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Policy Brief: How Much Broadband Speed Do You Need? (2020)

Valley Vision, as the managing organization for the Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium (CCABC), has prepared this policy brief. The CCABC is funded by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and supports the counties of Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba to achieve improved internet connectivity across the region and reduce the Digital Divide.

This policy brief was prepared due to the critical need to expand connectivity, as the pandemic revealed the disparities across the region – connectivity essential for both recovery and an inclusive community. The brief ties together different aspects of internet use from household needs (i.e., speed, usage, multiple users’ needs, and technologies), to larger regional deployment and cost analysis (i.e., broadband coverage by technology and cost to bring internet to unserved households).

Policy Brief: How Much Broadband Speed Do You Need? (2020)Download

Broadband Coverage in the Delta (October 2020)

Beginning in 2014, the Delta Protection Commission (Commission) undertook the Delta Community Action Planning (CAP) project to increase civic vitality and preserve the values and character of historic Delta towns. Through the CAP process, broadband infrastructure was identified as an essential utility needed to serve residents, businesses (including agricultural operations), and visitors. In 2019, Valley Vision completed Connecting the Delta: Broadband Action Plan, a report prepared for the Commission to inform local governments and all those affected by the lack of high-speed internet service of recommended actions to improve broadband adoption and support.

According to the report, within the five legacy communities identified in the CAP project (Clarksburg, Courtland, Hood, Isleton, and Walnut Grove), approximately one-third of households did not have Internet subscriptions at the time of report preparation in 2019. Households and businesses within the legacy communities have very limited provider options. Additionally, 17% of households within Delta communities do not have access to a computing device (desktop, laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Access, quality, reliability, and cost all factor into this circumstance. The Delta is faced with many barriers and has several unserved and underserved areas lacking broadband service, compared to the surrounding greater metropolitan areas of Sacramento, Stockton-Tracy, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

At broadband workshops held in the Delta during 2018 and 2019, community members voiced broadband quality and access frustrations, equity discrepancies, and educational and safety concerns. Additionally, while not exclusive to broadband, it must be noted that each community also identified challenges with mobile wireless (i.e. cell phones) and lack of signal availability.

 The 2019 action plan offered three recommendations for achieving improved broadband: (1) organize for action; (2) leverage existing opportunities; and (3) pursue and secure funding. As a preliminary step to organizing for action, the Commission is partnering with Valley Vision and the Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium (CCABC) to assess the broadband coverage in the five legacy communities and an expanded area including Bethel Island, the Delta Loop, Freeport, Rio Vista, and Terminous. 

The following report and maps will be used in three ways:

  • To provide local governing bodies, committees, and councils the coverage profiles that broadband service providers have reported to the CPUC,
  • To kick off a campaign to engage residents of these Delta communities to test and register their actual residential service download and upload speeds for comparison with the reported available speeds, and
  • After reviewing testing results, identify areas where service most needs improvement, and work with the community leaders, appropriate broadband coalitions, Internet service providers and the CPUC to leverage existing opportunities for service improvement and seek funding support.

Broadband Coverage in the Delta (October 2020)Download

Sacramento Area Broadband Coverage Maps (CPUC 2019 Data)

These maps from the CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) illustrate broadband coverage across the 4-county Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium (CCABC) area. The CPUC collects reports from providers throughout the state. More data is available through the agency’s interactive broadband map.

High-Resolution Maps:

Getting Connected in the Capital Region (2020)

Accelerating broadband infrastructure investment has never been more urgent. Ubiquitous broadband is indispensable to our region’s recovery and resilience in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, October 1, Valley Vision, the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) virtually co-convened broadband partners and stakeholders to discuss how to accelerate broadband infrastructure investments across the region. The event also launched highlights of “Getting Connected,” a resource guide for local and regional government leaders to deploy 21st century broadband infrastructure. As manager of the CPUC-funded Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium (CCABC), Valley Vision partnered with CETF on preparing this leading-edge resource guide, which features best practices, policies, and innovative models to accelerate broadband infrastructure investment and adoption.

Meeting Materials:

Sacramento Coalition for Digital Inclusion Meeting: October 2020

The Sacramento Coalition for Digital Inclusion consists of more than 40 organizations and is led by a steering committee comprised of the City of Sacramento, the Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento City College, Los Rios Community College District, California State University Sacramento, and Valley Vision. Valley Vision secured short term funding to relaunch the Coalition through the Morgan Family Foundation and Union Bank.

The Sacramento Coalition for Digital Inclusion had its 2020 relaunching meeting on September 18th (see meeting notes here). The steering committee and members presented on current broadband topics which first, elevated the critical issues related to digital inclusion in the community, and second, enabled a collaboration path forward. The Coalition is working on three main areas or subgroups:

  • Internet Access and Adoption
  • Technology Devices
  • Digital Literacy/Digital Skills

Join us at the next Coalition meeting on October 23rd 11am to 12:30pm. RSVP here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kc-yoqDoqG9HsbBR8DsKmYluIRGvSumu4

For more information on the Sacramento Coalition for Digital Inclusion, visit https://digitalinclusionsac.org/. Stay tuned for our new website in the coming weeks!

Broadband Report Card: Map (2020)

Broadband infrastructure grades compare broadband access in a city, town, region, county, or census block to the California average. These maps illustrate the data found in the capital region broadband report card. Click here for grades for each jurisdiction in the Sacramento region.

Steve Blum with Tellus Venture Associates assembled this information on behalf of Valley Vision, as part of the latter’s work in managing the Connected Capital Broadband Consortium (CCABC).

The primary data for assessing the quantity and quality of broadband infrastructure comes from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which collects reports from providers throughout the state. More data is available through the interactive broadband map produced by the CPUC.

Broadband Report Card: Map (2020)Download

Broadband Report Card: Grades (2020)

Broadband infrastructure grades compare broadband access in a city, town, region, county, or census block to the California average.

Steve Blum with Tellus Venture Associates assembled this information on behalf of Valley Vision, as part of the latter’s work in managing the Connected Capital Broadband Consortium (CCABC).

The primary data for assessing the quantity and quality of broadband infrastructure comes from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which collects reports from providers throughout the state. More data is available through the interactive broadband map produced by the CPUC.

Broadband Report Card: Grades (2020)Download

Preferred Broadband Scenarios

In the digital age, fast and reliable internet is indispensable to equity and economic development. Without it, community members are barred from full access to basic services, job opportunities, among other tools and paths for improving quality of life.

Valley Vision is at the center of strategic efforts to improve broadband access in California’s Capital Region, paving the way for future-ready infrastructure and regional prosperity.

Under a grant from the California Emerging Technology Fund, Valley Vision put together a Preferred Scenario that identifies gaps in broadband deployment and access throughout the Capital Region, and the available local assets to address these gaps. Valley Vision is also convening local governments to discuss best practices at the local level for addressing this issue.

Slingshot: Supporting Innovation

To boost the innovation environment in California’s Capital region, bolster high-revenue producing employment sectors and effectively compete in a globalized, information-age economy, entrepreneurship, new startups and human capital must permeate the economy. The Sacramento region contains many of the necessary ingredients to support entrepreneurs and small businesses, but sustained success requires a robust network of investors, assistance providers, sources of innovative products and services, and a skilled workforce.

SlingShot is an initiative of the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) to encourage and support regional partnerships across the state to engage in new collective actions around innovation workforce challenges. The Sacramento region’s SlingShot project is focused on building an ecosystem where innovation thrives and business startups can be successful. The goal is to catalyze leadership and engagement from regional entrepreneurs and businesses in order to strengthen the Capital Region’s innovation ecosystem, and to stimulate innovation and new company creation by creating the conditions to grow emerging industries and new businesses.

SlingShot is a statewide program being implemented locally through a partnership with the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA), Golden Sierra, the North Central Counties Consortium, and the Yolo County WDB, with SETA acting as the lead partner and Valley Vision being the project manager.

SlingShot partners have been working together since May 2014 to pursue and build collaboration across the nine county geographic region. SlingShot has resulted in ~$750,000 to support innovation, entrepreneurs, and startups in the region. The Sacramento Employment and Training Agency released RFPs in Winter 2016-17 to support business mentorship, maker spaces/incubators/accelerators, and web-based resource navigators.

School2Home Initiative

Historically low-performing schools tend to have limited access to the technology and tools necessary for teachers and students to navigate and adapt to an increasingly digitized world. School2Home is an innovative statewide program that aims to close both the Achievement Gap and the Digital Divide by integrating computing and broadband technologies into teaching and learning at low-performing schools throughout California.

The goal is to increase student achievement at Leataata Floyd Elementary School (LFE) and the adoption of broadband service by the school’s families. LFE is the first elementary school in the state to adopt the program. Leataata Floyd Elementary School is a historically low-performing school with 100% of students living in households that fall below the Federal Poverty Level. School2Home helps to provide the infrastructure and support services needed to increase both student achievement and family success, including laptops for every student to use in school and at home; enhanced teacher professional development and training on integration of technology into instruction; increased parent engagement and home access to high-speed Internet; and student Tech Expert Development.

As part of its management of the regional broadband consortium, Valley Vision is implementing the School2Home pilot initiative at Leataata Floyd Elementary School, the first school in Sacramento in which the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) has invested. Valley Vision is working in partnership with the California Emerging Technology Fund, Leataata Floyd Elementary School, Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD), the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County, the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) and other community partners.

Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium

In the digital age, fast and reliable internet is indispensable to equity and economic development. Without it, community members are barred from full access to basic services, job opportunities, among other tools and paths for improving quality of life.

Valley Vision is at the center of strategic efforts to improve broadband access in Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba Counties within California’s Capital Region, paving the way for future-ready infrastructure and regional prosperity. As the manager of the inclusion Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium (CCABC), Valley Vision coordinates efforts to fill critical broadband infrastructure gaps and improve access in homes, schools, and businesses.

This work is funded by a grant from the California Public Utilities Commission, and carried out in partnership with the California Emerging Technology Fund, as well as several other state and local agencies and non-government organizations, including the USDA, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, the California Department of Education, California Department of Technology, Sacramento Area Council of Governments, California Telehealth Network, Leataata Floyd Elementary School, Yolo LAFCo, City of Sacramento and Sacramento, Yolo, and Yuba counties, network service providers, and many other stakeholders and partners.

AgTech Pilot

Agricultural has become increasingly reliant on technology for water and energy conservation, reduction of chemical inputs, and increased productivity.

Most of this technology requires Internet access, yet many rural areas do not have access to broadband–technology-neutral, high-speed Internet access from both wired and wireless infrastructure. Without access to broadband, farmers and ranchers are unable to adopt new technologies necessary to stay economically viable.

Valley Vision is working to support keeping ag land in agriculture. The project has three components: research, a grower’s survey, and a field study. The research conducted by Valley Vision summarizes findings on existing research, studies in progress, and research gaps. Our proximity to UC Davis, the premiere agricultural research university in the nation, gives us access to the most up-to-date information.

In partnership with the Yolo County Agriculture Commissioner’s office, Valley Vision administered a survey to growers in early 2017. The results show that 70% of growers have some coverage, while 30% have none. Among those who have coverage, no one reported 100% coverage. Additionally, growers are being innovative in their solutions, creating mobile hotspots and “rigging up” coverage that is ultimately unsustainable. Other survey findings are included in the final report.