2015 NC TOMORROW Summit:
Building Communities for Tomorrow's Jobs
Keven McCammon
Site Manager, Facebook Data Center
Forest City, NC
In 2014, a free wi-fi network was
launched to serve residents in
Forest City and Rutherfordton.
What Did It Take To Get Here?
1
Infrastructure Evolution
2
Community Support
3
The Linchpin: PANGAEA Internet
4
Impact on Education
5
Impact on Economy & Community
6
Lessons Learned, Best Practices
Infrastructure Evolution
Huge Economic & Cultural Impacts
Arteries for Growth:
18th Century
19th Century
th
20 Century
21th Century
Roads/Waterways
Railroads
Highways
Internet
Community Support:
Public – Private Partnership
Community Responds to the Need
Community Need 2001
• Business customers: slow DSL, no other
providers
• High cost for T-1 service
• School system: High cost and poor service
Community Leadership
• Volunteer Board of Directors
• Local contractors
• County schools and government
Funding Partners
Received $4M + in funding:
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Polk County Community Foundation
Polk County Government & Schools
Rural Internet Access Authority (e-NC Authority)
Rutherford County Government and Schools
Advantage West
Appalachian Region Commission
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
Golden Leaf Foundation
Cooper-Riis Healing Farm
Facebook
Ann L. Turner & Geoffrey M. Tennant Foundation
Many other private organizations
The Linchpin:
PANGAEA Internet
(non_profit middle mile fiber provider)
Public – Private Partnership
Community
Vendors
WISP’s
Foundations
PANGAEA
Internet
Government
501(c)(3)
Customers
Education
Utilities
Fiber Build
Impact on Education
Impact
Low cost, non-profit structure
200 miles of fiber: last mile and middle mile
Fiber connections: health care, education, government, commercial
99.97% network uptime
Customer service: exceed expectations 94% of the time
Wireless broadband via WISP partner
Wi-Fi for towns and students (Facebook partnership)
PANGAEA community grants and scholarships
Impact on Economy & Community
Case Study
Mill Spring Agricultural Development Center
Renovated 1920’s Brick Schoolhouse
Agricultural Development, Farmland Preservation,
Education, Community Service, Business Development
10 PANGAEA Fiber Optic Customers
Spotlight: Turner HD Media
Case Study
’Connect’ Community WiFi
Goal: Provide Internet access to thousands of underserved students in the area
(only 50% have access from home)
Two solutions deployed: OpenMesh AP’s on telephone poles first, then more robust
GoBeam AP’s mounted to high points (water towers & rooftops)
~5,000 unique users per month, 25Gb per day usage
OpenMesh
GoBeam
Forest City
Rutherfordton
• $707 Million in Total Gross
Economic Impact (2011-13)
• Including $526 in Total
Capital Expenditures
• 5,000 Jobs Across North
Carolina
• $500,000 in Community
Action Grants
• Isothermal Community
College Partnership
• Wi-Fi Project
• Commitment to Local
Suppliers
HorseHead
• $340 million investment
• Creation of 240 new full
time jobs
Valley Foods
• 12.0 million investment
• Creation of 305 new full
time jobs
Lessons Learned,
Best Practices
Lessons Learned
• Community and Education Focus
• Partnerships (Public/Private)
• Funding (Sustainability)
• Grants for Capital Costs
• Customer Revenue for Operating Costs
• USAC Service Provider
• 10 – 18 % annual operating margin with $0
debt
• Nearly $1M revenue with $600K cash reserve
• 3 employees
No Cookie Cutter Solutions
Challenges Remain
Questions & Answers
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