Got the Need for Speed?

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Got the Need for Speed?

Talk to us about broadband feasibility studies!

A feasibility study helps you understand how to best bring broadband to your community. We engineer infrastructure – all kinds of infrastructure. And have done so for more than 80 years. And 30 of those years has been in the Telecommunications market helping communities stay connected.

When connecting a community, collaboration and communication matter. KLJ has the best in stakeholder and public involvement. Bringing the latest tools and resources to the table, we will engage the community, design, model, and recommend the right path forward for your broadband needs. Reimagine how to connect your community.  

Broadband has become an essential service for community growth and, in some cases, community survival. A broadband network offers immeasurable benefit and opportunity for any community. Whether used in the home, by government entities, or by businesses, a networked community is a thriving community. The deployment of broadband, using reliable, high-speed infrastructure, will soon become a critical component of operational efficiency for many communities.

With broadband networks in place, municipalities are better postured to more efficiently manage resources, plan for future projects, and enhance the quality of life for their public. However, thousands of communities across the nation are without reliable broadband networks due to a lack of infrastructure, as well as the money associated with implementation. Broadband is infrastructure agnostic, meaning various mediums can be used to supply it, so municipalities can choose the most appropriate and cost-effective infrastructure for their communities. To determine the most appropriate method of broadband implementation, a community should first conduct a feasibility study.

A Broadband feasibility study entails multiple aspects including an evaluation of the existing broadband providers in the area for speed and coverage. Once existing providers and coverage is known, a plan will be created to provide a fix for the broadband shortfalls identified. Once a plan or high-level design is developed to solve the problem, a financial pro forma may also be completed as part of the plan. The pro forma will consider all costs to construct a network, plus provide recommendations and costs for the upstream providers and basic operating costs. The broadband feasibility study may also include public forums for information to and from the public. Public surveys on broadband demand and expectations of a community broadband systems may be included in a feasibility study. A standard broadband feasibility study can take anywhere from a few months to over 6 months depending on the detail being requested by the community for the broadband study. A study could simply be a survey and recommendation, to full feasibility with mapping of all existing assets, a detailed business plan and multiple public forums.

The feasibility study outcomes help the customer develop a formal network and business plan tailored specifically to their community. The study also identifies broadband shortfalls, expectations, and alternatives – as well as their expected costs – to solve those shortfalls. With this information, the customer can decide whether or not to proceed with funding acquisition and broadband implementation.

A broadband feasibility study does not have a fixed shelf life but remains relevant until significant items from the original plan change. Significant changes may include a new provider entering the market, a fiber line is installed near the community to change to costs of providing the service.  If a community conducts a broadband feasibility study, they should revisit the items in the recommendation until a method can be found to expand or improve broadband in an area.

Depending on the results of the feasibility study, a community might think that broadband simply is not an option. However, in the age of digital inequity, it is important for communities to view challenges not as permanent obstacles, but rather as temporary barriers to market entry. KLJ is a full-service engineering firm comprised of the capabilities necessary to conduct a full-scale broadband feasibility study. Our team can conduct the study, evaluate options, and provide preliminary design for broadband implementation. We also help our customers determine when and how they can implement a critical service in the most cost-effective method possible while also working to identify possible funding sources. We understand the importance of connectedness and we are prepared to help your community thrive.

To learn more about how KLJ can help connect your community to information and opportunities via broadband implementation, visit www.kljeng.com/what-we-do/telecommunications.