Telecom: Broadband Adoption

State & Local Broadband Best Practices Survey

1. ID (System Generated): 22605

2. Project Name (System Generated): MN Chaska.net

3. State: MN

4. Title of project or program: Chaska.net

5. Identify the type of organization that administers this project:

   1. Other:

6. What is the project’s geographic coverage area? Municipal

7. Is the purpose of the project to construct broadband infrastructure in/to:

   1. Community Anchor Institutions

   2. Improve Public Safety Services

   3. Improve Health Care Delivery

   4. Improve Education

8. Is the purpose of the project to promote broadband use by:

9. What technologies are used by the project?

   1. Other Wireless Technology

   2. Other technology: 5.8 mHz point-to-multipoint wireless network

10. If the project involves utilizing noteworthy hardware or software products, please identify the major vendors and/or partners for the project:

11. Did the project involve building infrastructure that produced a new or faster broadband service?

    1. What is the rated or marketed speed of the fastest new or updated broadband service offered to:

       Business consumers?1.5 mbps

       Residential consumers?1.2 mbps

    2. Are these “peak” speeds or “average” speeds?

    3. Are these speeds “symmetrical?” (users can simultaneously upload and download at this speed): Yes

12. What consumers are served by the infrastructure project:

    1. Other:

13. If the purpose of the project is to stimulate demand for broadband services, please indicate how it achieved this goal:

    1. Education & Training

    2. Application Development

    3. Other method:

14. If the purpose of the project is to improve affordability of broadband services, please indicate how it achieves this goal:

    1. Equipment Distribution

    2. Other method:

15. If the purpose of the project is to promote the availability of broadband services in rural areas, please indicate how it achieves this goal:

    1. Other:

16. Please provide detailed project description including time sequence for the project's implementation: Chaska is approximately a 15 square mile city that built its own Wi-Fi network throughout the city and now retails broadband Internet access under the name chaska.net. The network has 378 Tropos cells deployed within city limits operating as a mesh. Approximately 20% of the cells are backhaul-enabled to the city's data center through either city-owned fiber or a point-to-multipoint wireless system from equipment located on water towers and city facilities throughout Chaska. Internet, email and web hosting are provided on the mesh to residences ($18.99/mo. up to 1.2Mbps) and small businesses ($28.99/mo up to 1.5Mbps). ). Customers receive a wireless "bridge" at sign-up that operates at a higher power (200 mW) than standard Wi-fi equipment (approximately 40 mW). When installed on the customer's premises, the bridge can operate in conjunction with a customer's in-building wireless router so that the customer can attach several household computers simultaneously through a single chaska.net connection. Chaska also offers direct fiber connectivity options and wireless point-to-multipoint circuits to customers in Chaska and other select cities within the surrounding county.

17. Identify the project funding sources:

    1. State or Local Tax Funds

    2. State or Local Bonds

    3. Retail Revenues

    4. Other:

18. What is the project cost?

    1. Total capital expenditures to date:

       $ millions as of [fiscal/calendar] year 20

    2. Annual program operating budget (estimated if not yet fully operational):

       $ millions as of [fiscal/calendar] year 2007

19. What impediments or problems were encountered in completing the project or program? 1. 1. Customer service desk and network operations center support 2..Signal impediments from foliage and reflective siding on homes

20. What actions were taken to resolve or minimize project or program impediments and problems? 1. 1. Management problems were reduced through contracting. Chaska contracts with Siemens Communications to provide contract services for service desk and network operations center support. This efficiently extends the abilities of its own small staff assigned to chaska.net. 2.Signal impediments were addressed through educating customers regarding the importance of placing the Wi-fi bridge in a favorable location (higher elevation) within the home.

21. What other lessons were learned during the process of undertaking and completing this project or program? Optimal placement and appropriate density of mesh cells are key factors in a successful city scale system and are difficult to determine in a small scale pilot phase deployment.

22. Project or program website link: http://www.chaska.net/index.shtml

23. For further information contact:

    1. Name: Chad Palm

    2. Title: Informatoin Systems manager

    3. Organization: Chaska.net

    4. Telephone Number: 952-448-9200

    5. E-Mail Address: cpalm@chaskamn.com