The primary intent of the planning component of this proposal is to incorporate the information collected and the momentum generated by the mapping activities into regional broadband plans throughout the State of New Hampshire. Utilizing planning tools, procedures, and capabilities housed at each of the nine regional planning commissions (RPCs), the planning activities will provide an efficient and effective means to capitalize on and extend in a meaningful way the data development, inventory and mapping components of the project. This planning component will begin in Year 2 of the project and extend continuously through Year 5 of the project.
The planning activities at each of the RPCs will include the creation of a Broadband Stakeholder Group (i.e., local technology planning team), whose activities will include: the identification of barriers to the deployment of broadband services; promoting collaboration with service providers to facilitate deployment and use; collecting and analyzing information on the use and demand for broadband services; and facilitating information sharing between the public and private sectors regarding use of and demand for broadband services.
Broadband Stakeholder Groups will be comprised of individuals representing a wide spectrum of the community, including government, business, education, health care, community and economic development, emergency services, communications, and others. The RPCs will utilize their Boards of Directors and economic development advisory committees as a means of identifying the appropriate individuals across these market segments. Where local broadband groups currently exist, their participation will also be encouraged. Additional outreach will be made through traditional means, such as newspaper, brochures, and websites.
These groups will meet periodically and produce outreach materials, reports and publications describing their activities. Among these activities will be the determination and prioritization of need for broadband services; identification of and proposed solutions to barriers for deployment (e.g., topography, density, regulatory obstacles); fostering collaboration among government officials, business leaders, institutions, and service providers; and considering broadband deployment as basic infrastructure and therefore a vital component of existing and planned development and a tool for promoting the principles of smart growth. RPCs will provide staffing, including logistical/administrative support and facilitation, to Broadband Stakeholder Groups in order to achieve real progress in the deployment and use of broadband services.
Such support will include preparing meeting agendas, procuring meeting sites, providing data and analyses, arranging for guest speakers and presentations, facilitating group discussion, documenting results, maintaining meeting minutes, etc. It is anticipated that regional Broadband Stakeholder Groups will range in size from between 10-15 members. Meetings will be open to the general public, so attendance could be far greater. In terms of content and progress, it is intended that the meetings be iterative - that is, they will build upon a body of knowledge and direction based on previous meetings. Meetings are anticipated quarterly for years 2 through 5 of the project.
