TechEDge | California Community Colleges

Central Valley Broadband Project Nets Funding

Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 September 2010 Written by Janis Cortese Tuesday, 07 September 2010

A joint CVIN and CENIC effort, the Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project (CVNGBIP), has been awarded $46.6 million in stimulus funding by the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

The 18 counties targeted for broadband infrastructure through CVNGBIP are Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Fresno, Kings, Kern, Mariposa, Merced, Madera, Nevada, Placer, Tuolumne, Tulare, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter and Yuba.

This project was designed and developed by the private-public partnership of CVIN, LLC (the Central Valley Independent Network) and CENIC (the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California).

The total project costs are projected at $66.6 million. In addition to the NTIA grant, equal to 70 percent of the costs, the affiliated members of CVIN, LLC have committed $13.2 million in cash for a 20 percent match. The project is now awaiting favorable action by the California Public Utilities Commission to provide a 10 percent match, or $6.6 million from the CASF.

The Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project involves building, operating and maintaining a fiber-optic network infrastructure that will traverse 1,371 miles of California's Central Valley in addition to last-mile wireless capability over parts of four counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare. Initially, the CVNGBIP will focus on connecting community anchor institutions via fiber, including 19 county offices of education sites, 14 community college sites, three California State University campuses, 20 county and main libraries and seven public safety sites.

The community college sites that will benefit from the project serve approximately 200,000 students and include all of the following institutions:

• Bakersfield College (part of Kern Community College District)
• College of the Sequoias
• Columbia College
• Fresno City College (part of State Center Community College District)
• Kern Community College District
• Merced College
• Modesto Junior College (part of Yosemite Community College District)
• Porterville College
• Reedley College
• San Joaquin Delta College
• State Center Community College District
• West Hills College Lemoore
• Yosemite Community College District
• Yuba Community College District and College

Once connected, all of the non-profit anchor institutions will be supported by CENIC and become an integral part of the CENIC statewide California Research and Education Network (CalREN), a nearly 3,000-mile fiber-optic-based advanced network that has been serving California's K-20 public research and education institutions since 1997. CalREN is one of the most advanced networks of its kind in the world.

CVIN will utilize the new infrastructure for commercial purposes enabling businesses, residences and county, local, state and federal government agencies located in the listed counties to purchase a full range of telecommunications services. These services will be offered by CVIN directly, or by CVIN Affiliates and other local telecommunications providers with whom CVIN has strategic relationships.

The partner organizations together share an immense amount of expertise in the deployment and operation of advanced communications and network services throughout California. CVIN, LLC is a joint enterprise comprised of affiliates of eight Independent Telephone Companies located in central and northern California. These companies cover more than 7,000 square miles and operate more than 1,700 miles of fiber. Many of these companies are more than 100 years old.

On behalf of nearly all of California's K-20 research and education community, CENIC currently owns and operates CalREN, which extends from the Mexican border to Corning and from San Diego into Arizona. CalREN serves nearly 10 million K-20 students, faculty and staff members.

Further information about the Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project can be found at http://www.cvngbip.org.<>

Janis Cortese is Manager of Publicity and Communications at CENIC.