Digital Access Plan
Columbus Ave Corridor
Meeting I 8/17/2021
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Agenda
Welcome and Meeting Goals
About MAPC and Project Process
Digital Access Level Setting
Existing Conditions on Columbus Ave
"Light" Case Study Overview
Next Steps
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DISCUSSION BREAK
DISCUSSION BREAK
Assets on Columbus Ave
Meeting Goals
Have shared baseline understanding of the existing conditions along the Columbus Ave corridor as related to digital access
MAPC Team receives guidance on potential community assets.
MAPC Team receives guidance on outreach opportunities for Digital Needs Assessment.
Digital Access Plan – Columbus Ave Corridor
Meeting I 8/17/2021
Meeting Goals
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You all leave the meeting with a shared baseline understanding of the existing conditions along the Columbus Ave corridor as related to digital access
- MAPC Team receives guidance on potential community assets.
- MAPC Team receives guidance on outreach opportunities for Digital Needs Assessment.
Agenda
Welcome and Introductions
Digital Access Level Setting
Existing Conditions on Columbus Ave
Next Steps and Adjourn
About MAPC and Project Process
"Light" Case Study Overview
DISCUSSION BREAK
DISCUSSION BREAK
Who We Are
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Housing
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Transportation
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Climate Resilience and Clean Energy
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Economic Development
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Land Use
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Municipal Government
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Policy
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Digital Access
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
- School / Education
- Work
- Healthcare
- Workforce Training
- Access to Social Assistance and Resources
- Economic Development
Pandemic & Beyond
Everett, Chelsea,Revere
The Development of an Municipal Digital Access and Equity Plan will:
Advise Capital Investment
Inform Policy Decisions
Identify Program Needs
Vision for Municipal Digital Access
Remove barriers to adoption that prevent universal access to reliable and high speed (100/100) internet.
Ensure all residents who desire to improve their digital / technology literacy have a pathway to educational opportunities at a range of skill levels, offered in community appropriate languages and settings.
Augment the capacity of key stakeholders such as IT Departments, School Districts, Libraries, Community based organizations, and municipal staff to address the digital divide
Promote competition among internet service providers offering broadband service.
Digital Access and Equity Planning
Phases of Work
- Evaluation of Current Internet Providers and Levels of Service
- Analysis of Community Access to Device and Internet
Phase 1A: Existing Conditions (July - August)
Phase 1B: Community Needs Assessment (August - October)
- Identification of Population Specific Challenges and Needs via Survey
- Focus Group(s) and Key Stakeholder Interviews with Community Members
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Review of Existing Infrastructure and Assets Along Columbus Ave
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Assessment of Potential Technology Interventions and Programs
Phase 2: Infrastructure and Technology Evaluation (March - April)
- Development of an Operational Framework that Urban Edge can use to Implement a Tech Solution, PLUS Programs for Skills Development and Community Ownership
Phase 3: Digital Operation Framework (May - June)
Help us see information from the community perspective
Provide feedback and response to proposed strategies
Assist in connecting with community members
Own this product
Advisory Committee Role
An Adequate Device
Literacy
Connection
Three Determining Factors of Digital Access
Cable: Widely available, slower than fiber leverages copper coaxial cables. Comcast uses a mix with fiber (hybrid fiber-coaxial)
Fiber: Fiber uses light signals to carry internet data. Limited availability, often higher speeds
DSL (Digital subscriber line): Leverages copper phone lines as well. High availability but slower speeds
Satellite: Ideal for rural areas and available throughout all 50 states sends and receives singnal through connecting to an orbiting satellite. Slower speeds.
Fixed wireless / 5G: Access Points affixed to locations like cell towers and on top of a buildings antenna array that are between the Distribution Point and the customer.
Connection Terms
Legacy of Cable
Image Source: https://calcable.org/learn/history-of-cable/
What is "Broadband"
"Broadband" standard set by Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Originally established in 1999 the standard has been adjusted in 2010 and 2015.
In 2015 it set the standard as 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 (Mbps) upload
Data Center /
Internet Exchange
Fiber (Fast)
Cable (slower)
Cable (slower)
Wifi (slower) or ethernet (more reliable)
Slows down every step
The farther fiber optic cables go, the faster the internet
Accessing the Internet Using Cable
Copper wire slows the connection
Cable: Widely available, slower than fiber leverages copper coaxial cables. Comcast uses a mix with fiber (hybrid fiber-coaxial)
Fiber: Fiber uses light signals to carry internet data. Limited availability, often higher speeds
DSL (Digital subscriber line): Leverages copper phone lines as well. High availability but slower speeds
Satellite: Ideal for rural areas and available throughout all 50 states sends and receives singnal through connecting to an orbiting satellite. slower speeds
Fixed wireless / 5G: Access Points affixed to locations like cell towers and on top of a buildings antenna array that are between the Distribution Point and the customer.
The Internet
The Journey
We are going to focus elsewhere for now, but we'll revisit. This is a critical part of the internet.
There is a lot going on in here: devices, skills, wifi, etc.
Cable & Fiber
Power!
Cell & 5G
Satellite
Street light
A Quick Look at the Study Area
primary UE corridor, comprising the majority (56%) of all UE housing and 34%of all UE residents, Urban Edge HQ, the Jackson Square T Station and Dimock
includes Hyde Square and the Mildred Hailey development
2/3 of Urban Edge’s portfolio is clustered primarily in four census tracts The remaining third of UE’s portfolio is located in Mattapan and Dorchester
includes a few mostly clustered UE properties in Roxbury
(813) “Columbus Ave Corridor”
(1203.01) “Egleston Square”
(812) “Jackson/Hyde”
(815) “Roxbury”
includes bulk of Egleston Square (in Jamaica Plain) and represents 7%of all UE housing units
Census Tracts of Study Area
Demographics of Study Area
Racial Composition
Age Composition
Households Without a Computer
According to this Census data 27.1% of “Columbus Ave Corridor” households do not have a computer.
According to this Census data 15.5% of “Columbus Ave Corridor” households are soley reliant on a smartphone for internet access.
Households With Only a Smart Phone
According to this Census data 39% of “Columbus Ave Corridor” households do not have access to the internet.
Households Without Internet
Compared to Boston
The Columbus Ave Corridor experiences substantially higher levels of digital divide issues than Boston as a whole.
In June the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a map that displays key indicators of broadband needs across the country.
Columbus Ave Corridor stood out
NTIA Map
Households With Only a Smart Phone
Households Without a Computer
Households Without Internet
Study Area Tracts
Sources: Boston –BPDA’s “Boston at a Glance –2019”
Study Area Tracts
Internet Speed in Study Area
We will need to switch up the geography in order to look at internet speeds
We will be looking at the zip codes 02119 & 02130
Switch Geographies
Microsoft Speed Data
Microsoft recently released speed data they calculated when users download their software
Only 23.5% of those in 02119 met that standard in this data
MLab Speed Data
MLab is another source for speed data. When you Google "speed test" this is the data from tests run there. It's only one way of measuring speed and has limitations.
For upload measured since 2017 in 02119, 45% of the time the speed was under the "broadband" defitintion.
tests
tests
Houshold Size
Household size is an important factor in internet speed.
As more people sharing a connection can slow speeds
Case Studies
Community Networks
Digital
Resources
Staff
Programming
Network
People
Social Networks
Community Groups
Fiber routes
Equipment
Design, installation and maintenance
Buildings
Towers
Poles
Rooms
Community Networks Assets
Physical
Organizational
Social
Fiber Laterals installed to two ONB properties
Public WIFI network
~1000 homes within service area
1200 unique users May-July 2021
Olneyville, Providence RI
Network design, installation, maintenance
2 Hubs
12 Public Access Points
All OneNB buildings
Grace in Action
North End Woodward Community Coalition
BLVD Harambee
Tier 2 Broadband Provider
(business/enterprise ISP)
Community Hubs/
Network Access Points
Digital Stewards:
Community residents trained in network installation
Multifamily homes, seniors, students
50 homes in each neighborhood during Year 1
Detroit, MI
RHI Digital Steward Program
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Technology Career Training
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Install, maintain, promote network
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Support network users
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Ownership of network
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Internships with project partners
Community member
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Online access
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User support via Digital Stewards
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Local information and resources
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Ownership of network
Community and Youth Development
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Program support and funding
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Increased communication with constituents
ISP partner
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Lead technical aspects, including installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting
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Digital Steward internship hosts
Red Hook, New York City
