Thank you
R

This would be a first step in moving Traverse City into the 21st century; there would need to be additional steps to meet the needs of other users (home/home office/small businesses) beyond locals and visitors in the downtown area.

At Tuesday’s meeting, L&P will also be discussing a grant application for stimulus monies to expand broadband within the city.

For those that are interested, please show up and voice your thoughts during public comment.

Where our community continues to lack is in access to more robust and competitive high speed internet services for residents and small businesses available in other markets in the U.S. and abroad. If I’m a large institution (school, large non-profit.NGO, government agency, hospital, medium to large size business, etc.), I have an ability to access and pay for fiber optic high speed internet services. As a resident or small business, I’m stuck with what’s available from the traditional phone and cable companies…and what they offer in Traverse City today is not competitive in service levels and prices offered in other markets.

I believe Merit’s expanded fiber network (to pass TC) will be of benefit primarily to larger institutions such as schools, NMC, Munson/Spectrum???, governmental agencies and larger non-profits. I like the fact that they’re offering an open access network model and encouraging providers to participate.

Where our community continues to lack is in access to more robust and competitive high speed internet services for residents and small businesses. The Merit press release does specify their fiber optic network being available to >886K homes; it is unclear to me where along their network this access will be offered (will TC be included?) and how home/small businesses would connect. Merit may not know this either at this point.

When I am able to order up 25, 50 or 100 Mbps services to my home on Wellington Street (at a cost competitive price….think <$50-75/month), then Traverse City will be on the map for have the appropriate broadband services available to attract and retain the small/medium businesses, entrepreneurs and young professionals we want to attract.

Wireless internet is great for hot spots (think all of downtown, marina, parks, etc.)….i.e., is great for a secondary connection. Businesses and high bandwidth users (think young professionals into video conferencing, online gaming, streaming video from the internet, small professional services firms, home-based businesses and telecommuters, etc) will need much more than what wireless will offer them in their offices and homes. We are no longer a society that simply reviews content from the internet….we're all now content producers (blogs, pictures, videos, etc.).

Suggested next step: The EDC and/or Traverse City Light & Power should be talking with Merit about their plans to find ways to work together. I believe this is already happening.

Suggested big-picture next step: We should have a community-focused broadband committee to be the ambassadors for improving availability and access to broadband service in/around TC. This would be made up of institutions (government, L&P, Munson, NMC, etc.) but especially businesses, entrepreneurs and young professionals. Even AT&T and Charter should be offered a seat at the table….if they make the investments needed, that alleviates the community's need to take this into their own hands. Focus would be on access for retail level customers and using this tool to support other economic development efforts.

To attract the businesses and professionals necessary to continue to diversify and grow our local economy and increase jobs, better high speed internet services is one piece of the puzzle.

I'm glad to help any way I can, including any efforts to have a committee to work on this subject within the city or community at large.

I was in Boston over New Year’s. They have a terrific “First Night” – a downtown city celebration held on New Year’s Eve. Plenty of smaller cities around the US host “First Nights,” too, places like Burlington, VT, etc.

Given the enthusiastic support for a lighted cherry ball dropping from a crane at NY’s, I think Traverse City is ready to launch its own First Night tradition. First Night celebrations are focused on art and culture, they are non-alcoholic events geared to all ages. Traverse City has plenty of local artists and interest in music and culture to make this happen. There are many, many cities to study to learn how to put together TC’s first First Night.

I am unable to attend tonight’s “Tommorrow” session, but hope this suggestion makes it there in my stead.

Thanks!

Heather Shumaker