AccessDelray.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to promoting local public/private ownershipand operations of community or city-wide broadband wireless networks and dedicated to using newer large scale broadband wireless technologies and services to:
Bridge the Digital Divide for our underserved communities and provide digital access, inclusion, and literacy programs for all of our residents and businesses
Bolster our local economy while improving upon socio-economic issues and communications through use of newer broadband wireless technologies
Increase workforce development through on-site and distance learning modules provided by local employer outreach programs and national organizations
Provide for enhanced municipal public safety and departmental applications that would that would benefit the community as a whole and result in direct cost savings and increased productivity for local government
Provide commercial grade, low cost/free, high speed fixed, nomadic and mobile broadband wireless access and services within the coverage area
Develop a revenue share model from which a portion of subscription fees to broadband wireless access and services would flow back to our community to help fund and sustain the aforementioned programs
Develop a business and services model from which other cities and communities can replicate
Develop programs that will be identifiable as an asset to larger network operators and service providers leading towards future partnerships with those companies
Identify and partner with key stakeholders within our community to fund, develop, deploy, and gauge the success of the aforementioned programs and;
Identify and partner with key stakeholders within our United States to fund, develop, deploy, and gauge the success of the aforementioned programs.
Delray Beach, FL covers 15 square miles with a population of about 65,000 people. There are approximately 32,000 households with an average density of 2,062 households per square mile. Persons below poverty level (year 2000) is 11.8% as compared to 12.5% national average. There are 26 Schools representing 1 District, 8 Elementary, 4 Middle Schools, 2 High Schools, 14 Private Schools, and 2 Charter Schools.
It is the desire of the citizenry, local businesses, and city officials to launch a high speed city-wide broadband wireless network that would fully exploit the synergies between newer broadband wireless technologies and the benefits created for our communities, businesses, and municipal services.
Funding
A local public/private partnership is seeking funding in the amount of $2.5M to install a high speed Wireless Mesh or WiMax network that would cover all 15 square miles of Delray Beach.
These monies will be used for installation of the core network, infrastructure and backhaul, development of portal and other peripheral services associated with the network, and to kick start the aforementioned community outreach and public safety programs.
Revenue share from operations will be available to allocate towards these core services and applications:
Enhanced public safety, first responder applications
Municipal departmental applications
Low cost / free internet core access (3-5mps)
Digital Access, Inclusion, Literacy programs
Economic stimulus
Health and financial services
Public access television
Public utilities
Local business internet marketing services, residential, and community portals
Deploy New Energy Technologies / Energy Management Services (EMS) / Green Initiatives
School system access / Educational tools
Public employee services
VPN’s / VAR’s / Resellers
Employer Outreach / Distance Learning & Training / Job Creation
Visitor Services / Hospitality Packages
Private security / video surveillance / DVR access
Digital connectors programs
These core services represent necessary components for municipal wireless and will allow for communities, municipalities, and cities to realize much needed economic stimulus, provide for enhanced community outreach programs, and migrate towards future technologies.
No upfront monies will be required by the City. The City will act as the anchor 'tenant' and provide available city assets to expedite deployment of the network.
Our Goal
The goal of this program is to demonstrate that marketing low cost high speed business class broadband wireless access, incorporating robust and useful portal applications and location based marketing services, as well as other peripherals, would offer up enough monies through revenue share to sustain operation of digital divide, access, inclusion and literacy programs along with enhanced public safety initiatives within our cities and communities.
Town Hall Meeting & Roundtable Discussions
Participants: Delray Beach City Commission, Public Safety, IT/CIO, City Attorney, Technology Committee, Director Housing, Director Parks & Recreation, Pompey Park Program Supervisor, WARC, CRA, Downtown Marketing Cooperative, Excelsio Communications – Karl Edwards, key stakeholders in public/private partnership, local business owner/operators, organizations, associations, and residents.
The purpose of the Town Hall meeting will be to introduce the newer broadband wireless technologies available and review/summarize all the capabilities of the network to address the needs of our community.
A Q&A session will follow and then we will split off into our round table discussions where a series of prepared questions or issues will be introduced to each table after which a summary of findings will be presented and documented.
All of this information will prove invaluable in pre-marketing and in determining the functionality and services offered through our new network.
AccessDelray.org
AccessDelray.org will represent the online presence for information about the network, pre-marketing, polls, blogs, newsletters, and other interactive content for all interested or vested parties.
Pre-Marketing of Business Class Services
As the network is being built out, pre-marketing of Business Class Services will be offered. This will include installation of required customer premise equipment (CPE, if necessary) and the chosen service level package. This business class package could include high speed network and internet access for business owners and employees while also providing ubiquitous access as customers move from outside to inside your business location.
Most of the households within this coverage area represent the underserved and low-income demographic. It is the goal of this project that all qualifying families and households receive free or low cost high speed broadband internet access, hardware and peripherals, and training.
Phase I
Coordination of programs and activities as determined by the Department of Housing and the Pompey Park Program Supervisor. Five to ten homes will be chosen to act as the pilot program for the Pompey Park region. These households will be trained on how to gain access to the network, and the internet, as well as how to access educational resources and local employer outreach and distance learning modules. Computer and network/internet access training during this phase will be conducted on-site (at the home), through the Pompey Park Computer Lab, and via telephone or interactive on-line services.
This phase will also invite participation by individuals residing at the Phase I households to train others within their community as the network is expanded. (Digital Connectors program)
Phase II – 100 qualifying households Phase III – Complete coverage for qualifying households
High End Residential
High end residential class services will offer high speed ubiquitous fixed, nomadic, and mobile network and internet access for subscribers at speeds and pricing comparable to existing fixed wire line access.
Potential Vendor, Corporate, Foundation & Support Partners (links open in new window)
We have been in contact or will contact each one of our potential Vendor, Corporate, Foundation or Support Partners and we invite participation from all interested parties.
Cities and Communities need to take control of their broadband wireless future to ensure that benefits and monies generated through the wireless network flow back to the community while providing free and fee based open access network and internet services for Residents, Businesses, Visitors, and local Government.
