Community Wireless Elements

RPM has worked with a large number of community-based institutions from feasibility and strategy development to implementation and network operation. There is usually universal interest in the community network concept, and often communities just need some help to get started. The overall process is replicable, but no one approach fits all community situations, so RPM has to get into the locale and really work with the stakeholders involved.

The elements of the typical community wireless engagement are:

Phase 1 – Assessment Workshop

RPM leads a core team (8-12 people) from key institutions sponsoring the project in a workshop to develop a detailed assessment of the community’s situation. RPM analyzes any relevant information available in preparation for the workshop. Items to be discussed will include:

  • Identify key partner organizations (in the roles of resource provider/funder and/or user) required for community’s success, such as
    • Governmental officials from various overlapping jurisdictions (i.e. municipal, school district, county, state)
    • Educational institutions (universities, colleges, private schools)
    • Key medical facilities and organization (hospital, emergency medical response, home health agencies, group practices, and outpatient facilities)
    • Private companies such as major employers, utilities and retail service providers
  • Develop a clear set of goals and objectives for the project by synthesizing the various goals and interests of the community with those of key partners and stakeholders.
  • Identify and prioritize the resources (i.e. spectrum, tower and roof access, fiber links, network operations and hosting facilities, etc.) required by the community, and the circumstances under which partners might make them available to the project, as well as any resource gaps.
  • Identify additional funding sources and opportunities for on-going service revenues.
  • Identify major applications and quantify usage over time.
  • Identify the ROI objectives for partners involved as well as the asset valuation approach, potential business models to achieve ROI objectives, as well as potential operational returns to user organizations.
  • Identify third-party regulatory and/or political influences as well as private sector organizations that might benefit or pose risk to the project.

Phase 1 – Deliverables

RPM provides as much face-to-face information and feedback as possible during, and at the conclusion of the workshop. RPM quickly provides the project sponsor with a written report containing:

  • A summary of the discussion, any resulting conclusions, and a preliminary assessment of your situation
  • Recommendations regarding the schedule and key stakeholders to include for Phase 2 of the project

Phase 2 – Stakeholder and Resource Information Gathering – Draft Recommendations

The objectives of phase 2 are threefold;

  • To gather information concerning stakeholders (goals/objectives/motivations, potential funding and resources available, potential applications and user demand of the network, etc.),
  • To educate people in the community about the potential applications, uses, and benefits to them personally, to their organizations, and to their community, as well as the likely alternatives available to supply the solutions.
  • To develop a consensus among a critical mass of key stakeholders on the approach to be used (structure, governance, and business model) by the community going forward.

The number of people and organizations interviewed varies with the size and complexity of the community. Most interviews are in depth, preferably in-person, but possibly by telephone if logistics and cost require it. Flexibility is required because the discovery process almost always uncovers the need for additional contacts or follow-up conversations. This process usually takes several weeks to complete.

Phase 2 - Deliverables

RPM provides the project sponsor with a summary of each interview, interim reports bi-weekly during phase 2, and a complete phase 2 report collecting each of the interviews with summary and conclusions and the preliminary recommendations to be drawn from them.

Phase 3 – Structure, Governance, Strategy, and Business Model Development

In phase 3, RPM combines our industry knowledge and experience with the information gathered in Phases 1 and 2 in order to develop a high-level plan for the community wireless network, concerning:

  • Feasibility
    • Assess market demand and coverage required
    • Technical feasibility and potential network design
    Organizational Structure
    • Standalone, independent entity or
    • Operating entity within an existing partner/stakeholder organization
  • Governance
    • Reporting relationship to partner organizations
    • Asset ownership, evaluation, rights to access/use, and compensation
    • Operating responsibility and indemnification
    • The role of non-member third-party product and service providers
  • Strategy and Business Model
    • Marketing and Branding
    • Revenue, capital and operating cost forecasts
    • Wholesale, retail, or mixed
    • Member and non-member network usage
    • Service value compensation for asset contribution
    • Usage fee structure

RPM also identifies the action items (and associated responsibilities) necessary to implement this plan. RPM integrates the above elements into a cohesive written Business Plan, including sections on the local services market, market strategy and programs, service offerings and pricing, network implementation, and risk assessment. Phase 3 usually requires 2-3 calendar weeks to complete (depending upon the ultimate scope desired by community). Upon completion, RPM presents the Business Plan in order to discuss it with the project sponsor and core stakeholders and answer any questions.

Such a project often results in RPM doing a follow-on project to develop a Request for Proposals for either the development/operations of the network or the end users services that would be required from it. Should the project sponsor be in the position to directly develop the network, RPM could use the resources and expertise of its partner organizations to implement the network envisioned in the business plan.

RPM has successfully partnered with Stratum Broadband LLC on numerous community broadband projects. RPM focuses on the marketing and business strategy portions of projects, and Stratum has the network design and engineering expertise and experience to translate project requirements into real-world networks. Together the RPM-Stratum partnership can help clients from creation of the original concept to the implementation and delivery of communication services.