERNS THAT I THINK WE'VE, UH
YOU KNOW, SHARING THIS
COMMITTEE? AS AROUND. TIMELINES
ARE GETTING MONEY OUT. AND IF WE
LOOK OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS
CAST OF HIS ISSUED THINK IT'S
$113 MILLION. AND GRANTS FROM
100 AND $50 MILLION FUND. WE'RE
LOOKING AT ISSUING. ANOTHER 2
BILLION FF FE AND POTENTIALLY
OVER A BILLION AND BEAD. AND
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE INTRICACIES
OF WANTING TO GET IT RIGHT
VERSUS THE EXPEDITIOUS NATURE OF
NEEDING TO GET THE MONEY OUT THE
DOOR. I THINK THERE'S A CONCERN
WITH HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET
THESE APPLICATIONS THROUGH AND
WILL WE ACTUALLY END UP RUNNING
OUT OF TIME? RIGHT I THINK
THAT'S THAT'S NOT MEANT TO BE A
CRITIQUE. IT'S MEANT TO BE A
REAL CONCERN. LIKE I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN I CAME IN THIS
MORNING. I SAW ALL THE
CONSTRUCTION ARE WE THERE WAS A
BUNCH OF US CAME IN FROM SAN
DIEGO FROM THE AIRPORT
YESTERDAY. WE HAD ALL THIS
CONSTRUCTION TO SAN DIEGO AND I
MADE A COMMENT LIKE OH, MY
GOODNESS, WHEN ALL THE F A
FRIGHTENING GOES OUT, RIGHT, HOW
ARE WE EVER GOING TO GET TO WORK
RIGHT? AND THAT'S ONE OF THE
THINGS ABOUT STAGING THE MONEY.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT 130 MILLION
HAS BEEN ISSUED AND THE BILLIONS
THAT STILL NEED TO BE ISSUED.
THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT HOW DO
WE KIND OF SHORTEN THOSE
TIMELINES? HOW DO WE HAVE A AN
EQUITABLE AND INFORMED YET TYPE
PROCESS FOR GETTING THE MONEY
OUT THE DOOR BECAUSE WHAT WE
DON'T WANT IS IN THE LAST YEAR
WERE RUSHING TO DO THAT. AND WE
KNOW WHEN WE RUSH. WE TAKE
THINGS. THAT EXPEDITIOUS EQUITY
IS NEVER EXPEDITIOUS. EQUITY
NEEDS THAT THOUGHTFULNESS,
RIGHT? UM OTHERWISE, WE'RE JUST
GOING TO REDO THE ERRORS OF THE
PAST. SO THERE'S A BALANCE TO BE
REACHED. BUT ONE OF THE
CONCERNS, I THINK TO SOME,
REMEMBER GARCIA'S POINTS WOULD
BE TO LOOK AT WHAT PART OF THE
PROCESS CAN BE TRUNCATED. SO
WE'RE GETTING THE DOLLARS OUT
THE DOOR SOONER BECAUSE AN
APPLICANT DOESN'T KNOW IF
THEY'RE CASSIDY FF FE OR BEAT
RIGHT. SO IF WE'RE TAKING A LONG
TIME TO GET THE FAA FUNDING OUT
AND WE SAID, WELL, YOU CAN DO BE
LATER. RIGHT BECAUSE YOU'VE KIND
OF SAID YOU'VE STAGED IT RIGHT
AND THEM OUT. THE LONGER WE PUSH
OUT THE F F A, THE MORE THAT WE
HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BEAD BECAUSE
PEOPLE NEED TO GET THOSE DOLLARS
UP DOOR. WE NEED TO SEE HOW WE
DOING THIS. WE HAVE THE MIDDLE
MILE THAT NEEDS TO GET BUILT
BECAUSE THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE
THE BACKBONE, THEN YOU HAVE A
PROBLEM REACHING THIS EQUITABLE
AREAS, SO I THINK THAT'S AN
IMPORTANT UM, KIND OF THOUGHT TO
HAVE, UM, IN TERMS OF UM
ENSURING THAT WE HAVE WE'RE
GETTING THE DOLLARS OUTDOOR
BECAUSE 150 OR 113 MILLION
VERSUS BILLIONS. IT'S A IT'S A
LOT OF ZEROS, RIGHT? YOUR
COMMENT ON THAT ON HOW YOU'RE
THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW? I THINK
HAVING A TRANSPARENT PROCESS
THAT'S THOROUGH BUT ALSO
EXPEDITIOUS. I'LL RESPOND
BRIEFLY CHAIR. YOU WERE VERY
APTLY DESCRIBING THE EXACT
TENSION THAT WE, UM WE BELIEVE
IN THE SAME THING THOUGHTFUL YET
EXPEDITIOUS. CAREFUL YET.
EXPEDITIOUS SO, UM WE VERY MUCH
FEEL THE DESIRE TO GET THE FUNDS
OUT INTO THE WORLD TO BEGIN
WORKING IN THE WORLD. UM AND SO
WE'LL TAKE BACK THE QUESTION IN
THE COMMENT AND REALLY LOOK AT
OUR OWN PROCESS OF WHERE WE CAN
SHORTEN TIME FRAMES IN THE
COMING STAFF REVIEW OF
APPLICATIONS. THANK YOU FOR THE
POINT. THANK YOU FOLLOW UP
QUESTIONS TO THAT. SO IN 2022
THE CALENDAR YEAR. HOW MANY, UM
NEW APPLICATIONS OR AWARDS? UH
OR ANY NEW BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS DID THE
CPC, YOU WHAT. LET ME SEE IF
DIRECTOR OSBORNE HAS THAT DETAIL
AT ITS FINGERTIPS. YES SO THE
CALIFORNIA EVENTS SERVICES FUND
INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT ACCOUNT
RULES. WE UPDATED THOSE LAST
YEAR, SO WE DID NOT HAVE AN
AWARD. UM GRANT WINDOW DURING
THE CALENDAR YEAR. 2022 THE
AWARDS WE DID MAKE WERE VERY FEW
BECAUSE THEY WERE MAKE UP FROM
THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR. NO
NO. NO AWARDS IN 2022 NO NEW
AWARDS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A
NEW APPLICATION CYCLE. CORRECT.
SO IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME JUST
BASED ON PAST PRACTICE THAT IT'S
GOING TO TAKE YOU. IS THAT
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LULL YEAR
FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY
HAVE THE AWARDING OF EVEN MORE
DOLLARS. SO IF I CAN DISTINGUISH
BETWEEN THE CALIFORNIA ADVANCED
SERVICES FUND WHERE WE HAVE AND
ON WHAT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR
10 YEARS, WE HAVE ONGOING CYCLES
OF PROGRAM RULES, UPDATES AND
THEN GRANTS BEING MADE. SO I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY STATS
ABOUT APPLICATIONS THAT WE ATE
UP FOR CALIFORNIA ADVANCED
SERVICES, ONE THAT MIGHT COME IN
THIS CALENDAR YEAR. AND THEN
DISTINGUISH THAT FROM THE
FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT, WHICH
IS THE, UH, THE FUND GRANT
MANAGEMENT PORTAL THAT'S ABOUT
TO OPEN WHERE APPLICANTS WILL BE
AGAIN TO APPLY FOR THAT FEDERAL
AND STATE MONEY. ANY OTHER
UPDATES. YES ASSEMBLY, MARY
THINK YOU MENTIONED LOW AND
THERE WILL BE NO LULL THIS YEAR
BECAUSE WE'RE WE'VE DONE THE
RULE MAKINGS. SO CSF APPLICATION
WINDOW IS CLOSING THIS JUNE 1ST
SO APPLICATIONS COMING IN THIS
YEAR. FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT
RULES HAVE ALREADY BEEN CREATED
IN THE APPLICATION WINDOW WILL
BE OPENING AT THE END OF JUNE.
AND THEN BEAT WOULD BE NEXT YEAR
, SO THERE'S NO RULE MAKING
THAT'S HOLDING UP GRANT
APPLICATIONS. FEDERAL
GUIDELINES. PLACED ON OR
REQUIREMENTS PLACED ON CPUC TO
REVIEW APPLICATIONS IN A
PARTICULAR TIME FRAME OR IN A
TIMELY MANNER OR TO OPEN GREAT
GRAND CYCLES AT A PARTICULAR
SCHEDULE. UM NOT NO SPECIFIC.
DATES IN THE FEDERAL RULES.
WOULD IT BE HELPFUL IF THE
LEGISLATURE HELPFUL OR HURTFUL
IF THE LEGISLATURE CONTRIBUTED
TO SOME SET TIMELINES AND
SCHEDULES THAT MIGHT ENSURE AH!
MORE REGULAR CADENCE OF
APPLICATION REVIEW. THANKS FOR
THE FOR THE CREATION QUESTION.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S SO, UM WE'RE
DEFINITELY OPEN TO DIALOGUE AS
WE'RE HAVING TODAY. UM, SINCE WE
ARE ABOUT TO START REVIEWING AND
MAKING GRANT AWARDS FOR THE
FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNT, UM I
HOPE THAT WE SHOULD DEMONSTRATE
TO YOU THAT WE ARE GETTING THOSE
FUNDS OUT THE DOOR ON THIS SAME
THOUGHTFUL YET EXPEDITIOUS
TIMEFRAME. THANK YOU. I WOULD
SAY WE HAVEN'T YET OPENED THE
FAA FUNDING. YOU SAID. IT'S
ABOUT TO OPEN SO YOU'RE PROBABLY
NOT GONNA MAKE OR IS IT? I CAN'T
REMEMBER THE TIMELINE, BUT I
THINK WE'RE NOT. YOU'RE NOT
PLANNING TO MAKE AWARDS TO LATER
THIS YEAR, RIGHT? CORRECT? YES.
SO UM, I THINK YOU'RE HEARING
CONCERN FROM THE LEGISLATURE
AROUND TIMELINES, WHICH I THINK
WE HAVE EXPRESSED BEFORE. AND
ANOTHER CONCERN AROUND THE
TIMELINE IS IF LEGISLATION HAS
PASSED THIS SESSION THAT
PERTAINS TO BE WILL THERE BE
ENOUGH TIME TO INTEGRATE THE
LEGISLATION INTO YOUR ON GROWING
PROCEDURES, NOTABLY WITH A B? 27
49 OF 2022. THE GOVERNOR'S VETO
MESSAGE WAS THAT THERE WAS NOT
ENOUGH TIME TO IMPLEMENT THE
BILL WITHOUT CAUSING FURTHER
DELAY. BUT THAT WAS NEVER
EXPRESSED. IF THERE'S ENOUGH
TIME TO IMPLEMENT IF THERE'S NOT
ENOUGH TIME TO IMPLEMENT
LEGISLATION, HOW WOULD WE BEST
WORK TOGETHER WITH YOU ON BEAT
IMPLEMENTATION? BECAUSE I THINK
YOU'RE HEARING THAT, YOU KNOW, I
THINK WE SHARE ALL THE SAME
CONCERNS. SO IF THERE ISN'T
ENOUGH TIME TO WORK ON KIND OF
IMPROVING THE PROCESS FOR BEAD
VERSUS F F A HOW WE BEST WORK
TOGETHER. SO I'LL START WITH
JUST LOOKING AHEAD TO THE VERY
NEAR FUTURE. AS DIRECTOR OSBORNE
NOTED, WE ARE SUBMITTING OUR
FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN IN MID
AUGUST 2 NT I A FOR BEAD. SO, UM
. SO WHEN WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT? BECAUSE YOU SAID
THERE WAS A PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD? YES WHICH WILL BE IN
FRONT OF THAT BEFORE THAT. SO
LIKE ANY DAY NOW, WE'RE
EXPECTING A FIVE YEAR PLAN. NO
IT'LL BE IN JULY WON'T BE PRIOR
TO THAT. WHAT WAS THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD ON THE FIVE YEAR
PLAN 30 DAYS AHEAD OF WHEN WE
HAVE TO SUBMIT IT SO MID JULY
FOR A MID AUGUST THE MIDDLE SO
YOU'RE GONNA MAKE IT AVAILABLE
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THERE
WOULD BE NO PROCESS FOR CHANGING
IT BEFORE. SO WE'LL SEE IT. WE
CAN COMMENT ON IT. BUT IF YOU
ONLY HAVE 30 DAYS THEN WE CAN'T
CHANGE IT. WE'LL TAKE THE
COMMENT IN AND MAKE APPROPRIATE
CHANGES. YES. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS. MR HOLLANDE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HOLDING K¾T
TOPICS FOR JUST A MOMENT. UM, I
WANTED TO GET YOUR YOUR THOUGHTS
ON IN TERMS OF THE GEOGRAPHY AND
HOW AREAS ARE SELECTED. SO THE
FEDERAL GUIDELINES ARE FAIRLY
FLEXIBLE IN TERMS OF WHETHER
SOLICITING PROPOSALS FROM
APPLICANTS TO IDENTIFY AREAS ON
THEIR OWN OR THE STATE CAN BE
MORE PRESCRIPTIVE AND GIVING
DIRECTION ON WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
EXCUSE ME, OTHER AREAS THAT
SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED CENSUS
TRACTS BLOCKS ALL CITIES,
ETCETERA. UM THE CB èC HAVE AN
IDEA OF WHICH DIRECTION YOU
MIGHT BE LEANING IN TERMS OF HOW
THESE AREAS HAS. CLEARLY PART OF
THE MAJOR ISSUE IS AH, WITH THE
DONUT HOLE AND COMMUNITIES KIND
OF GETTING LEFT OUT. OTHERS
SEEMS LIKE AN IMPORTANT AREA TO
REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS
CLOSED. SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
THOUGHTS THAT YOU HAVE IN TERMS
OF LATITUDE TO THE PROPOSALS OR
TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHERE
YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THESE AREAS
IDENTIFIED. SO I'LL BEGIN AND
THEN I THINK, UH, DIRECTOR
OSBORNE WILL HAVE MORE TECHNICAL
DETAIL. ONE WAY WE'RE LOOKING TO
ACCOMPLISH THAT.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HOLDEN IS
THROUGH THE CRITERIA THAT WE'RE
SETTING OUT, UM, FOR THE GRANT
AWARDS, SO WE HAVE USED ARE THE
CRITERIA IN ORDER TO PRIORITIZE
UNSERVED AND LOW INCOME OR
DISADVANTAGED AREAS. AS A WAY OF
ATTEMPTING TO GET AT EXACTLY THE
AREAS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM AND THAT IS ALSO WHY THIS
EARLY WORK THAT WE'RE DOING
THROUGH THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
GRANTS I HOPE HAS BEEN HELPFUL
TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THOSE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS
BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO
LOOK AT THEIR COMMUNITIES AND
UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE DONUT
HOLES ARE UNDERSTAND WHERE THE
UNSERVED LOCATIONS ARE AND
PREPARED TO PROPOSE.
APPLICATIONS THAT PROVIDE
COVERAGE THERE. ANY MORE
TECHNICAL. YES SOMEBODY REMEMBER
HOLDEN, YOU MENTIONED SORT OF
THE APPLICATION. UM UNIT. I
THINK LOCATION VERSUS AREA OR
CENSUS BLOCK AND THAT IS ONE OF
THE AREAS OF INQUIRY WE HAVE IN
THE OPEN ROLL MAKING RIGHT NOW
ASKING FOR PARTIES TO COMMENT ON
AND I GUESS, UM. TO WHAT
DIRECTION THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
DO YOU THINK THE LEGISLATURE
COULD BE HELPFUL? OR IS THERE A
POINT IN TIME THAT YOU WOULD I
KNOW THE RULE MAKING PROCESSES
GOING A LIFE OF ITS OWN. BUT IS
THERE VALUE AT SOME POINT IN THE
PROCESS OF FINALIZING THE
DECISION. THAT THE LEGISLATURE
SHOULD LOOK TO WEIGH IN. IF
THERE'S THOUGHTS THAT WE MAY
HAVE ANY INITIAL TALK. I MEAN, I
I'M JUST WOULD ECHO WHAT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PETERSON SAID
ABOUT ONGOING DIALOGUE WITH
CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU. AND
JUST REAL QUICK. THE WHAT ARE
THE REQUIREMENTS OF OTHER
PROGRAMS AND MIGHT THE BEAD
RULES BE DIFFERENT? AND IF SO,
WHY? ALL IN ALL ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
HOLDING. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO
IS ENSURE THAT WE ARE CLOSING
ANY POTENTIAL GAPS. SO UM, THIS
GOES TO SEVERAL QUESTIONS BY THE
CHAIR AT THE WORKSHOPS. I HAVE
BEEN THINKING BACK DURING OUR
CONVERSATION AND REALLY HEARD
FROM LOCAL PARTICIPANTS ABOUT
KIND OF THREE MAJOR AREAS.
AFFORDABILITY OF SERVICE WAS A
HUGE ONE. EXISTENCE OF ACTUAL
INFRASTRUCTURE. SO THE FIBER
REACHING THE ACTUAL LOCATIONS
WHERE THERE IS NEED AND THEN
THIRD WAS, UM, A LOT OF ISSUES
AROUND EDUCATION ADOPTION HAVING
A DEVICE USING A DEVICE
UNDERSTANDING HOW IT CAN BE
USED. SO THOSE ARE NOW WE'RE
STILL MIDSTREAM ON THE PROCESS,
AND SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO HOW WILL
UM, RIGHT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN TO
COVER THOSE? BUT THOSE ARE THE
THREE MAJOR THEMES THAT HAVE
STOOD OUT TO ME FROM THE
WORKSHOPS THAT I HAVE ATTENDED.
AND SO MY INTENTION WOULD BE TO
MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIVE YEAR
STRATEGIC PLAN AND ALL THE OTHER
PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO RETURN TO
THE JIGSAW PUZZLE METAPHOR BUT
ARE REALLY PUTTING THE PIECES
TOGETHER TO COVER THOSE THREE
SIGNIFICANT AREAS THAT WE'RE
HEARING FROM. AND WE'RE HEARING
THIS FROM PERSONS WHO HAVE HAD
CONTACT WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
. WE'RE HEARING THIS FROM FOSTER
YOUTH AND SOCIAL WORKERS. WE'RE
HEARING THIS FROM PEOPLE WHO
WORK WITH SENIOR CITIZENS. JUST
TO GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES OF
THE COVERED POPULATIONS THAT
WERE WORKING WITH AT THESE
WORKSHOPS. AND SO THE AIM WOULD
BE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
PROGRAMS ALL DO FIT TOGETHER IN
ORDER TO COVER THOSE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF NEEDS THAT ARE BEING
EXPRESSED. OKAY I WOULD LIKE,
OH, DEAR, WON'T ONE FINAL
QUESTION. WE DO HAVE A SECOND
PANEL, TOO. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE
ONE FINAL QUESTION THAN WELCOME
. WRAP UP QUESTION. I JUST WANT
TO SAY A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN
AROUND FOR 10 YEARS PROBABLY
ALREADY HAS SOME EXISTING RULES
, SO THE FACT THAT IT TOOK A
YEAR TO UPDATE THOSE RULES
WITHOUT GRANTS BEING MADE DOES
CAUSE ME A LITTLE CONSTERNATION
. UM, I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER
FROM A BUREAUCRATIC STANDPOINT.
APPRECIATE THAT. IF YOU DON'T
MIND THE CRITICISM, AND THEN THE
OTHER THING IS DO YOU TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT ANY TECHNICAL ADVANCES
LIKE MICRO TRENCHING SUCH THAT
IT MAY AS WE GO THROUGH THIS
PROCESS, WHICH SEEMS TO TAKE A
LONG TIME IS THERE ARE YOU TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT THAT THINGS? IS IT
CHEAPER AS WE GO ALONG? DO YOU
WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT? YES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION WE
DO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES, AND THAT
REALLY SHOWS UP IN THE
APPLICATION ITSELF WHEN WE LOOK
AT THE COST PER MILE AND IF IT'S
COME DOWN BECAUSE OF BECAUSE
IT'S BECOME MORE EFFICIENT, THAT
DEFINITELY PLAYS A ROLE. GOOD.
THANK YOU. OKAY WITH THAT. I
WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR
TIME. I HOPE YOU REMAIN PRESENT
IN THE ROOM FOR THE NEXT PANEL
THROUGH AND THROUGH THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PORTION OF THE HEARING.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR SEATS,
WE CAN CALL UP PANEL TO HEAR
FROM STAKEHOLDERS WHOSE
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN CLOSELY
INVOLVED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE PROGRAM HERE IN
CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS THE NATION
OF THE FOLLOWING WITNESSES MAY
APPROACH THE DIETS. RYAN
JOHNSTON POLICY COUNCIL FOR NEXT
CENTURY CITIES, PATRICK, I'M
GONNA GET THIS WRONG. MEZAK
MESSICK. DIRECTOR OF OAKLAND AND
DIVIDED CALIFORNIA, UM ALLIANCE
FOR DIGITAL EQUITY. LEN FALLEN,
BE VICE PRESIDENT OF U. S
TELECOM BROADBAND ASSOCIATION.
AND CHEN JANUS NORMAN, PRESIDENT
OF CALIFORNIA BROADBAND AND
VIDEO ASSOCIATION. SORRY. SO
WE'RE JUST GOING TO GO FROM LEFT
TO RIGHT AROUND THE ROOM. AND
WHAT AGAIN MEMBERS WILL HOLD OUR
QUESTIONS TO THE END OF THE
PRESENTATION OF POSSIBLE AND
WITH THAT, PATRICK, YOU MAY
BEGINNING THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR
YOUR CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT ON THE
CRITICAL ISSUE OF CLOSING THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE. I AM PATRICK
MESIC, DIRECTOR OF OAKLAND AND
DIVIDED IN THAT ROLE. I LEAD AN
EQUITY BASED COLLECTIVE IMPACT
INITIATIVE TO CLOSE OAKLAND'S
DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR GOOD TODAY. I
AM ALSO REPRESENTING CADE, THE
CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR DIGITAL
EQUITY, A STATEWIDE COALITION WE
LEAD WITH PARTNERS, INCLUDING
OUR CRC NEXT GEN POLICY, COMMON
SENSE MEDIA MEDIA ALLIANCE, THE
CHILDREN'S PARTNERSHIP,
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
AND MICKELSON PHILANTHROPIES. I
SPEAK TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
CALIFORNIANS WHO REMAIN ON THE
WRONG SIDE OF THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE. LOW INCOME CALIFORNIANS
, IMMIGRANTS, PEOPLE OF COLOR
PEOPLE LIVING IN CITY CENTERS IN
RURAL COMMUNITIES AND EXURBS AND
SUBURBS ALIKE. I SPEAK FOR
CALIFORNIANS WHO LIVE IN
COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT HAVE SEEN DECADES OF
DIVESTMENT AND UNDER INVESTMENTS
FOR MANY DATING BACK TO THE
REDLINING MAPS OF THE 19
THIRTIES AND FORTIES THAT
DEPRIVE THEM OF CAPITAL
INVESTMENTS AND THEREBY ECONOMIC
, EDUCATIONAL AND CIVIC
OPPORTUNITIES. THE PERSISTENCE
OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS NO
ACCIDENT OF HISTORY. TODAY, THE
IN PATIENT CAPITAL OF PRIVATE
INDUSTRY, HOLDING $2 BILLION
QUARTERLY PROJECTION
CONSISTENTLY REPLICATES
HISTORICAL PATTERNS.
DISPROPORTIONATE INVESTMENT IN
HIGHER INCOME, PREDOMINANTLY
WHITE COMMUNITIES AND A RESOLUTE
AVOIDANCE OF SYSTEMIC SOLUTIONS
THAT MAY TRULY CHANGED THE
STATUS QUO. I YOU SEE BERKELEY
STUDY FOUND THAT THE MEDIAN
INCOMES WERE $41,000 HIGHER,
WHERE INTERNET COMPANIES CHOSE
TO BUILD FIBER IN CALIFORNIA.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF MANY
ANALYSES DOCUMENTING THAT
COMPANIES ROUTINELY ENGAGED IN
DIGITAL REDLINING, BYPASSING LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES WHEN THEY
BUILD OR UPGRADE INFRASTRUCTURE.
NOW FOR SOME GOOD NEWS. THIS IS
A GENERATIONAL MOMENT IN
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING
, AND IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
DISMANTLE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
BUT ONLY IF COMMON SENSE
PREVAILS. EAST AND WEST OAKLAND
36,000 HOUSEHOLDS ARE
DISCONNECTED, YOU'LL FIND THE
VAST MAJORITY WANT HOME INTERNET
BUT LACK ACCESS BECAUSE OF TWO
INEXTRICABLY LINKED FACTORS.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND
AFFORDABILITY. LET'S BEGIN WITH
THIS FOCUS SOLELY ON
INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHAT INDUSTRY
JARGON WOULD HAVE US CALL
UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED.
UNSERVED LOCATIONS. MANY CAN'T
ACCESS THE INTERNET BECAUSE OF
THERE'S NO INTERNET CONNECTION
IN THEIR HOME. THERE'S NO
TECHNICAL WAY TO CONNECT AT ANY
SPEED AT ANY PRICE. THIS IS A
PERVASIVE BARRIER IN LOW INCOME
COMMUNITIES, TRIBAL AND RURAL
COMMUNITIES ALIKE IN OAKLAND, A
STUDY CONDUCTED BY EDUCATION
SUPERHIGHWAY OF OVER 34,000
OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
STUDENT ADDRESSES FOUND THAT 7%
OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS HAD NO ACCESS
WHATSOEVER TO ANY WIRE LINE
INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT'S OVER 2000
HOUSEHOLDS, AND THIS IS A STUDY
ONLY ACCOUNTS FOR A FRACTION OF
OAKLAND'S OVERALL HOUSING STOCK.
UNDERSERVED LOCATIONS. COUNTLESS
OTHERS CAN'T ACCESS THE INTERNET
BECAUSE THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO
THEM ARE SUBSTANDARD. IT'S OLD
OR POORLY MAINTAINED TECHNOLOGY
THAT DOESN'T MEET MODERN NEEDS
ASSOCIATED WITH ACCESS TO
ESSENTIAL SERVICES LIKE
TELEHEALTH, REMOTE WORK ONLINE
LEARNING AND PUBLIC BENEFIT.
I'VE SURVEYED THE CABLING
CLOSETS AND EAST OAKLAND'S
LARGEST PUBLIC HOUSING
COMMUNITIES AND WITNESSED
FIRSTHAND ARCHAIC
TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
DEGRADED COPPER CABLING FROM THE
19 SEVENTIES ALLEGEDLY SERVING
ENTIRE COMMUNITIES. BOTH
UNSERVED LOCATIONS, THOSE
WITHOUT ANY INFRASTRUCTURE AND
UNDERSERVED LOCATIONS. THOSE
RELY ON LEGACY INFRASTRUCTURE
MUST BE SERVED BY BEAD.
FORTUNATELY THE CPUC HAS ALREADY
STARTED MAPPING THESE LOCATIONS
IN OAKLAND AND ACROSS THE STATE
ON THE RECENTLY UPDATED
BROADBAND STATE INTERACTIVE MAP.
BUT IF THIS MAP IS GOING TO HELP
DETERMINE WHICH COMMUNITIES GET
FUNDING AS HIS CURRENTLY
PROPOSED A LOT MORE RED DOTS
NEED TO BE ADDED TO THAT MAP.
OAKLAND CURRENTLY HAS HUNDREDS.
THERE SHOULD BE THOUSANDS. THE
STATE NEEDS TO IMPLEMENT A
CHALLENGE PROCESS THAT
IDENTIFIES ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS
AT SCALE BY USING COMMUNITY
COLLECTED DATA, SOMETIMES CALLED
CROWDSOURCED SOMETHING I'M
HOPING WE CAN GET INTO A LITTLE
MORE DETAIL HERE TODAY.
IMPORTANTLY SERVICE MAPS, EVEN
ACCURATE ONES WILL ONLY GET US
SO FAR. TRYING TO SOLVE THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE BY ALLOCATING
BEAT KASICH AND D E A DOLLARS
BASED SOLELY ON WHERE INCUMBENT
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS TELL
US THEY DO OR DON'T SERVE MAKES
ABOUT AS MUCH SENSE AS TRYING TO
TACKLE CHILD HUNGER BY ASKING
KENMORE AND G TO TELL US WHICH
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE A REFRIGERATOR.
THE EXISTENCE OF WIRING ALONE
DOESN'T GUARANTEE HOME INTERNET
SERVICE ANYMORE THAN THE
PRESENCE OF A FRIDGE FEEDS THE
HUNGRY CHILD YET THIS IS WHAT
WE'RE DOING NOW WE'RE BASING
CRITICAL DECISIONS ON AN
UNRELIABLE METRIC, WHICH IS
PROVIDED BY COMPANIES WITH A
PROFIT ANGLE ON ANY SOLUTION,
AND WE'RE ALLOCATING FUNDING FOR
A SOLUTION. THAT WILL NOT
DIRECTLY ADJUST THE CORE PROBLEM
WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. THE
CONVERSATION WITH BEAD CAN'T
START AND END WITH
INFRASTRUCTURE AFFORDABILITY IS
ESSENTIAL. THE SINGLE BEST
PREDICTOR OF WHETHER YOU HAVE
FAST RELIABLE INTERNET IS
WHETHER YOU CAN AFFORD IT. IN
SURVEY AFTER SURVEY THE LION'S
SHARE OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE
INTERNET AT HOME SAY IT'S
BECAUSE IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE. AND
WE ARE GOING TO COOP ON OUR WAY
OUT OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
FUNDING FOR THE AFFORDABLE
CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM WILL RUN
OUT IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF 2024.
FORTUNATELY BEAT INCLUDES A
MECHANISM TO ENSURE
AFFORDABILITY. FEDERAL
GUIDELINES WILL EMPOWER THE CPUC
TO SET UP PRICING STANDARD FOR
LOW COST PLANS, AND CALIFORNIA
SHOULD CONTINUE TO LEAD THE
NATION'S PROGRESSIVE PUSH BY
ESTABLISHING A BASELINE THAT
GUARANTEES ACCESS REGARDLESS OF
ZIP CODE. OFTENTIMES THE
CONVERSATION AROUND
INFRASTRUCTURE AND AFFORDABILITY
ARE SEPARATE. BUT WE HAVE TO
CHALLENGE THIS NOTION. WE CANNOT
HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE WITHOUT
AFFORDABILITY, AND WE CAN'T TALK
ABOUT AFFORDABILITY WITHOUT
INFRASTRUCTURE. THESE TWO
BARRIERS ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BROADBAND FOR
ALL IT IS AT THIS INTERSECTION
OF AFFORDABILITY AND
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE FIND THE
FINAL SOLUTION FOR AFFORDABILITY
THAT WILL DISCUSS TODAY
COMPETITIVE MARKETS. TODAY MORE
THAN TWO THIRDS OF CALIFORNIANS
HAVE ONE OR NO OPTIONS FOR HIGH
SPEED INTERNET ACCESS. THERE
HAVE BEEN MANY STUDIES WITHIN
THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS
DOCUMENTING THE IMPACT OF
MONOPOLISTIC MARKETS IN LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES. INDEPENDENT
JOURNALISTS, NONPROFITS AT
UNIVERSITIES ARRIVE AT THE SAME
FINDINGS TIME AND AGAIN, THE
LOWEST INCOME COMMUNITIES WERE
STUCK WITH THE WORST DEALS
HIGHER PRICES FOR THE SAME
SPEEDS AS THEIR WEALTHIER
NEIGHBORS. IMPORTANTLY, IN AREAS
WITH COMPETITION BETWEEN
PROVIDERS ADVERTISED SPEEDS WERE
MORE AFFORDABLE. THE LINK
BETWEEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND
AFFORDABILITY IS CLEAR.
MONOPOLISTIC MARKETS IN LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES MAKE THE
INTERNET UNAFFORDABLE AND
INACCESSIBLE TO HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF CALIFORNIANS BEADS
IS OUR BEST CHANCE TO REVERSE
DIGITAL REDLINING. TO CONNECT
ALL CALIFORNIANS. WE MUST BUILD
OPEN ACCESS, AFFORDABLE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT FOSTERS
COMPETITION AND SPURS INNOVATION
IN MARCH IN NEIGHBORHOODS
BEARING THE BRUNT OF THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE. UP UNTIL RECENTLY, THE
LIMITED INDUSTRY FOR THE LIMITED
INDUSTRY PROVIDED SELF REPORTED
DATA HAS GENERALLY SHAPED OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE. HOWEVER THE DATA
PRESENTED IN THIS TESTIMONY FROM
RELIABLE THIRD PARTY SOURCES
SHOWCASES THE ON THE GROUND
REALITY. WHILE MANY AN INDUSTRY
MAY ATTEMPT TO LABEL ANY BEAT
INVESTMENT IN AN AREA THEY
PURPORT TO SERVE AN OVERBUILD
AND WASTE OF PUBLIC DOLLARS,
MOUNTAINS OF RESEARCH AND
IMPORTANTLY, COMMON SENSE SHOWS
THAT INVESTING IN THE LOWEST
INCOME LEAST CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES WITH A CLEARER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE LINK
BETWEEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND
AFFORDABILITY IS THE ONLY VIABLE
PATH. TOWARDS UNIVERSAL
EQUITABLE ACCESS. THIS TIME WILL
BE DIFFERENT. BEADS ONCE IN A
GENERATION INVESTMENT OF OVER A
BILLION DOLLARS, WHICH TOOK A
GLOBAL PANDEMIC TO UNLOCK HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO CLOSE THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR DECADES TO
COME. AND OAKLAND AND DIVIDED
AND THAT CADE, WE ARE READY TO
BE A RESOURCE 10 SECONDS, A
BRIDGE BETWEEN THE HALLOWED
HALLS AND THE COMMUNITIES WITH
THEM WITH MOST AT STAKE IN THE
DECISIONS YOU MAKE, AND A
PARTNER IN CHARTING A PATH THAT
FINALLY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
DELIVERS ON THE PROMISE OF
BROADBAND FOR ALL. THANK YOU. I
SHOULD HAVE SAID. I THINK WE
HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR EACH OF
YOU. SO THANK YOU. CHAIRWOMAN
BURNER AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TESTIFY TODAY. MY NAME IS LYNN
FOLLANSBEE. AND I'M THE VICE
PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPS
THAT U. S TELECOM, A NATIONAL
TRADE EXCEPT ASSOCIATION
REPRESENTING NETWORK PROVIDERS,
TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATORS AND
SUPPLIERS COMMITTED TO
CONNECTING THE WORLD THROUGH THE
POWER OF BROADBAND. OUR DIVERSE
MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES A RANGE OF
THE LARGEST TO THE SMALLEST
LOCAL PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE
URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES OF
CALIFORNIA. AS A COLLECTION OF
THE LEADING BROADBAND PROVIDERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. US TELECOM
ARE EXPERTS IN THE AREA
BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT AND HAVE
CREATED A COLLECTION OF KEY BEST
PRACTICES THAT WILL ENSURE
SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
BEAD PROGRAM. AND I'D LIKE TO
SHARE SOME OF THOSE WITH YOU
TODAY. FIRST EXPERIENCE MATTERS.
THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO
DEPLOY HIGH QUALITY BROADBAND AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO THOSE WHO
NEED IT. SO STATE LEADERS SHOULD
INSIST UPON PARTNERING WITH
THOSE PROVIDERS WHO HAVE A
PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS.
BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT OF SECURE
NETWORKS IS VERY DIFFICULT AND
CAPITAL INTENSIVE WORK, BUT EVEN
MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS NOT A
SET IT AND FORGET IT.
TECHNOLOGICAL ENDEAVOR. IN THE
LAST FIVE YEARS ALONE, US
TELECOM MEMBERS IN CALIFORNIA
HAVE INVESTED MORE THAN 15.6
BILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE LAID
10 MILLION FIBER MILES, CREATING
A MORE DYNAMIC AND HIGHLY
COMPETITIVE MARKET. SINCE 2015
DOWNLOAD SPEEDS FOR THE MOST
POPULAR TIER OF SERVICE
INCREASED NEARLY 100 AND 30%
WHILE PRICES DROPPED BY OVER 52.
FROM 2021 TO 2022. THE PRICE OF
THE MOST POPULAR BROADBAND SPEED
TEAR FELL BY 14.7% COMPARED TO
THE COST OF OVERALL GOODS AND
SERVICES, WHICH ROSE BY EIGHT.
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PATH FORWARD
TO EXPAND BROADBAND NETWORKS
THAT ALLOWS GOVERNMENTS AT ALL
LEVELS TO HAVE INPUT WHILE ALSO
ALLOWING ROBUST PARTICIPATION BY
PRIVATE PROVIDERS IS THE PUBLIC
PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL. THIS
WILL ALLOW BROADBAND DEPLOYMENTS
TO KEEP UP WITH THE PACE OF
TECHNOLOGY. FREQUENT NETWORK
NETWORK UPGRADES, ENSURE
CYBERSECURITY PROTECTIONS AND
ENSURE THAT WE DO NOT GAMBLE
WITH THIS ONCE IN A GENERATION
OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE BEFORE US
TODAY. HOLISTIC AND SCALED
BUILDS. WHILE THE INFRASTRUCTURE
ACT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT
UNSERVED CONSUMERS ARE THE
PRIORITY, IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR THE
FUNDING OF UNDERSERVED AREAS.
THOSE WITHOUT ACCESS TO SERVICE
AT SPEEDS OF 100/20 MEGABITS PER
SECOND. AS SUCH, CALIFORNIA
SHOULD SELECT PROPOSALS FOR
HOLISTIC SCALE BUILDS, BUILDS
THAT COVER THE WIDEST SWATH OF
UNDERSERVED AND UNSERVED
LOCATIONS AS POSSIBLE,
LEVERAGING PROVIDERS WHO CAN
PROVE POST CONSTRUCTION
STABILITY AND MAXIMIZE
EFFICIENCY. THIS WILL MAKE THE
BEST USE OF FUNDS AS IT WILL BE
LESS EXPENSIVE FOR PROVIDER TO
REACH BOTH UNSERVED AND
UNDERSERVED LOCATIONS IN A
SINGLE BUILD. FUNDING PROPOSALS
FOR EXCLUSIVELY UNSERVED
LOCATIONS IN ISOLATION. WE'LL
REVOTE REAL WILL RESULT IN
FRAGMENTED SWISS CHEESE COVERAGE
, WHICH IS ECONOMICALLY
INEFFICIENT AND CREATES AN
UNSUSTAINABLE OUTCOME.
FURTHERMORE CALIFORNIA SHOULD
NOT IMPLEMENT CAPS ON THE AMOUNT
OF FUNDING FOR ANYONE PROJECT.
WHILE THIS CONCEPT MAY SEEM LIKE
THE WAY TO ENSURE THAT THE BEAT
ALLOCATION GIVEN TO THE STATE
STRETCHES AS FAR AS IT CAN THIS
CONCEPT IS A REMNANT OF PREVIOUS
STATE BROADBAND FUNDING EFFORTS
THAT MANAGE MUCH SMALLER
BUDGETS. FOLLOWING THAT
STRUCTURE HERE WILL WORK TO
RESTRAIN RATHER THAN LEVERAGE
ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND HELPED TO
DRIVE DEPLOYMENT EFFICIENCIES,
AND IT IS SIMPLY COUNTER TO THE
ENTIRE PURPOSE OF BEAD. SET YOUR
COMMUNITY UP FOR SUCCESS.
CALIFORNIA AND ITS COMMUNITY
SHOULD ALSO ENSURE THAT THEIR
RIGHTS OF WAY IN PERMITTING
PROCESSES ARE STREAMLINED AS
POSSIBLE. THIS INCLUDES
COORDINATION WITH OTHER BRANCHES
OF GOVERNMENT AND EASEMENT
HOLDERS LIKE RAILROADS. WHEREAS
SOME STATES LIKE COLORADO HAVE
IMPLEMENTED A BROADBAND READY
PROGRAM, WHICH INCENTIVIZES SUCH
STREAMLINING CALTRANS CONTINUES
TO INCREASE PERMITTING
REQUIREMENTS AND COSTS AND HAS
FAILED TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER
MICRO TRENCHING AS A VIABLE
OPTION. AVAILABLE, AFFORDABLE
BROADBAND FOR ALL. AFFORDABILITY
IS THE KEY COMPONENT OF THE
UNIVERSAL OF UNIVERSAL
CONNECTIVITY AND IS REQUIRED AS
PART OF THE STATE'S BEAD PROGRAM
DESIGN. FORTUNATELY THE
INFRASTRUCTURE ACT HAS
ESTABLISHED THE CPI, WHICH GIVES
A DISCOUNT OF UP TO 30 PER MONTH
TO HELP QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLDS GET
AND STAY CONNECTED TO THE LIFE
CHANGING POSSIBILITY OF
BROADBAND, NEARLY $18 MILLION.18
MILLION LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
HAVE ALREADY PARTICIPATED IN
BEAD AND US TELECOM CONTINUES TO
GO ON CAPITOL HILL. URGING THE
CONTINUATION OF THIS CRITICAL
PROGRAM. CALIFORNIA SHOULD
REQUIRE BROADBAND GRANT GRANT
APPLICANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
A C P OR REQUIRE APPLICANTS TO
COMMIT TO AFFORDABILITY
REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE CONSISTENT
WITH FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS AND
THOSE OF ALREADY EXISTING
SIMILAR PROGRAMS. ANY
METHODOLOGY, WHICH WOULD SEEK TO
SET RATES WOULD BE CONSIDERED
RIGHT REGULATION, WHICH IS NOT
ONLY IMPERMISSIBLE UNDER THE
INFRASTRUCTURE ACT BUT WOULD
ALSO MOST CERTAINLY DETER
PROVIDER PARTICIPATION.
ADDITIONALLY TO IMPLEMENT THE
INEFFECTIVE BEAD PROGRAM, THE
CPUC MUST STEER CLEAR OF
REPLICATING SOME OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE HURDLES THAT HAVE
BOGGED DOWN THE CSF.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CSF HAS
BEEN KNOWN TO PLACE UNNECESSARY
AND COSTLY REQUIREMENTS ON
PROVIDERS. IN ONE INSTANCE, A
PROVIDER WAS REQUIRED TO TAKE ON
THE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE EFFORT
OF BORING FIBER IN A VERY REMOTE
AREA SO AS NOT TO DISTURB ANIMAL
NESTING POTENTIALS AND FLOWERING
AREAS WHEN ULTIMATELY CALTRANS
SUBSEQUENTLY CAME ALONG AND
GRADED THE ENTIRE AREA. THIS
LACK OF INTERAGENCY COORDINATION
IS COSTLY. IT'S THESE SORTS OF
MEASURES WHICH MAKE THE PROGRAM
UNAPPEALING TO SMALL LOCAL
PROVIDERS AND TAKES FUNDING AWAY
FROM CONNECTING THE END USER.
THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR THE
LEGISLATURE, AND THE CPUC SHOULD
BE IMPLEMENTING THE USE OF THE
EXISTING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
ACT AND CAPITAL FUND DOLLARS AND
THE FORTHCOMING BEAD FUNDS
WITHOUT DELAY 10 SECONDS.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE MANY OTHER
STAGES HAVE ALREADY AWARDED
THESE FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND TO
LAST MILE PROJECTS. MEANWHILE
THE 2 BILLION ALLOCATED FOR
CALIFORNIA'S LAST MILE PROJECTS
REMAINS UNCOMMITTED IN SITTING
IN THE F F A THANK YOU FOR
HOLDING THIS INFORMATIONAL
HEARING TODAY AND FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME
THOUGHTS WITH YOU. US TELECOM
AND OUR MEMBERS STAND READY TO
WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE AND
STATE AND THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TO CONNECT ALL
COMMUNITIES ONCE AND FOR ALL,
AND CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
THANK YOU. CHAIRWOMAN BURNER AND
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS RYAN
JOHNSTON, SENIOR POLICY COUNSEL
FOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS WITH NEXT
CENTURY CITIES. THANK YOU FOR
INVITING NCC TO BE A THOUGHT
PARTNER ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE
. WE ARE A NON PROFIT, NON
PARTISAN ORGANIZATION BORN OF
THE NEED TO ELEVATE COMMUNITY
LEVEL PERSPECTIVES INTO
BROADBAND POLICY MAKING AT EVERY
LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION
IS MADE UP OF 200 MEMBERS ACROSS
40 STATES, INCLUDING 32 HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. OVER THE LAST FOUR
YEARS, CALIFORNIANS HAVE LEARNED
THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT
AFFORDABLE HIGH SPEED INTERNET
PLAYS IN COMPLETING TASKS
ACCESSING THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES
THAT WE OFTEN TAKE FOR GRANTED.
EDUCATION HEALTH CARE, PUBLIC
SAFETY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
STAYING CONNECTED TO FRIENDS AND
FAMILY ARE NOW DIRECTLY RELATED
TO WHETHER A RESIDENT HAS AN
AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE BROADBAND
CONNECTION AND THE SKILLS TO
UTILIZE IT. IN CALIFORNIA.
APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE
POPULATION DOES NOT HAVE
RELIABLE BROADBAND ACCESS. THAT
MEANS THAT OVER 2 MILLION
INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS
CANNOT SEARCH FOR JOBS UTILIZED,
TELEHEALTH WORK, LEARN OR GET
EMERGENCY INFORMATION FROM HOME.
THE BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS AND
DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE
AN UNPRECEDENTED FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY TO CALIFORNIA IT'S
COMMUNITIES TO HELP CLOSE THEIR
DIGITAL DIVIDES. CALIFORNIA
SHARE OF THE $42 BILLION IN
FEDERAL FUNDING WILL INJECT
ALMOST $1 BILLION INTO
INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT AND
DIGITAL EQUITY INCLUSION PROGRAM
STATEWIDE. FOR THE BEAT PROGRAM
TO REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL. THE
ASSEMBLY AND THE CPUC MUST WORK
IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH
MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE
. HISTORICALLY, MUNICIPALITIES
HAVE HAD TO ADDRESS, DEPLOYMENT
, ADOPTION AND INCLUSION EFFORTS
ALONE, WHICH MAKES THEM KEY
PARTNERS NOW. FOR EXAMPLE, THE
CITY OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
WAS WORKING CLOSE TO CLOSE ITS
DIGITAL DIVIDE LONG BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC STRUCK IN 2017 WITH THE
SUPPORT OF THE LONG BEACH
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, LONG BEACH
MEDIA COLLABORATIVE WAS FORMED
TO HELP UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S
DIGITAL DIVIDE. THE RESEARCH
FOUND THAT THE CITY'S
DISPARITIES IN BROADBAND
INTERNET ACCESS CORRELATED WITH
RACE ALMOST ONE IN FIVE LATIN
AMERICAN HISPANIC, BLACK OR
AFRICAN AMERICAN RESIDENTS DID
NOT HAVE A BROADBAND CONNECTION
AT HOME. TO COMBAT THIS CITY
DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED A
CITYWIDE FIBER OPTIC NETWORK
THAT CONNECTED CITY FACILITIES
DELIVERED A FIBER BACKBONE
WITHIN TWO MILES OF ANY LOCATION
IN THE CITY, INCREASING
BROADBAND FOR BOTH PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE USE. THE CITY ALSO
LAUNCHED A DIGITAL INCLUSION
INITIATIVE THAT HELPED WORKSHOPS
AND POP UPS TO BETTER
UNDERSTANDS RESIDENCES LIVED
EXPERIENCES SO THAT THEY MAY
FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS CONTRIBUTING
TO THE CITY'S DIGITAL DIVIDE.
FIVE YEARS LATER, ALMOST 90% OF
THE CITY HAS BROADBAND
SUBSCRIPTION AND 96% OF
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE A COMPUTER.
HOWEVER THE PROGRAM IS NOT JUST
FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF NETWORK
INFRASTRUCTURE. IT HOLDS EQUITY
AND ADOPTION AMONGST ITS CENTRAL
TENANTS AND DETERMINING HOW
STATE AND EQUITY PLANS SHOULD BE
CONSTRUCTED OR HOW BIG
APPLICATIONS COULD WEAVE IN
EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS. BOTH THE
ASSEMBLY AND THE CPUC SHOULD
LOOK INWARDS TO THE CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LEADING THE
CHARGE ON THESE ISSUES. VISTA IS
A NATIONAL LEADER IN CIVIC
INNOVATION. IN JUNE OF 2020, THE
CITY RELEASED ITS DIGITAL EQUITY
AND INCLUSION PLAN VISTAS PLAN
TOOK A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO
DIGITAL EQUITY, NOT ONLY LOOKING
AT WHO WAS IMPACTED BY THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE, BUT EXPLORING
THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT
PROLONGED DISCONNECTEDNESS. THE
CITY LEARNED THAT THE COMMON
DRIVERS OF ITS DIGITAL DIVIDE OR
AFFORDABILITY, ACCESS TO DEVICES
AND THE NEED FOR DIGITAL
LITERACY SKILLS. THE REPORT
RECOMMENDED NUMEROUS WAYS IN
WHICH DATA COULD BE CONTINUED TO
BE COLLECTED. CITY RESOURCES
COULD BE LEVERAGED TO LEAD
OUTREACH IN DIGITAL LITERACY,
EDUCATION EFFORTS AND HOW TO
CONNECT EQUIPMENT TRAIN THE
COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION TO THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS, THE REPORT ALSO
SUGGESTED POTENTIAL METRICS THE
CITY COULD USE TO GAUGE SUCCESS.
INCLUDING PERCENTAGE OF
CONNECTED ADULTS, THE COST OF
INTERNET ACCESS DEVICE OWNERSHIP
PERCENTAGES AND THE NUMBER OF
MONTHLY DIGITAL LITERACY COURSES
PROVIDED AMONG THE CITY AMONGST
MANY OTHERS. LOCAL LEADERS
DIDN'T JUST STOP THERE. JUST
LAST MONTH, THE CITY BEGAN
HOSTING A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
TO INFORM A NEW JUSTICE, EQUITY
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM
WITH DEDICATED PARTNERS LIKE
CHULA VISTA. THE STATE AND CPUC
CAN LEARN WHAT TYPES OF DATA
COLLECTIONS HAVE WORKED AND HOW
TO PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN MANY
OF THE DIGITAL EQUITY
INITIATIVES. THE BEAT PROGRAM IS
DESIGNED TO HELP CREATE FINALLY
, COMMUNITIES ARE NATURAL
PROBLEM SOLVERS. THE CITY OF
GONZALES REALIZED THAT
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
APPLICATIONS, EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER
MUNICIPAL BENEFITS WERE
MIGRATING ONLINE, AND THAT MANY
OF THE CITY'S 10,000 RESIDENTS
WILL BE UNABLE TO ACCESS THEM.
AS A RESULT, AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE PANDEMIC, THE CITY DEPLOYED
OVER 2000 WIFI HOTSPOTS TO KEEP
ITS RESIDENTS CONNECTED TO
CRITICAL SERVICES. SIMILARLY IN
SAN RAFAEL. WHEN 39% OF CANAL
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS DIDN'T
HAVE ACCESS TO BROADBAND AND
HOME AND 57% OF RESIDENTS DIDN'T
OWN A CONNECTED DEVICE. LOCAL
LEADERS RECOGNIZED BROADBAND
ACCESS IS A BRIDGE TO GOVERNMENT
SERVICES AND OTHER BENEFITS SUCH
AS EDUCATION. THEY UNDERSTOOD
THAT RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE
SERVICE WOULD ENABLE RESIDENTS
TO ACCESS EMERGENCY INFORMATION
DURING POWER OUTAGES, ESPECIALLY
WHEN TELEVISION OR RADIOS
WEREN'T WORKING OR CELL TOWERS
WERE DOWN. IN CONCLUSION. LOCAL
PERSPECTIVES MAKE STATE POLICY.
MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNITIES
CONTINUALLY FIND WAYS TO FILL IN
BROAD BAND GAPS, PARTICULARLY IN
AREAS WITH LOW ECONOMIC RETURNS
. STATE OFFICIALS SHOULD TAKE
THE BEADS REQUIREMENTS TO WORK
WITH COMMUNITIES SERIOUSLY.
DOING SO WOULD HELP THIS BODY
AND THE CPUC DEVELOP A STATE
GRANT PROGRAM THAT GENERATES NEW
OR BUILD ONTO EXISTING BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE. I THANK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR TIME, AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, UM
JANUS NORMAN ON BEHALF OF CAL
BROADBAND, THE CALIFORNIA
BROADBAND AND VIDEO ASSOCIATION
, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE HEARING AND SHARE WITH YOU
THOUGHT THOUGHTS OF OUR
MEMBERSHIP. UM CAL BROADBAND'S
MEMBERS AND AGAIN WE ARE THE
CABLE BROADBAND PROVIDERS WITHIN
CALIFORNIA HAVE COLLECTIVELY
INVESTED MORE THAN 45 BILLION.
IN CALIFORNIA'S BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THE LAST TWO
DECADES AND THANKS IN LARGE PART
TO THOSE INVESTMENTS MORE THAN
96% OF CALIFORNIA HOUSEHOLDS
HAVE ACCESS TO FIX BROUGHT FIXED
BROADBAND FOR AT LEAST 100
MEGABYTES DOWNLOAD IN 20
MEGABYTES PER SECOND UPLOAD
SPEEDS. THE BEAD PROGRAM
REPRESENTS A TREMENDOUS
OPPORTUNITY TO ACCELERATE
CALIFORNIA'S EFFORTS TO BRING
HIGH SPEED BROADBAND TO THE
REMAINING UNSERVED AND
UNDERSERVED AREAS OF THE STATE.
IF IMPLEMENTED EFFECTIVELY AND
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE
SECTOR AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH
THE EXISTING STATE, UM, LAST
MILE PROJECT LAST MILE PROJECT
GRANT PROGRAMS. THE B FUNDING
AND ITS SHARE. CALIFORNIA SHARE
THE $42 BILLION REPRESENTS AN
AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE THE
EXISTING BROADBAND AVAILABILITY
GAP HERE IN CALIFORNIA. HOWEVER
WHEN WE RECOGNIZE THE HISTORIC
NATURE OF THIS BEAT INVESTMENT,
WE ALSO HAVE TO BE REALISTIC
THAT THE AVAILABLE FUNDING IS
SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH TO CONNECT ALL
UNSERVED HOUSEHOLDS, ESPECIALLY
THOSE IN LESS DENSE AND HARDER
TO REACH RURAL AREAS, SO IT'S
VITAL THAT B AND OTHER BROADBAND
GRANT PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO MAKE
A PRIMARY FOCUS OF GETTING
SERVICE TO THE UNSERVED.
UNSERVED HOUSEHOLDS AND THAT THE
STATE DOES SO IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH INCUMBENT PROVIDERS WHO ARE
ABLE TO PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS
SO THAT WE MAXIMIZE THE
AVAILABILITY OF STATE RESOURCES
. EVERY DOLLAR FROM A BROADBAND
GRANT PROGRAM THAT GOES TO AN
ALREADY SERVED AREA WILL
DIRECTLY PREVENT CLOSING. UM THE
VAST MAJORITY OF THE BROADBAND
AVAILABILITY GAP WE LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATURE
AND THE PUC TO IMPLEMENT A
BROADBAND BEAD PROGRAM THAT HAS
FAIR AND REASONABLE RULES THAT
LEVERAGE PUBLIC MONEY AND HELP
CALIFORNIA, CALIFORNIA SHARE OF
FEDERAL FUNDS GO FURTHER TO
ACHIEVING 100% HIGH SPEED
BROADBAND ACCESS. LET'S JUST
LOOK AT SOME OF THE NUMBERS AND
WHY WE BELIEVE CONNECTING
UNSERVED HOUSEHOLDS HAS TO BE
THE PARAMOUNT PRIORITY. WHEN WE
LOOK AT THE BUCS BROADBAND
INVESTMENT MODEL IT LISTS OR IT
STATES THAT THERE ARE
APPROXIMATELY 177,200. UNSERVED
LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. WE WILL
ALSO KNOW THAT THAT NUMBER HAS
BEEN UPDATED ON THE LATEST
CASSELL'S REPORT, WHICH WOULD
LIST THAT NUMBER AT AROUND
905,860. UNSERVED HOUSEHOLDS.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UM, CLOSING
THE AVAILABILITY GAP BEING HYPER
FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THESE
UNSERVED AREAS IS KEY TO MAKING
SURE THAT THAT AVAILABILITY BAP
, WHICH IS A KEY COMPONENT TO
ENSURING, UM CALIFORNIA CAN THEN
UTILIZES RESOURCES TO ADDRESS
THE AFFORDABILITY GAP. IS
ACTUALLY PARAMOUNT. THREE STEPS
TO ELIMINATING THAT AVAILABILITY
CAP. UM FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE
COMMISSION SHOULD FOCUS ON A
SELECTION CRITERIA. THAT ARE
MANDATED BY THE NO FOE AND THAT
WILL EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY
ADVANCE THE GOALS OF THE BEAD
PROGRAM, INCLUDING
PRIORITIZATION OF UNSERVED AND
UNDERSERVED AREAS REQUIRING
MATCHING FUND CONTRIBUTIONS,
THEN MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF
PUBLIC FUNDING AND PROMOTING
BROAD PARTICIPATION AND ROBUST
COMPETITION FOR SUB GRANTS. A
SUCCESSFUL BEAD PROGRAM IN
CALIFORNIA SHOULD ENCOURAGE
ROBUST PARTICIPATION BY
EXPERIENCE PROVIDERS WITH TRACK
RECORDS OF DEPLOYMENT AND
INNOVATING BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE BY INCLUDING THE
FOLLOWING THINGS NUMBER ONE,
AFFORDING THE HIGHEST PRIORITY
OF PROPOSED PROJECTS, UM,
CONSISTING ENTIRELY OF UNSERVED
LOCATIONS. Tð AFFORDING
ADDITIONAL WEIGHT TO
APPLICATIONS THAT PROPOSED
CONNECTING A GREATER NUMBER OF
UNSERVED LOCATIONS RATHER THAN
UNSERVED LOCATIONS AND THREE
AFFORDING GREATER PRIORITY TO
PROPOSALS BY APPLICANTS THAT
PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS IN ORDER
TO MAXIMIZE AND MULTIPLY THE
IMPACT OF AVAILABLE BE FUNDING.
AGAIN WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, THE
OPPORTUNITY THAT THE BEAD
PROGRAM REPRESENTS. IT GIVES US
THE CHANCE TO CLOSE THE
AVAILABILITY GAP AND RECOGNIZING
THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY EXISTS,
PARTNERING WITH THOSE
INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL MATCHING RESOURCES.
TO GET US TO, UM, THE 6.3
BILLION THAT IS ESTIMATED IN
NEED OR ACTUALLY HIGHER. IF YOU
INCLUDE THE FIRING HARDENING IS
PARAMOUNT. UM I LOOK FORWARD TO
ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE. SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR
PRESENTATIONS. UM DO ANY MEMBERS
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I
BEGIN MY QUESTIONS? YES, I
REMEMBER HOOVER. THANK YOU SEE
HERE? SO JUST KIND OF MORE
GENERALLY, UM MORE GENERAL
QUESTION FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS
TO ANSWER IT. UM, CALIFORNIA
OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING
DELAYS. IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF
AMERICAN RECOVERY PLANS.
BROADBAND FUNDING SO, WITH THAT
IN MIND, WHAT IS THE HOW SHOULD
THE STATE OR WHAT WOULD BE THE
BEST WAY FOR US? UH THE STATE TO
ENSURE THAT THE BEAD FUNDS DO
NOT EXPERIENCE THE SAME
CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN
OTHER OTHER PROGRAMS. I'M HAPPY
TO TAKE A STAB AT THAT. THANK
YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HOOVER UM YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT AS UM MY
COLLEAGUE HERE NOTED THE NO FOE
HAS SET OUT. UH YOU KNOW
REQUIREMENTS FOR WHAT'S SUPPOSED
TO BE PART OF THE BEAT PROGRAM.
THEY ALSO INTO AREAS ALSO ISSUED
A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF
GUIDANCE AND IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING. THEY CONTINUED TO
DO SO. I THINK, IN ADDITION TO
THAT THE N T A HAS ACTUALLY
PROVIDED EACH STATING IN
CALIFORNIA'S CASE TO FEDERAL
PROGRAM OFFICERS THAT ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE THE BRIDGE
BETWEEN THE AGENCY IMPLEMENTING
THE PROGRAM IN THE STATE AND N
T. I A AND SO I THINK THAT
CALIFORNIA SHOULD MAKE THE MOST
OF THAT OPPORTUNITY AND REALLY
SORT OF STICK BY WHAT'S REQUIRED
AS IN THE NO PHONE WHAT'S
REQUIRED IN THE GUIDANCE AND
ALSO, HONESTLY LOOK AT OTHER
STATES. THERE ARE OTHER STATES
WHO ARE FURTHER AHEAD IN SOME OF
THE PROCESSES AND YOU KNOW
THERE'S NO NEED TO REINVENT THE
WHEEL HERE. THIS PROGRAM WAS
DESIGNED ALTHOUGH IT'S BEING
IMPLEMENTED AT THE STATES, IT
WAS DESIGNED BY A FEDERAL AGENCY
AND THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN
GUIDELINES BY WHICH ALL STATES
ARE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW. SO THERE
ARE STATES THAT ARE REALLY HAVE
BEEN FAR AHEAD ON THIS AND ARE
GOOD AT THIS. AND SO THERE'S
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THERE,
AND I THINK THE STATE SHOULD
AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THAT. BUT
YOU KNOW, MOST IMPORTANTLY, UM
YOU KNOW, NOT CREATE ANY
ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE
BURDENS. I TALKED ABOUT THAT IN
MY STATEMENT OR COSTS RIGHT
INTERAGENCY COORDINATION,
ENSURING THAT PERMITTING A
STREAMLINED ALL OF THESE THINGS
WILL ENCOURAGE PROVIDER
PARTICIPATION, AND IT WILL MAKE
THE PROGRAM WORKS SO MUCH
BETTER. TO YOUR POINT ABOUT, UM
WHAT OTHER STATES ARE DOING? HOW
ARE OTHER STATES? YOU KNOW THAT
ARE DOING THIS SUCCESSFULLY. HOW
ARE THEY ROLLING THIS OUT? WHAT?
CAN YOU EXPAND A LITTLE MORE ON
THAT? CALIFORNIA IS UNIQUE IN
THAT IT IS IMPLEMENTING THE
PROGRAM THROUGH ITS FEDERAL
THROUGH. IT'S ME, IT'S STATE
REGULATORY AGENCY THROUGH THE
CPUC. MOST OTHER STATES HAVE
BROADBAND OFFICES, WHICH REPORT
DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNOR. AND SO
THERE'S NOT A RULE MAKING
PROCESS THAT'S BEEN NEEDED TO GO
DONE BEFORE THEY'VE STARTED
TOWARD FUNDS, SO SOME OF THE
STATES FAIRLY HAVE HAD STATE
BROADBAND PROGRAMS AND SO THEY
HAD EXPERIENCED AT GRANT MAKING
. BUT EVEN THOSE THAT HAVEN'T
THEY STOOD UP A BROADBAND OFFICE
AND THEY'RE YOU KNOW, USING THAT
TO GET OUR $5 OUT THE DOOR.
LEARNING FROM THAT. TO GET
CAPITAL PROJECTS MONEY OUT THE
DOOR LEARNING FROM THAT TO BUILD
THEIR BEAT PROGRAMS, AND THAT'S
BEEN MORE EFFICIENT. IN THOSE
INSTANCES, MY LAST QUESTION AND
THEN I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO
THE CHAIR. UM WHAT WOULD WHAT
WOULD YOU SAY, WOULD BE SOME
DISINCENTIVES TO PRIOR TO
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM AND
HOW CAN WE BETTER INCENTIVIZE
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM?
SOME OF THE THINGS I THINK I
MENTIONED IN MY STATEMENT. THIS
IDEA OF HOLISTIC BUILDS IS VERY
IMPORTANT. WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO
PRIORITIZE THE UNSERVED. BUT
ALLOWING THOSE BUILDS TO INCLUDE
POTENTIALLY SOME UNDERSERVED
AREAS AS WELL TO USE ECONOMIES
OF SCALE. YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE
OF THE OTHER ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
ASKED ABOUT WHETHER ASKED THE
CPUC WHETHER THEY SHOULD DEFINE
THE SERVICE AREAS OR PROVIDE
FLEXIBILITY TO PROVIDERS
DEFINITELY ALLOW FLEXIBILITY TO
PROVIDERS THERE IN THIS
BUSINESS, THEY UNDERSTAND. HOW
YOU CAN GET THE MOST BANG FOR
YOUR BUCK AND SOME OF THESE
PROJECTS, AND THAT'S CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE DOLLAR
STRETCH. AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. DO
ANY OF OUR OTHER PANELISTS HAVE
ANY OTHER INPUT? SOME OF THOSE
QUESTIONS I WOULD LOVE TO JUMP
IN ON THIS. ONE OF THE BIG
THINGS THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY
WORKING ON, IS TRYING TO MAKE
ALL OF THESE THINGS ACCESSIBLE
TO THE LOCAL OFFICIALS. THE
NONPROFITS, THE SMALLER
ORGANIZATIONS THAT AREN'T
NECESSARILY AT THE STATE THAT
HAVE KIND OF THE FUNDING
RESOURCES, THE CAPACITY. TO
ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND HOW ALL OF
THESE THINGS FIT TOGETHER. SO
REALLY ANYTHING THAT THE
ASSEMBLY CAN DO THAT THE CPUC
CAN DO TO MAKE ALL OF THESE
PROGRAMS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE
FOLKS THAT DON'T DO THIS ON A
DAILY BASIS. AND WHEN WE GO OUT
AND TALK TO A LOCAL OFFICIAL,
THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW A FIRE
DEPARTMENT TO RUN A POLICE
STATION TO RUN. THEY DON'T
NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND ALL OF
THE LIKE NUANCED INTRICACIES
ABOUT HOW BROADBAND DEPLOYMENTS
WORK AND SO ASKING THEM TO ALL
OF A SUDDEN PICK UP, YOU KNOW, A
200 PAGE. FEDERAL NOTICE OF
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, UNDERSTAND
THAT FULLY AND THEN APPLY FOR IT
IS SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY
VERY DIFFICULT. ILLINOIS IS A
GREAT EXAMPLE. THE BROADBAND
OFFICE THERE IS ACTUALLY WORKING
WITH MANY OF ITS NON PROFITS.
IT'S EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS,
PLACES LIKE THE BENTON
FOUNDATION FOR BROADBAND
SOCIETY. REALLY JUST TO PUT AS
MUCH INFORMATION OUT AS THEY CAN
EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE WAY SO
THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO
END UP BENEFITING THE MOST FROM
THESE PROGRAMS ARE ACTUALLY ABLE
TO GO OUT AND APPLY FOR THEM OR
PROVIDE INPUT IN A WAY THAT
WOULD BE MOST MEANINGFUL. MAKE
THE MONEY GO THE FARTHEST THAT'S
GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THAT'S A
GOOD POINT. YOU KNOW, WE, UM WE
GAVE OUT 50 MILLION IN LOCAL
AGENCY TECHNICAL SYSTEMS EXACTLY
FOR THAT PURPOSE. AS WE KNEW
THAT SOME SMALLER JURISDICTIONS
SOME SOME OF THE MOST UNSERVED
OR UNDERSERVED AREAS NEEDED THE
MOST HELP. UM SO IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING. AND MAYBE THIS IS
SOMETHING FOR THE PUC AND MY WE
CAN FOLLOW UP WITH AFTERWARDS.
IS UM AND WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE
TRACKING US OF THE 50 MILLION
THAT WE GAVE OUT AND A LOT OF
FUNDS. HOW MANY OF THOSE
ACTUALLY END UP TURNING INTO
PROJECTS? RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE
VERY INTERESTING TO SEE IT. END
OF THE DAY. HOW MANY END UP IN
CASA PROJECTS AND FF FE PROJECTS
AND PROJECTS SO THERE IS THAT
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO CHIME IN
BEFORE WE I THINK WE HAVE
PROBABLY A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.
BUT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO CHIME IN
PATRICK GINA'S I WOULD JUST SAY
ROBUST PARTICIPATION SHOULD BE
THE PRIORITY. UM, TRYING TO MAKE
SURE THAT YOU ADOPT RULES. UM
THAT ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION. I
THINK THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD
MONITOR AND WATCH THE LEVEL OF
PARTICIPATION THAT YOU SEE, UM
IN THE NEXT ROUND OF CASS, IF
APPLICATIONS AND WHO IS
PARTICIPATING IN THOSE AND SEE
THE WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE FA AND
SEE IF THERE'S ANY LEVEL OF DROP
OFF IN PARTICIPATION, BECAUSE
YOU WOULD ASSUME THAT THE
PROVIDERS AND THOSE INTERESTED
IN RECEIVING GRANTS WOULD BE
CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THAT
PROCESS, AS YOU HAVE THAT
DISCUSSION ABOUT THINKING ABOUT
THE PROGRAMS AS A CONTINUUM AND
SEE IF THERE'S ANY ADJUSTMENTS
THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE
CRITERIA. UM AFTER YOU GET THAT
EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER, I WILL
NOTE. UM THE STATEMENT FROM MY
COLLEAGUE EARLIER ABOUT, YOU
KNOW THE ABILITY TO DO THAT
EASILY BY UTILIZING THE STATE
REGULATOR VERSUS AN OFFICE OF
BROADBAND THAT WOULD HAVE A LESS
ONEROUS OR INFLEXIBLE, UM,
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS. THAT
MIGHT BE A, UM, CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER. ESTÁN
REMEMBER, BONTA HAPPENED BEFORE
I GO INTO MY QUESTION. I DID
WANT TO JUST ADDRESS THE ISSUE
OF MAPPING. UM MR MESIC IN
PARTICULAR. I HEARD THAT YOU
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME
ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO BE ABLE TO
RESOLVE THE ISSUE AROUND WHETHER
UM COMMUNITIES ARE UNSERVED. AH,
BUT. PURPOSE POTENTIALLY DO TO
KIND OF AGING INFRASTRUCTURE
ISSUES. UM SO TO SPEAK A LITTLE
BIT TO THE IDEA OF CROWDSOURCING
AND WHERE THAT MIGHT FIT INTO
BEING ABLE TO GET MORE ACCURATE
OR BROADER DATA SET AROUND.
ACCESSIBILITY. ABSOLUTELY THANK
YOU. SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S BONTA FIRST. I
JUST WANT TO NAME THAT THE CPUC
SHOULD REALLY BE COMMENDED WHEN
WE FIRST SAW THE FCC MAP
RELEASED, IT SHOWED UNIVERSAL
ACCESSIBILITY TO BROADBAND
SERVICE IN OAKLAND, WHICH AFTER
ALMOST FLORIDA'S AND SO TO SEE
THE ITERATIONS OF THE CPUC MAP.
ADDING ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS AND
ADDITIONAL SPECIFICITY. I THINK
THERE'S SEVERAL 100 UNSERVED
LOCATIONS NOW IDENTIFIED IN
OAKLAND. IT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING
TO SEE THAT PROGRESS HAPPENING
THAT BEING SAID, GIVEN THE
CENTRALITY OF IDENTIFYING THESE
LOCATIONS TO RECEIVING FUNDING
IN COMMUNITIES LIKE OAKLAND,
WHERE WE HAVE 36,000 HOUSEHOLDS
IN EAST AND WEST OAKLAND WITHOUT
INTERNET OUR COMMUNITY IS READY
STANDS AT THE READY TO BE
INVOLVED IN THE CHALLENGE
PROCESS AND WE ARE ANXIOUSLY
AWAITING CLARITY ON WHAT IS THE
BURDEN OF PROOF THAT'S GOING TO
FALL ON US AS A COMMUNITY TO
PROVE MORE LOCATIONS, UNSERVED
MOBILIZING AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY
TO DEMONSTRATE SPECIFICALLY,
WE'RE HOPING THROUGH SPEED TESTS
THAT MANY FOLKS WHO ARE PAYING
FOR 100 20 SERVICE ARE NOT
GETTING IT ARE GETTING WELL
BELOW. IT IS A ALL HANDS ON DECK
KIND OF EFFORT THAT WILL TAKE
MONTHS, AND THE ONGOING WAITING
PERIOD IS MAKING IT REALLY
DIFFICULT FOR US TO MOBILIZE. I
THINK HIGHEST LEVEL. WHAT'S MOST
IMPORTANT TO US IS THAT THE
BURDEN OF PROOF DOES NOT FALL ON
THE UN OR UNDERSERVED RESIDENTS
TO AFTER PROVE ON THEIR OWN
BEHALF THROUGH SOME SORT OF
ONLINE PORTAL WHEN THEY DON'T
HAVE CONSISTENT ACCESS TO ONLINE
ACCESS THAT THEY'RE UNDERSERVED
, SO ANY SORT OF PROCESS THAT
ALLOWS MUNICIPALITIES TO BE
ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND THAT CAN
BE IMPLEMENTED AT SCALE IS
REALLY CRITICAL TO OUR CITY, AND
I KNOW CITIES AND LOCALITIES
ACROSS THE GREAT STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. I THINK THAT'S
REALLY GOOD. AND I THINK, UH, I
THINK DR WOOD HAS A BILL FOR
THAT LOVE TO HEAR IT. DO YOU
HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
PANELISTS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
SAY THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT
THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE COMING
OUT OF INDIA'S GUIDANCE FOR
SPEED TESTS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY
WOEFULLY INADEQUATE. THEY'RE
PUTTING RESTRICTIONS ON SPEED
TESTING FOR THINGS LIKE YOU ARE
ALLOWED TO COLLECT BETWEEN SEVEN
AND 11 P.M. SO IF YOU'RE NOT
GETTING A ADEQUATE SPEED TEST ON
PEAK TIMES. WHY DOES THAT NOT
COUNT AS BEING UNSERVED IF
YOU'RE AT AN OFF PEAK TIME, BUT
ALSO RECEIVING A SPEED TEST THAT
WOULD SHOW THAT YOU'RE
UNCONNECTED. SO WHEN WE'RE
LOOKING AT THE ALMOST 30,000
FOLKS IN OAKLAND THAT DON'T HAVE
A COMPUTER. HOW ARE THEY EVEN
SUPPOSED TO BEGIN TO DO THAT TO
START WITH? THEY DON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO UCLA'S SPEED TESTS OR
LABS DATA. THEY REALLY JUST HAVE
POTENTIALLY A WIRELESS SIGNAL.
THOSE THINGS ARE ALSO WHILE
USEFUL FOR THE FCC'S MAPPING
PROCESS, NOT USEFUL FOR THE NTH
CHALLENGE PROCESS THE WAY THAT
THE GUIDANCE IS CURRENTLY LAID
OUT, SO I THINK DETERMINING HOW
TECHNICAL LOOK WHAT TECHNOLOGIES
WERE USING, AND ALSO WHAT THE
ACTUAL RESTRICTIONS ON DATA
COLLECTION ARE IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT. AND TO THAT POINT I
THINK THERE ARE STUDIES LIKE
OAKLAND AND HAVE GREAT, YOU
KNOW, ADVOCATES. I THINK THEY'RE
PROBABLY MANY STUDIES AND THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA WHO DO NOT
HAVE GREAT ADVOCATES WHO ARE NOT
ORGANIZED. I THINK YOU MENTIONED
TULA VISTA. UM OAKLAND. THERE
ARE SOME STUDIES, BUT I DON'T
KNOW ANYBODY IN THE BUSH INSIDE
DOING IT. RIGHT IN THE CITY OF
OCEANSIDE ISN'T DOING IT. AND SO
THERE ARE MANY COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE UNDERSERVED UNSERVED AREAS
, UM, WHO DON'T HAVE GREAT
ADVOCATES, AND I THINK THAT'S
WHAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT,
TOO. AS YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE
CAPACITY COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO
ACCESS? UM THE DIFFERENT FUNDING
IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT LOCAL
CAPACITY, RIGHT? UM SO WITH THAT
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WANTED DID YOU
HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? REMEMBER
PATTERN. OKAY SO ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS I WANTED TO ASK,
BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT
WE'VE GRAPPLED WITH IN THE
COMMITTEE IS WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUE
AND OBVIOUSLY IMPEDE. YOU KNOW,
I LOVE WHAT DIRECTOR OSBORNE
SAID. IF BEAT WITHOUT EQUITY IS
JUST BAD AND UM, IT'S FUNNY.
IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF MY
TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY, HASHTAG.
UM BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IT,
UM, WE DO STRUGGLE WITH
AFFORDABILITY, RIGHT? IF YOU
LOOK AT TWO OF VISTA, WHAT YOU
DESCRIBED IN THE ISSUE WITH TWO
OF US TO IS AN ACCIDENT. IT'S
AFFORDABILITY PROBLEM. IT'S A
TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM. MAYBE IT'S
AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM, TOO.
BUT I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT
OF WORK DONE ON THE
INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE INTO OF
ESTÁ. UM AND SO ONE OF THE TOOLS
WE HAVE IS THE A C P AND AS THE
A C P FEDERAL FUNDING GOES AWAY.
WHAT ARE THE PANELISTS THINK?
WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS CALIFORNIA
THAT IS WITHIN FEDERAL
GUIDELINES. GO AHEAD. YOU WANNA
GO FIRST? WELL FIRST LIKE TO SAY
THAT I BELIEVE CALIFORNIA IS
CERTAINLY LEADING THE CHARGE ON
THIS WITH THE LIFELINE PROGRAM
THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY IN
PLACE. YOU ARE CERTAINLY TAKING
FAR MORE STEPS TO TACKLE THE
AFFORDABILITY PROBLEM THAN MANY
OTHER STATES ARE. AS WE'RE
LOOKING AT. THE FUNDING
BEGINNING TO DWINDLE AS MY
COLLEAGUE MENTIONED WE'RE
LOOKING AT THE BEGINNING OF 2024
MAY BE THE END OF THE SECOND
QUARTER FOR LUCKY, UM, THE
APPROPRIATIONS FOR THAT, UM, ARE
CERTAINLY A TOPIC FOR HIKING,
HIGHLY CONTENTIOUS TOPIC, BUT
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS YOU
ALL ARE LOOKING AT HOW THE GRANT
PROGRAM COMES TOGETHER HOW THE
OVERSIGHT OF THE CPUC AND WHAT
THEY'RE WORKING ON VIA THOSE
PROGRAMS HOW THE DEPARTMENT OF
TECHNOLOGY IS WORKING ON ITS
DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN. ALL OF
THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE
INPUT ON WHAT EXACTLY
AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS NEED TO
LOOK LIKE. FOR SOME FOLKS IN
CALIFORNIA $1 IS GOING TO BE TOO
MUCH. THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE
CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD
BROADBAND SERVICE WHEN THINGS
LIKE FOOD IS ON THE LINE. SO
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD,
ROBUST DATA SETS ABOUT EXACTLY
WHAT POVERTY LOOKS LIKE EXACTLY
HOW THOSE METRICS PLAY OUT AND
NOT JUST THE MAJOR CITIES BUT
ALSO IN RURAL AREAS. I THINK ONE
OF THE LARGEST THINGS THAT WE
OVERLOOK IS THAT ADOPTION IS NOT
JUST AN URBAN PROBLEM. IT'S ALSO
OVERALL PROBLEM. UM EVEN IF
INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE, THERE
ARE SOME FOLKS IN RURAL AREAS
THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE
ABLE TO AFFORD IT. SO JUST
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING A
HOLISTIC APPROACH TO EXACTLY HOW
AFFORDABILITY IS TACKLED WHETHER
OR NOT WE'RE TRYING TO PUT IN AN
INCREASE TO THE CALIFORNIA
LIFELINE PROGRAM OR JUST TRYING
TO LOOK AT WHAT KINDS OF, YOU
KNOW SECONDARY PROGRAMS MIGHT BE
ABLE TO BE SET UP UNDERSTANDING
IT STARTS WITH UNDERSTANDING
WHERE THE PROBLEM IS ACTUALLY
EXIST. THANK YOU FOR THAT
QUESTION. I THINK I MENTIONED IN
MY STATEMENT THAT YOU KNOW. WE
CERTAINLY ARE WORKING VERY HARD.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S REMAINS TO BE
SEEN, BUT WE ARE WORKING VERY
HARD ON CAPITOL HILL TO GET
EITHER MORE APPROPRIATIONS OR A
LONG TERM LONG TERM SOURCE OF
FUNDING FOR A C P. SO WE'RE
HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE
AND IN AND SHOULD IT CONTINUE. I
THINK THE REQUIRING THE FOR
SERVICE FOR PARTICIPATION IN
BEAD IS A GREAT A GREAT WAY TO
DO THAT, OR REQUIRE PARTICIPANTS
IN THE STATE SPEED PROGRAM, TOO.
COMMIT TO AFFORDABILITY
REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO
SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY
EXISTING. THERE'S ALSO THINGS
LIKE THE REASONABLE
COMPARABILITY BENCHMARK, WHICH
IS SOMETHING THAT'S USED IN THE
CONTEXT OF THE FEDERAL UNIVERSAL
SERVICE FUND. YOU CAN LOOK AT
THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT RATES ARE
WITHIN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF
REASONABLE COMPARABILITY ACROSS
URBAN AND RURAL AREAS OR TO
REQUIRE PROVIDERS WITHIN THEIR
FOOTPRINT. PRINT WHETHER UH,
WHETHER IT'S BEING FUNDED OR NOT
TO HAVE THE SAME PRICES. SO
THOSE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS TO
HELP ENSURE THAT PRICES STAY, UM
STAY REASONABLE AND COULD
CONTRIBUTE TO THE AFFORDABILITY
PROBLEM. AND A FEW THINGS I
WOULD JUST ADD SO FEDERAL
GUIDELINES EMPOWERED THE CPUC TO
SET A PRICING STANDARD FOR LOW
COST PLANS, AND I WOULD REALLY
ENCOURAGE THE CPUC TO WORK WITH
COMMUNITY ADVOCATES TO DETERMINE
WHAT IS A REASONABLE PRICE FLOOR
FOR A LOCAL LOW COST PLAN IN
CALIFORNIA FROM THE REGULATORY
SIDE OF THINGS, BUT AS I ALSO
NAMED IN MY TESTIMONY, THE
GREATEST DRIVER OF AFFORDABILITY
IS COMPETITIVE ACCESS TO OPEN
ACCESS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND
MUNICIPAL ENGAGEMENT. THE CPC
RECOGNIZES THAT MUNICIPALITIES
OPERATE WITHOUT THE SAME PROFIT
MOTIVES AS INDUSTRY AND SO
MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD BE
ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS
JUST TO SPECIFIC EXAMPLES IN
OAKLAND, SO WE ARE AWAITING MORE
CLARITY ON BEADS SO THAT WE CAN
CONNECT ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS TO
BRING INFRASTRUCTURE DEEP INTO
THE ARE LEAST CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES. WE ALREADY KNOW
FROM OUR IF I WERE THAT WE
RELEASED THAT 20 DIFFERENT
INNOVATIVE PROVIDERS ARE
INTERESTED IN SERVING OAKLAND.
IF ONLY THEY CAN GET ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE BACK HALL. ONE OF
THOSE PROVIDERS SAID THAT THEY
TRIED TO LAUNCH A COMMUNITY
OWNED NETWORK IN OAKLAND, BUT
FOUND THAT THE COST OF BACK HALL
WAS 10 TIMES AS EXPENSIVE AS
THEIR MESH NETWORK THAT WAS
LAUNCHED IN A MORE COMPETITIVE
MARKET. AND THE SECOND, UM,
ACTUALLY LISTED UNDER THE ANCHOR
INSTITUTIONS WITH BEADS ARE HAD
SPONSORED HOUSING, SO WE WANT TO
BRING FREE WIFI TO OUR PUBLIC
HOUSING. BECAUSE FOR MANY FOLKS
IN PUBLIC HOUSING, THE. THE ONLY
AFFORDABLE OPTION IS FREE AND
BEAT ALLOWS US TO FUND AT LEAST
FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE ALONGSIDE
SO GETTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPLEMENTED AND FIVE YEARS OF
SERVICE WE THINK HELPS BUILD A
BRIDGE TO A BRIGHTER BROADBAND
FUTURE IN OAKLAND. MADAM CHAIR.
UM. OUR MEMBERS HAVE HAD A
HISTORY OF PROVIDING LOW COST
PROGRAMS. I THINK EVEN BEFORE
THE PANDEMIC, UM INCOME
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND THE
LIKE, BUT HAVE HAD LOCAL LOW
INCOME COST PROGRAMS.
AVAILABILITY WE'VE BEEN FIRST
PARTICIPANTS IN WITH THE CPI AND
OTHER BENEFIT PROGRAMS THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE, UM
LOWER COSTS NEARLY FREE.
SERVICES DURING THE PANDEMIC AND
BEYOND. UM I THINK, ENSURING
THAT THE PUC IS HAVING A
CONVERSATION WITH INDUSTRY ABOUT
THE STRUCTURES OF THOSE LOW
INCOME COST PROGRAMS AND WHY
THERE WAS SUCH ROBUST
PARTICIPATION IN THE A C P AND
WHY IT WORKS. I THINK IT'S
ESSENTIAL. UM AND LOOKING TO
THOSE EXPERIENCES FOR THEIR
GUIDANCE WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION
FOR HOW CALIFORNIA SHOULD MOVE
FORWARD. THANK YOU. UM AND THE
PSC TALKED ABOUT HOW THERE'S A
JIGSAW PUZZLE OF PROGRAMS. UM
COULD YOU GIVE YOUR PERSPECTIVE
ON HOW YOU THINK THE PROGRAMS
ARE WORKING TOGETHER? UM OR WHAT
COULD BE IMPROVED IN THE CLARITY
BETWEEN THE PROGRAMS. UH OKAY.
I'LL GO FIRST. AH, DON'T TAKE IT
BECAUSE I'VE GONE LIVE. UH, I
DON'T THE PROGRAMS ARE
MISMATCHED. UM AND I THINK, UM
THE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE
MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE AND
THE PUC DREW THAT FACT OUT. UM
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MASSIVE, I
G A PROGRAM THE STATUTORY
REQUIREMENT OR GOAL OF THAT
PROGRAM IS CLEAR. IT'S 98% BY
CONSORTIUM REGION BY 2032. UM. I
THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
IMPLEMENTATION AND THE ENACTMENT
OF SB 1 56. IT'S ALSO CLEAR THAT
THE GOAL OF THAT PROGRAM IS NOT
NECESSARILY IS ABOUT CONNECTING
UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED
HOUSEHOLDS. BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT
HOW DO YOU IN COURAGE, RECRUIT
INCENTIVIZE NEW ENTRANTS INTO
THE MARKET PLACE? UM MUCH HAS
BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT
MUNICIPALITIES. AND UM, UM NON
PROFIT PARTICIPATION AND
BECOMING INTERNET SERVICE
PROVIDERS. I THINK THAT THAT
EXPERIMENT IS YET TO PROVE. UM
WE DON'T HAVE RESULTS. UM AN
APPLICATION WINDOW HAS YET TO BE
OPEN. I THINK IF YOU'RE THE PUC
, YOU SHOULD BE CONFIDENT THAT
THAT EXPERIMENT MAY PROVE
SUCCESSFUL BY THE NUMBER AND THE
OVERSUBSCRIPTION OF LOCAL
ASSISTANCE GRANTS. UM, BUT I
THINK THE CHAIRWOMAN REMARKS
ABOUT SEEING HOW MANY OF THOSE
GRANTS TURNED INTO ACTUAL
APPLICATIONS IS SOMETHING THAT
THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD BE
MINDFUL OF, UM THE CHAIRWOMAN
ALSO NOTED THE MIDDLE MILE AND
THE HISTORIC INVESTMENT IN THE
MIDDLE MILE. HOWEVER THE MIDDLE
MILE IS NOT NECESSARILY
CONNECTED TO A LAST MILE PROJECT
THAT WILL CONNECT UNSERVED OR
UNDERSERVED HOMES. SO WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THE IMPLEMENTATION OR
THE ENACTMENT OF SB 1 56 THE
CONNECTION OF UNSERVED AND
UNDERSERVED HOUSEHOLDS IS A
SECONDARY PRIORITY TO THE
ENCOURAGEMENT OF NEW INTEREST
INTO THE MARKETPLACE. I THINK
THE CONCERN THAT OUR
ORGANIZATION HAS, UM WITH THE
BEAD FUNDING IS THAT WE RETURN
TO OUR PRIORITY OF CONNECTING
UNSER FIRST. UNDERSERVED WE
THINK SHOULD BE SECOND ONLY
BECAUSE FROM OUR STANDPOINT WHEN
WE THINK ABOUT EQUITY AND THOSE
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LEFT OUT
THAT IS DEFINED AS UNSERVED. UM
AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE
INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE HOUSEHOLDS
THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OR
UNDERSERVED SHOULD BE ARE
PARAMOUNT PRIORITY AND THAT THE
BEAD PROGRAM SHOULD BE
STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT SERVES
THAT PARAMOUNT PRIORITY. AND
I'LL CERTAINLY SAY THAT AS WE'RE
LOOKING AT KIND OF THE SPECTRUM
OF PROGRAMS THAT EXIST. IT IS
CERTAINLY. ALL ENCOMPASSING THE
MIDDLE MILE PROGRAM CERTAINLY
ENABLES ALL OF THE OTHER LAST
MILE PROGRAMS TO CONNECT THE
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AT THE END
OF THOSE MIDDLE MILE NODES. BUT
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF
HOW TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS
WHAT KIND OF STANDS OUT TO ME
THE MOST IS HOW DO WE ENSURE
THAT WE ARE BUILDING TOWARDS THE
ACTUAL GOALS OF THE COMMUNITIES
HAVE SET IN MIND? MANY
COMMUNITIES DEAL WITH HOW DO I
ALLOW MY RESIDENTS TO AGENT
PLACE? HOW DO I BRING FOLKS WHO
WANT TO WORK REMOTELY INTO MY
COMMUNITY? HOW DO I ALLOW
TELEHEALTH TO TAKE OVER RATHER
THAN DEALING IN WELL, 50% OF THE
POPULATION IS UNCONNECTED. THEY
LOOK AT THE VERY REAL WORLD
IMPACTS THAT JUST CONNECTING
THIS HAS AND ENSURING THAT WE
ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE
PROGRAMS THROUGH A LENS OF THIS
IS HOW WE TACKLE EACH OF THESE
VERY REAL WORLD PROGRAMS OR
PROBLEMS. EXCUSE ME IS EXACTLY
HOW WE GET THE KIND OF
COLLABORATION AND COHERENCY THAT
WE ARE COGENT. SEE? EXCUSE ME
THAT WE NEED TO BE. TO ALLOW ALL
OF THESE PROGRAMS ACTUALLY WORK
TO THEIR FULLEST EXTENT
POSSIBLE. I WOULD ALSO JUST ADD
THAT, UH YOU KNOW, I THINK IT
WOULD BE WORTHWHILE AS
CALIFORNIA MOVES THROUGH THE
PROCESS OF MAKING THESE GRANTS,
PARTICULARLY WITH THE FAA THAT
THERE SHOULD BE A UNIFIED AND
SORT OF COORDINATED EFFORT AMONG
STAGE SEASON. WHOEVER IS GIVING
OUT GRANTS TO REALLY GET A
CONCEPT OF WHERE HAVE GRANTS
BEEN GIVEN SO THAT WE KNOW DO
YOU KNOW PRECISELY WHERE MONEY
IS SPENT SPENT? SO THAT YOU
DON'T RE SPEND IT SOMEWHERE
ELSE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THESE
THINGS ARE STAGGERED RIGHT IS
GOING TO GO OUT THE DOOR PROGRAM
ALLOCATIONS ARE GOING TO COME
OUT THIS YEAR. THE FUNDING WILL
PROBABLY ACTUALLY ROLE IN
ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO. SO AS THIS
HAPPENS, THERE NEEDS TO BE
CAREFUL PROCESS OF MAKING SURE
THAT THE STATE KNOWS WHERE THE
FUNDS ARE GOING AND THAT THAT
PROCESS IS DUPLICATED. OKAY AND
I BEFORE THAT REMINDS ME ABOUT
THE POINT WAS, WHICH WAS A
QUESTION THAT ASSEMBLYWOMAN BOND
TO, UM, ASKED, WHICH WHICH IS
ABOUT MAPPING MATCHING FUNDS AND
THE USE OF EXISTING STATE GRANTS
IN ORDER TO BE UTILIZED FOR BEAD
MATCHING FUND REQUIREMENTS. I
THINK THAT'S A KEY POLICY
DECISION TO MAKE, UM AT THE END
OF THE DAY. THE PART OF
RESOURCES ONLY X BIG, UM, AND
THE NEED AS HAS BEEN ARTICULATED
HERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU
INCLUDING IN THE FIRE HARDENING
REQUIREMENTS OF $8 BILLION,
WHICH IS AGAIN BASED ON A LOWER
NUMBER OF UNSERVED HOUSEHOLDS
THAN THE NUMBER THAT THE BUCS
UPDATED MAPS ARE NOW REPORTING.
UM MEANS THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR
YOU USE AS MATCHING FUNDS FOR
BEADS THAT'S A DOLLAR YOU CAN'T
SPEND CONNECTING AND UNSERVED OR
YOU REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED
HOUSEHOLDS THAT YOU CAN SERVE IN
TOTAL. THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT
THE COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR IS
REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THE ROLE
OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THINKING
ABOUT THE PROGRAM. THE THREE
PROGRAMS IN THE STATE INVESTMENT
AT A MACRO LEVEL. I THINK THE
MACRO LEVEL MUST BE INFORMED BY
THE COMMUNITIES BY THE
GRASSROOTS. WHAT IS IT THAT
YOU'RE LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH,
BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME MACRO
LEVEL DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE
MADE BY POLICYMAKERS. UM THAT
REPRESENTS THOSE COMMUNITIES SO
THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO BRING THE
VOICES OF YOUR COMMUNITIES. INTO
THAT MACRO DECISION MAKING. I'M
GONNA LEAVE PUTTING TOGETHER THE
JIGSAW OF THIS, UH, THIS MYRIAD
OF POLICIES TO THE BRILLIANT
FOLKS THAT ARE STATE AGENCIES
AND TO THE EVER SO CONFIDENT
OVERSIGHT OF COMMITTEES LIKE
THIS WHAT I THINK I CAN UPLIFT
FROM A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE IS
WE SEE THIS AS A BEAUTIFUL
PROBLEM TO HAVE THAT FOR THE
FIRST TIME, PROBABLY EVER UH,
THE NATION HAS REALLY UNIFIED
AROUND ONE OF OUR MORE
INTRACTABLE STRUCTURAL
INEQUITIES OF BRIDGING THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE. UM FOR TOO LONG.
OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN ASKED
TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS
INDEPENDENTLY. SO TO SEE THIS
GROUNDSWELL OF BOTH SUPPORT AND
FUNDING COMING TO COMMUNITIES
LIKE OAKLAND IS SUCH A WELCOME
SIGHT. I THINK AT THE END OF THE
DAY WHAT WE CARE ABOUT MOST IS
THAT THERE'S A REALLY CLEAR
UNIFYING PRINCIPLE THAT PUBLIC
DOLLARS SERVE PUBLIC BENEFIT. WE
KNOW WHICH COMMUNITIES HAVE
RECEIVED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
DECADES. A LOT OF PRIVATE
INVESTMENT AND I CAN TELL YOU
THAT THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT
EAST AND WEST OAKLAND. AND AT
THE END OF THIS UH, F F A LAST
MILE MIDDLE MILE. I THINK THE
QUESTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO ASK
OURSELVES IS WHERE DID ALL THIS
MONEY GO? DID IT GO TO THE LEAST
CONNECTED. HIGHEST POVERTY
COMMUNITIES, OR DID IT GO TO THE
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
INVESTED IN FOR DECADES, AND I
HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE IN
OUR FRIENDS AT THE CPUC AND CDT
AND ON THIS COMMITTEE THAT WE'RE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO
DIRECT THESE FUNDS TO WHERE
THEY'RE NEEDED. MOST. AND THIS
IS MAYBE FOR, UM YOU KNOW? WELL,
I GUESS ANYBODY CAN ANSWER IT.
BUT WHEN IF I WERE A COMMUNITY
GROUP IN OAKLAND. I WOULD LOOK
AT THIS. LET'S TAKE A CITY THAT
DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF CAPACITY.
LOOK AT THIS GRANT APPLICATION
AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS
AND I'D REALLY STRUGGLE.
ESPECIALLY IF I DIDN'T GET A LOT
OF GROUND. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T
EVEN KNOW HOW I WOULD NAVIGATE
THAT. DO YOU THINK HAVING THE
MULTIPLE PROGRAMS IS HELPFUL
BECAUSE IT IS LIKE A PROBLEM
WITH PLENTY UM OR DO YOU THINK
IT'S MORE CONFUSING FOR
APPLICANTS? BECAUSE THEY'RE
DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS?
DIFFERENT GOALS? WHAT IS YOUR
SENSE FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT
YOU'RE HEARING? BRIEFLY I THINK
THERE'S JUST STILL A LOT OF
EXCITEMENT BUT SOME ANXIETY,
JUST WANTING TO GET MORE
TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY ON WHAT
IS GOING TO BE THE TIMELINE FOR
THESE UPCOMING GRANT WINDOWS.
WHAT ARE GOING TO BE THE
REQUIREMENTS AND HOPEFULLY
THERE'S AS MUCH OVERLAP AS
POSSIBLE. SO FOR INSTANCE, IF WE
APPLY FOR A LAST MILE GRANT THAT
WE DON'T RECEIVE THAT WE CAN
REPURPOSE THAT APPLICATION FOR
BEAD, I KNOW THAT THERE'S NOT
GOING TO BE PERFECT ALIGNMENT,
BUT THE MORE ALIGNMENT POSSIBLE
. MANY CITIES DON'T HAVE A GRANT
WRITING DEPARTMENT. SO UM, THE
MORE STREAMLINED THE PROCESS CAN
BE. I'M SURE THAT WOULD BE VERY
WELCOME FROM OUR MUNICIPAL
FRIENDS ACROSS THE STATE. YEP
AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT,
UM NOT JUST COMMUNITIES IN
CALIFORNIA GRAPPLING WITH, BUT
COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE WITH THE
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF FUNDING
THAT IS JUST AVAILABLE NOW AND
REALLY, WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS
. HOW ACCESSIBLE ARE THESE GRANT
PROGRAMS TO A PERSON WHO DOES
NOT DO GRANT WRITING LIKE YOU
SAID. THESE CITIES DO NOT
GRAPPLE WITH GRANT REPORTING
GRANT WRITING GENERALLY THE
GRANT PROCESS IN GENERAL. SO HOW
ARE WE LETTING THEM KNOW HERE IS
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU. HERE'S
WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER
THESE GRANTS WILL BE HERE IS
WHAT THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
WOULD LOOK LIKE AND HERE'S
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU
KNOW, AFTER THAT, SO THAT WAY WE
CAN GIVE THEM THE KIND OF
CLEAREST, MOST ACCESSIBLE
PICTURE TO THEN ALLOW THEM TO
SAY THIS WILL MEET MY NEEDS OR
THIS PROGRAM OVER HERE WILL HELP
IF I COMBINE IT WITH THIS
PROGRAM OVER THERE, SO THAT WAY
THEY CAN APPLY FOR THE THINGS
THAT THEY NEED THE MOST. YEAH
THERE'S NO GUARANTEE IF THEY
APPLY FOR ONE HERE OVER HERE,
THAT THEY'LL ACTUALLY GET THE
ONE OVER THERE EITHER EXACTLY.
NO. I WAS GOING TO SAY IF WE
WERE GOING AROUND THE HORN, I'M
NOT GONNA PROPOSE TO SPEAK AS A
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. I WILL
STAY, THOUGH THAT ORGANIZATION
ADVOCATED, UM, ESSENTIALLY FOR
THE CASA RULES TO BE APPLIED TO
THE F F A PROGRAM FOR THERE TO
BE THAT KIND OF CONSISTENCY, UM
, IN THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE
OBJECTIVE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. OKAY
I AM MUST HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS
FROM OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I
WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS FOR
YOUR PARTICIPATION. VERY
INSIGHTFUL. UM AND NOW WE'RE
GOING TO TURN TO PUBLIC COMMENT
IN THE ROOM. MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO WISH TO PROVIDE
PUBLIC COMMENT AND NOW APPROACH
THE MIC. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
ASKED YOU KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO
TWO MINUTES AND PLEASE GIVE
BEGIN WITH YOUR NAME AND
AFFILIATION, IF ANY TRAFFIC JAM
YEAH. UH THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR
AND MEMBERS JONATHAN AARON BURR
ON BEHALF OF SETIA, THE TRADE
ASSOCIATION FOR THE WIRELESS
INDUSTRY. UM, WE'VE HEARD A LOT
OF YOU KNOW A LOT OF THE
CONVERSATION. THERE WAS SOME
CONCERNS QUESTIONS. COMMENTS ON
YOU KNOW, WILL WE BE ABLE TO DO
THIS FAST ENOUGH WHEN WE HAVE
ENOUGH MONEY? UM THERE WAS A
COMMENT ABOUT USING ALL THE
TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX. WE AGREE.
WE BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE IN
ALL OF THE ABOVE STRATEGY THAT
IS CRUCIAL WIRELESS SHOULD BE
INCLUDED. NEGLECTING THIS
APPROACH IS LIKE TRYING TO PUT
TOGETHER A PUZZLE WITHOUT
UTILIZING ALL THE PIECES DOESN'T
MAKE MUCH SENSE. IT'S GOING TO
END UP RESULTING IN US FAILING
TO ACHIEVE THE COMPREHENSIVE
BROADBAND COVERAGE THAT WE ARE
HOPING FOR. THE BEADS PROGRAM IS
PRETTY CLEAR ON ITS OBJECTIVE.
IT IS CONNECTING ALL AMERICANS
TO HIGH SPEED INTERNET WITH THE
EMPHASIS ON THOSE UNSERVED.
THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF AREAS
THAT WIRELESS MAY NOT MAKE SENSE
. BUT THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE A
LOT OF AREAS WHERE WIRELESS
MAYBE THE ONLY OPTION DUE TO
TIMING DUE TO THE COST. UM A
TECHNOLOGY NEUTRAL APPROACH
PROMOTES COMPETITION AND REDUCES
THE RISK OF DELAYING BROADBAND
DEPLOYMENT. TO THE AREAS THAT
NEED IT. MOST WIRELESS HAS TO BE
PART OF THE SOLUTION FOR
CALIFORNIA TO REACH ITS GOALS.
THANK YOU. UM THANK YOU AGAIN TO
ALL THE MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATE
IN THE HEARING. I APPRECIATE
ANOTHER AND MANY OTHER PLACES
YOU COULD HAVE BEEN, AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US
TODAY, SO I WANT TO THANK THE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PUC
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RACHEL
PETERSON AND DIRECTOR ROB
OSBORNE ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL
OF OUR ADDITIONAL WITNESSES WHO
BROUGHT REALLY GREAT INSIGHT
INTO I THINK THIS TOPIC OF
DIGITAL EQUITY AND BEAT FUNDING
. AS I MENTIONED THE TOP OF THE
HEARING, THIS COMMITTEE WILL
CONTINUE TO EXERCISE OUR
OVERSIGHT DUTIES MOVING FORWARD
BECAUSE IT'S IMPERATIVE WE GET
THIS PROGRAM, RIGHT. I THINK THE
MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE HAVE
MADE OUR PERSPECTIVES VERY CLEAR
ON HOW TO PROCEED AND EXPECT THE
PUC WILL TAKE ALL THAT INTO
CONSIDERATION. AND WITH THAT
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.