Coordinator report on Broadband

Summary

We are working on phase-one of the Warwick wireless internet system
rebuild. The project involves new multi radio gear; reuse of some bands
/ frequencies; adding new higher frequency equipment; replacing tower
wiring; establishing twelve pole-mounted relay sites with electric
power, adding back-up power generation to the cell tower,
interconnecting all towers with wireless links; documenting the system;
and reaching all permanent residents with service providing broadband
download speeds.

Town Meeting voted $240,000 of borrowing authorization to support the
first phase of this upgrade. To date we have spent $84,000. We are
working on changes on the cell tower this fall while we await a state
funding decision on our grant application which asks for $450,000. If
awarded, the grant will permit us to add state of the art LTE equipment
in place of the WiMax gear that is in use and that is currently our
fastest solution. LTE will make service many times faster than the best
we currently can offer. LTE is the standard for cellular data transfer.
We will use the technology for fixed service, not for mobility service,
and our use will not be integrated to cell phone voice networks.

We have upgraded, to date, about 15% of the network and work continues
on a daily basis. The best performance won't be obtained until the whole
network is upgraded. The good news is we are coming in well under
budget. The bad news is this is taking a lot longer than we hoped or
planned. At this time we cannot say when individual subscribers will get
upgraded, but updates on our progress will keep coming from the staff
and Broadband Committee.

Detail

The Broadband build is progressing, though more slowly than anticipated.
One key issue is backhaul performance. We are working on what we think
is a fiber issue where we are not getting the transport we are paying
for at the Town Hall connection.  Our ISP thinks it a buffering issue.
Others suggest layers of quality of service (QOS) bad scripting by the
network operator based on MBI design.

Mass Tech Board of Directors (parent of MBI) didn't meet in October. We
for our part, supplied an executive summary that is mostly marketing to
MBI after submission of all requested documents for our request for a
grant of $450k as part of a $550k total project. I was assisted by a
senior Cisco sales representative with this update.  Ii is notable that
MBI recently revised the last mile program. The changes are to the
benefit of rural communities. Their new plan is not so "one size fits
all". 

New hire, Jason is working as lead on documenting the network. He has
created a mySQL database and imported our Alpha5 customer and billing
data. Next step is to import the Solarwinds connection monitoring data.
He will write a web interface for installers and database operators to
provide simple access. If we ever do Radius authentication this will be
a start on that as well. He has scripted access point configurations.

The accounting team met to discuss the recent independent audit
recommendations, one of which noted that there isn't separation of
duties in Broadband collections. I have functionally done it all.
Starting in November, I will issue the bills and Jessica, as collector,
will receive the payment, make the turnover to the treasurer and submit
advice of payment to the Enterprise Fund / department which we will then
record in our Broadband books.  

David Koester is bringing our departmental books up to date. Revenue in
the department books income statement as reported is accrued revenue,
not what has actually been collected.  The town bookkeeping side is
strictly on a cash basis reflecting actual collections. We are on budget
on the revenue side, and as expected, under budget on expense. Following
are some details:

Town Accountant has revenues and expenses recorded through the 24th of
October. Broadband operating revenues collected is $33,289. There is
about $1,900 collected in Oct after the 26th that is not yet recognized
by town, making total collections for first four months of $35,189.
Operating expenses total $25,560 for the same period. The Town and
Department expense side books agree within $20.

Because the town, like a non-profit, uses fund accounting, it takes both
an Other Funds Revenue and an Other Funds expense report to generate an
income statement. The operating budget town meeting voted was $104k and
in balance (revenue and expense budgeted are equal). We don't really
care, except this voted amount caps total annual spending and to
increase it we would need to go to Town Meeting for a voted increase. We
are working on a new data set and internal departmental report on an
actual rather than accrued basis.

As of end of October we have spent $80,641 on the broadband capital
build-out. We have paid for the parts to construct new tower wiring
harnesses at both high tower sites. Our tower cables are getting tired
and failing. We are putting them in conduit this time, including fiber
and DC power as future-proofing. 

Half the needed 5 GHz tower base station capacity we will install is
purchased and configured. This is enough for the six new sectors on the
cell tower.  Two of six at the cell tower are installed.  All the 2 GHz
bases needed to go atop the poles (which I ordered when I found some
brand new surplus gear priced low) and all the new 900 base radios (I
found a sale for new gear 50% off) we need for the two towers (fourteen
total including two spares) are bought and on site. One base / access
point is deployed. We have most all the 5 and 2 GHz customer radios. We
will need more 900 MHz customer radios. I found and ordered some higher
gain antennas for new dual pol 900 which will triple the RF gain. We
have to site and purchase the dozen or so neighborhood poles and provide
electric service. Despite delays, I plan to have the cell tower first
phase (900 and 5 GHz) completed this fall. We are scheduled to climb and
install on the cell tower 11/14. First step will be the replacement
tower wire.

LTE waits for the MBI grant award.