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November 2006 Archive

The Art and Science of Metropolitan Broadband

Perhaps because telecommunication systems like metropolitan broadband (wired or wireless) networks and municpal wireless networks fall under the general heading of High Tech, they are widely viewed more as scientific projects than they would ever be considered as works of art.

But if we consider the definitions of "art" and "science," with that all-important open mind, we find that in any new endeavor (and metropolitan broadband and muncipal wireless are most definitely "new endeavors"), art and the creative process play a bigger role than we might at first assume.

Indeed, in any work we do, there can be an artistic element. To digress for a moment, I'm a strong proponent of bringing a healthy dose of the artist's craft to any project I undertake - being creative and innovative adds to the enjoyment of the task and I believe, to customer satisfaction in the end. There's a strong argument to living life as an artist, but now I'm really digressing. Back to metropolitan broadband as art - I'm thinking this concept will take more than one blog to develop.

Consider this:

Creative impulse

From one perspective, art is a generic term for any product of the creative impulse, out of which sprang all other human pursuits, such as science via alchemy. The term 'art' offers no true definition besides those based within the cultural, historical, and geographical context in which it is applied. Though to artists themselves, the impulse to create can be strong.Wikipedia

So this writer has science springing out of art by way of alchemy. What then does Wikipedia have to say about the definition of "science?"

Science in the broadest sense refers to any system of knowledge attained by verifiable means. In a more restricted sense, science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on empiricism, experimentation, and methodological naturalism, as well as to the organized body of knowledge humans have gained by such research. Wikipedia

I try to resist these either-or discussions, because generally speaking, most of the truth lies part way between either extreme. In this case, municpal wireless networks can, and should be partly a science project, and partly a work of art.

As scientists, the project participants design a network, measure results, try different solutions as problems arise, and measure some more. All this in order to determine the best approach and design. By acting as scientists, we can build on our collective knowledge base and get better at these networks as we accummulate experience.

As artists, the project participants draw on their creative roots and innovate around problems. They combine different elements of technology, business, and political problem solving as if they were oil paints on a palette. Given that we are dealing with the vagaries of radio science, new technologies, government spectrum management, competing business models, and political compromise, any truly successful municipal wireless network project will enjoy the benefits of the artist's touch. The result can then be viewed as a work of art.

I believe that if we approach these projects with both of these hats on - at once both a scientist busy observing and measuring, and an artist forging new solutions and solving problems on the fly with innovative new approaches and the tools we have at hand - if we do that, we will find ourselves with a creation that works and one that we all can be proud of.

Being both a scientist and an artist allows us to draw from all the options on the table and provides us with the best possible results in this new field we're in.

Posted on November 27, 2006 at 07:32 PM | Comments (0)

Learning to Live within Boundaries

In the previous blog, I talked about the issue of complexity. Another hard pill to swallow is the fact that, when it comes to municipal wireless projects, we're bounded by some basic constraints that govern any procurement or project.

I'm referring to a buisness maxim that I call the "Business Golden Triangle." You may recognize it by another name, but you've either already heard of this approach in some shape or form, or you'll recognize its truths as common sense.

The rule says that in procurements and projects, you cannot have your cake and eat it too. Surprise, surprise. Disappointing, but that's the reality of adult life. The three aspects of the golden triangle that you control and that impact your prospects are Time (fast v. slow, sooner v. later), Quality (high qualtiy v. low quality), and Money (less expensive v. more expensive).

The Business Golden Triangle Maxim says, "Only two of these three are available to any consumer." To recognize its truth, just try to imagine getting just what you want that is very high quality, immediately, for very little money - that's a fantasy world. Or the polar oppostite, getting something of very low quality over a long period, with project delays, while spending a lot - that's getting taken to the cleaners. So, the rational choices in a procurement or business decision are to pick two factors that are most important and relax the third constraint:

1) Fast and less expensive, but lower quality. Strategy: 1) Lower your standards (accept less quality or fewer options, usually acheived through extensive planning and negotiation between stakeholders to determine the must-have items and the nice-to-have items and then setting priorities).

2) High quality and less expensive, but takes more time. Strategy: Start the project earlier (to be a responsible steward of time as a resource, a city would start a low-grade project immediately to get a jump on things and move at their own pace, to allow adequate time to find savings and devleop creative approaches that leverage existing assets or competitive advantages).

3) Fast and high quality, but costs more. Strategy: Pay more (budget more to accommodate a higher expense, create a strong business case to justify a financial strategy, identify alternate grant or funding sources, etc.).

Of course, there is nothing to prevent the wise consumer from doing all three of these strategies, in order to keep his options open - doing that would provide optimal flexibility to let the city then choose the constraint to relax when it came time for a procurement or decision.

The bottom line? If you are interested in municipal wireless as an option for your community, you are best served to bring in professional help to find the right fit, devise a strategy, and develop a business case, all of which will position you and allow you and your city:

1) to get serious about things sooner than later;
2) to retain the most options for when you do have to decide;
3) to leverage time as a resource;
4) to get the best prices; and
5) to keep quality high.

There's no substitute for taking the bull by the horns and taking responsibility for your own destiny. There's no substitute for approaching a project with as many factors in your favor as possible. And there's no substitute for spending a little up front to save a lot on the back end.

Posted on November 22, 2006 at 02:41 PM | Comments (0)

Grinding the Axes: Three Variables Drive Complexity in Muni Wireless Networks

For the past 18 months, I've been studying the municipal wireless industry and trying on different business development models that might kick start this industry by solving some of the thorny issues that bedevil both the vendors and the cities. While I'm not ready to raise the white flag in surrender, I have to acknowledge that we are unlikely to simplify things to a great degree anytime soon. I will hasten to add that there are still some things we can all do to speed up the deal flow and the learning, but we are quite simply, bounded by unavoidable constraints.

So looking at the state of complexity and risk with regard to municipal networks, I've got good news and bad news. I think the preferred method is to give the good news first, so here goes.

The good news: Collectively, we're getting better and better at this.

As an industry, we know more than we ever have about how to do municipal wireless networks. Industry experience over the past two years - multiple business models, a growing bookshelf of case studies with new lessons learned, aggressive entry by technology vendors, a maturing field of system integrators and service providers, declining technology cost curves, and a few of us ever-more-experienced consultants who continue to learn by doing - all that translates into dramatic improvement in the odds for success and lower risk for those cities who are interested in launching a municipal wireless network (and willing to listen to and act on good advice).

The bad news: No matter what we do, acquiring and running a municpal wireless network will remain a complex process.

This is an industry based on a complex system of variables inside a three dimensional matrix, comprised of three axes: technology, business, and politics. Each of these axes provides a limited amount of wiggle room that will allow cities to drive out complexity and cost and lower risk. That's where MetroNetIQ and a select number of consultants in this new space come in. The good ones will show you how to work the margins to improve your situation regarding technology, business, and political factors that are still within your "Circle of Control."

Technology: Even as the options get better, they also multiply over time, adding complexity to the choices you face. Because its a dynamic scenario, the situation becomes more complex over time. And the fact that we are dealing with radio waves and spectrum means that the laws of physics and government regulation combine to create an incredibly complex scenario loaded up with variables, and to make certain constraints, like network design and environmental management, unavoidable.

Business: Which business model is best? Two years ago, it looked like the Municipally Owned and Operated model. Last year the Public Private Partnership model gained ascendancy, and now I'm hearing that the Municipally Owned, but Privately Operated model has legs. What is the temperature for participation and risk inside your city? How much money do you have access to? This boils down to a political decision after all the business variables are laid out, which leads us to the third axis.

Politics: This topic is a true wild card. Wherever there are human beings and competing interests, politics will be present to complicate matters. In local government, there are politics to deal with in between departments, on the City Council, among the stakeholders in the community, etc., etc., etc. Do you have a strong leader pushing your city into this industry? Or do you have a set of competing barons and political fiefs that add to the complex environment? Whatever your local situation, political issues and risks are best dealt with through anticipation, scenario planning, and political strategy.

All three of these axes must be managed in a Municipal Wireless Project, or the risks mount considerably. For instance, I believe the conflict in San Francisco that I covered in a blog yesterday is the result of an ineffective strategy to manage the political issues and risks. Either that, or it could be that this conflict is just the nature of the beast and there's just no planning around political competitors who would undermine your plans, no matter what you do.

That said, the prudent city will acknowledge the complexity in municipal wireless project, spend ample time contemplating these three axes of project planning and management, devise strategies, and at some point, seek outside help, whether from another city, a vendor, a system integrator, a consultant, or a service provider. In this situation, there is safety in numbers and One truly is the Lonliest Number. The worst thing a city can do, in my opinion, is to jump on the first option presented and move forward; better to go slowly, but surely, step by step, and get input and guidance from experienced hands before taking action.

Posted on November 22, 2006 at 11:18 AM | Comments (0)

A Tale of Three Elephants

One Story, Three Elephants. I often use analogies to walk my clients through the complex story of technological change and the potential of muncipal wireless networks. You may recognize these analogies, and you may recognize your own city situation as well.

On the one hand, a municipal wireless network is a way to get a city to launch a digital transition, a business process improvement project that will take the city into a new state, where it is poised to accommodate a dynamic technology environment and begin to thrive, rather than simply to survive ("The elephant in the room.").

On the other hand, it is a highly complex project, requiring a phased approach and consensus ("Eating an elephant in small bites.").

Finally, it's a project that is many different things to many different people, depending on their own unique perspectives ("The blind men and the elephant.").

1. The Elephant in the Room

The elephant in the room (also elephant in the living room, elephant in the corner, elephant on the dinner table, elephant in the kitchen, etc.) is an English idiom for an obvious truth that is being ignored, for various reasons. It is based on the fact that an elephant in a small room would be impossible to ignore. Another equivalent expression would be, 800 lb gorilla in the room.

It sometimes is used to refer to a question or problem that very obviously stands to reason, but which is ignored for the convenience of one or more involved parties. The idiom also implies a value judgment that the issue should be discussed openly. Wikipedia

With Municpal Wireless, the "Elephant in the Room" is Internet-driven cost reduction and technological change that demands a strategy. Pressing in on city governments, over the next decade this change will force leaders to make major changes to accommodate these new options and keep pace. Such change will impact every department and every employee, and things will never be the same.

Those cities that acknowledge this dynamic are already working together with open minds, to craft solutions to adapt and plan for the future. Those that don't are continuing down the same path, some postponing action, and others not even aware of the coming changes. Either way, it gets harder and harder to hold on to the old ways as years go by. Preparing for the future starts with acknowledging the elephant in the room, evaluating long-term options and then working together to forge a consensus around a shared solution ... like a municpal wireless network.

2. How do you eat an elephant?

The answer is, one bite at a time. This is also the best approach for digesting large integration and systems deployment projects. The key to success is to reduce complexity by breaking the problem up into smaller, manageable pieces. IBM

I use this analogy often, because its vivid and widely understood. All that time on the Cisco Road Shows the past two weeks, innumerable conversations with a diverse collection of city leaders, have me thinking more lately about the issue of city networks and complexity. As I meet with cities and describe the steps needed to get a city network project off and running, I often quote that adage, and it well, it just works for municipal wireless. Eating an elephant in small bites is deliberately planning a complex network acquisition project in phases.

3. The Blind Men and the Elephant

One of the most famous versions of the 19th Century was the poem "The Blind Men and the Elephant" by John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887). The poem begins

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind

They conclude that the elephant is like a wall, snake, spear, tree, fan, or rope, depending upon where they touch. Wikipedia

Depending on who you talk to within a city government, a Municipal Wireless Network is viewed in a number of different ways.

To the network technologists, like the IT Director, the Communications Director, or the CIO, the Network is an extension of the IT system or an enhancement of other communication infrastructure in the city.

To the application users, like the Police Chief, the Fire Chief, or the Chief Building Inspector, the Network is a means to make the new digital Applications and Systems they need function in a mobile environment.

To business managers, like the Finance Director or the City Manager, the Network is a means to manage growth without dramatic growth in the workforce, a way to cut the cost of delivering city services while enhancing flexibility and productivity.

To political leaders, like the Mayor or the City Council members, the Network is a way to promote social justice by closing the Digital Divide and making broadband universally affordable,as well as a way to enhance the economic development potential of the city by branding it as forward looking and making it more competitive.

Three Stories in One

The job of MetroNetIQ when it engages with city clients is to define the moral of these stories, to spell out the common thread. A municipal wireless network project can be seen from many perspectives, which makes it a confusing story to tell. That's one reason cities have been slow to adapt to the potential of this new technology, and slow to adopt these networks. That's where a consultant like MetroNetIQ can help out. I'm a story teller, and apparently, a zookeeper and elephant specialist.

Posted on November 21, 2006 at 08:55 PM | Comments (0)

From Wi Fi! to Why Fi? - Storm on the Horizon?

There's a flapdoodle a-brewing out on the West Coast. Esme Vos shares her analysis on MuniWreless.com, as does Om Malik on GigaOm. Second guessers are challenging the mayor's plan for a Wireless Network in San Francisco built in partnership with Earthlink and Google.

I added a comment on Esme's analysis, which is awaiting moderation (I hope I make the cut!!!). I copied my comment at the end of this post. I'll add a couple of remarks here on my own blog, where I can feel free to run on and on (I'm not a big fan of extremely lengthy Comments, but you regular readers know I feel no such constraints here at home on my own blog).

First, Municipal Wireless Networks are by definition a Political Process. That's the "Municipal" part. Successful projects will acknowledge that and run a parallel political campaign as the wireless project progresses. Lesson for Wannabe Networkers: Make a plan and include a political campaign at the outset, identifying ALL potential stakeholders and bringing them along as you go. Stick to your guns and your timetable, don't rush things.

Second, we're still in the Learning Phase here, where a multitude of small and medium-sized projects will provide more lessons for this new industry than will a handful of mega-projects. One or two mega-failures can cause major setbacks for a new industry, when people tend to focus on the failure and draw conclusions about the entire industry. Alternately, mistakes and growing pains in smaller projects will provide similar lessons, but more of them, and if we're lucky, they may not even make the mainstream press. Lesson for Wannabe Networkers: Work with smaller cities and make liberal use of demonstration networks and pilot projects, with an intensive feedback loop. Get ready for an iterative learning process, and prepare your community for the same.

Third, the hungry appreciate food more than those already fed, so when it comes to network projects, focus less on bringing broadband from 60% penetration up to 80%, and more on taking it from 10% to 60%. Lesson for Wannabe Networkers: Go to where there is an intense, WIDELY perceived need for broadband (Hint: you won't find that in the Big Cities, where many people already have what they need with DSL and Cable). When the comparison is no connectivity or dial-up, people tend to be less critical of a municpal wireless project and its progress and just happy they have a project. As Karl Edwards points out in his recent Resolutions whitepaper posted on this site, focus on where the need is. I know why the industry is gravitating to the NFL cities - early promoters like the coverage they get, and there is a land grab underway - I just don't agree that its the best path for the industry to take at this stage. I see more and more interest being expressed in the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, which I define as between 15,000 and 200,000 in population - my own arbitrary segmentation.


My recent comment.

Here here!

Esme raises some great points in her post, as does Om in his follow on commentary. And Craig is right - there's no substitute for doing things by the book.

Just as there's no way to repeal the law of gravity, there's no way a city (i.e., a "political" subdivision) can get a large or significant project through completion without building political consensus around it, and a municipal wireless network fits both of those criteria.

As a consultant, I've tried to find a path to simplicity and frankly, I don't think there are ways around some of the complexities inherent to this business. This is one case where short cuts don't pay off.

So far, mainstream awareness of the municipal wireless industry has been heavily skewed around a few highly visible projects, as Esme points out. We all watch these parties going through the inevitable growing pains of a new industry under the bright lights of media scrutiny, and it's painful to watch.

Still in its infancy, this industry is just now defining its own set of "Rules of the Road." I think we're seeing one of those rules being driven home. If I may paraphrase Craig's comments: "Go slowly, assess needs and raise awareness, build consensus, and be sure to pick the right technology, business model, and business plan to meet the short and long-term needs of the ENTIRE community." I have no doubt that the mayor and his team thought they had done just that in SF. But they are now getting feedback that they didn't do enough.

A top-down-driven project done on the QT may temporarily avoid the political hangups that would have otherwise slowed it down, but those who promote that method are only temporarily pushing off the difficult issues until later. Inevitably, those left on the outside of the decision making process will find a way to torpedo plans and slow things down - ask a maker of fine wine (that analogy should work in SF) - a quality result requires time. A wireless project does not ultimately benefit from being rushed: because these projects involve people and political issues, there's no getting around the need to forge a consensus of divergent views.

I feel for the folks involved in the San Francisco project, and all those waiting for the service, because this is a painful process to go through. But if all the project promoters outside of SF can draw this valuable lesson of early political consensus and due diligence, then the municipal wireless industry will have taken a big step towards maturity.

Posted on November 21, 2006 at 02:21 PM | Comments (0)

excelsio communications, MetroNetIQ Solution Partner, Makes 2007 Resolutions

Can it possibly be that 2007 is already upon us?? Are those the footsteps of the New Year, sneaking up on us out in the hallway?? I was surprised when Karl Edwards, principal and co-founder of excelsio communications, called me today to tell me he had written down his 2007 New Year's Resolutions and suggested I post them. Wait a minute - 2007?? Let's see, by my count, there are 10 more days in November - check - and then 31 more in December - check - so that's only 41 days. Less than 6 weeks left - whoaa! I've been so busy, this whole holiday just snuck up on me. Man, can someone slow down that Father Time? I don't know about the rest of you, but my life is flying by waaaay too fast!

Still, I was glad to hear from Karl and glad to see he's thinking along these lines. I just updated the opening Vision blog for this website a few days ago, and I guess now I'll have to do an end-of-year summary / New Year's "vision" post as well. The end of the year is always a good time for taking stock, in your business as well as your personal life. I believe in that. And 2006 has been a good year for this industry (and for MetroNetIQ!), but we do need to take stock and recalibrate for the New Year. Karl's essay is a good one and a good opportunity to get you all thinking in this direction. I put it in this downloadable PDF, find it by clicking here at excelsio communications 2007 Resolutions.

You'll see that Karl's suggestions are in line with the sentiments expressed on this website. MetroNetIQ will be working with excelsio communications in the New Year, given our shared vision and shared strategy for this market. We both like to work with clients who 1) are small towns; 2) have a deliberate, rational approach to projects; 3) want to learn from the mistakes of others; 4) are creative and like to experiment with new business models; and 5) have unmet needs and a sense of urgency. If your city fits any one of those criteria and you're ready to get started, please drop me an email - today!

More specifically, Karl urges the industry conversation in 2007 to feature more focus on: 1) the needs of the average community (where the action will be next year); 2) completed projects (opportunities for learning as finished projects come on line); 3) challenges of networking (pioneer networks will mess up - let's study the mistakes and draw out more lessons); 4) smaller markets (too much focus on big, unrealized projects in big cities); and 5) alternative business models (variety of business models should be explored in 2007).

Karly also highlights the difference between a business plan (lays out details and required actions, expected outcomes, etc.) and a business model (who owns what, who does what). Finally, Karl recommends that cities spend more time on financial analysis and show how the networks will pay for themselves, which will be increasingly important to potential private partners in 2007.

Karl and I have talked a lot about the market in the metropolitan broadband industry, and how we see things unfolding in the near term. Our consulting firms are very complementary and we're looking forward to working together. Our clients will benefit from our different perspectives and collective knowledge of the market and innovative solutions. 2007 is going to be a good year.

Posted on November 20, 2006 at 07:28 PM | Comments (0)

Tyler "Rose" to the Occasion

Yesterday, I made the long trip up to Tyler from Austin, at the invitation of Cisco, for my fifth road show in almost as many days (more about the road show in Belton on Wednesday in a minute). Tyler is a major population center about an hour or so east of Dallas along I-20. Until my visit, I knew Tyler only from afar, for its rose industry, and for one of its most famous sons, UT star running back and Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell, affectionately known as the "Tyler Rose."

So why Tyler? Tyler is known as an innovator and another regional player, Longview, has expressed interest in getting a citywide wireless network. The prospect of networks in Longview and Tyler is exciting because these two cities are well over 150,000 in population - right in the sweet spot for a wireless project as far as I'm concerned. The show provided an opportunity for a conversation wtih a council member, city attorney, police chief, deputy fire chief, and IT director, among others. Tyler is moving forward, if the picture remains a little murky.

I also managed a phone conversation with the IT director in Longivew, although I had hoped to make a personal acquaintance, since I was so close. The process yesterday, and throughout the five shows, for that matter, demonstrates what I consider the principal value of the road shows: namely, getting the conversaton started. It's a necessary first step: as I've said in the past, "Anything interesting starts with a conversation." We come away with a fresh perspective when we compare notes in a conversation, if each party keeps an open mind, and that has been the intent of Cisco's Imagine the Possibilities tour - to seed open minds with new ideas that will take them in new directions. I think it's working.

And these smaller towns are where it's at when it comes to metropolitan broadband. Ironically, while so much press time is offered to the very large cities that capture the public's imagination (Philadelphia, NYC, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco), it's these smaller cities, with from, oh, say, 15-200,000 in population, that tend to enjoy mulitple benefits from wireless networks, offering great ROI profiles and rapid payback, yet with a network size that is amenable to a low-risk, high-success network deployment.

Cities smaller than 15,000 in population, too numerous to count, can also benefit significantly, but their networks will be much simpler in design, the market opportunities less rich for private players, and they often lack the developed city government departments to fully benefit from the potential cost savings that the larger cities can enjoy. But that's not to say there is no benefit, I just think they will need to approach this opportunity from a little differnt angle. That's the subject of a different blog, coming up.

I'm convinced this market segment of "Tier 2 & Tier 3" cities, and those Tier 4 cities with a different business model, will be the future of metropolitan broadband. As the giant projects slog their way forward, these projects will be able to start up and get finished in a reasonable length of time, and start offering great results and positive public feedback.

Meanwhile, a few words about Belton. These road shows have taken me out of my comfort zone, and out of my hometown, out to neighboring communities, many of which I have only driven past in my many years in Central Texas. I've been consistently impressed and have enjoyed this process immensely. To a city, these representatives, from public safety to city managers to city council members are actively investigating wireless options and the potential of bringing a citywide network to their community. I found that in Belton on Wednesday.

I had a long conversation with the director of the Bell County communications center (coordination of communications for public safety organizations), where I learned that they're a leading, best-practices, center-of-excellence-type player when it comes to regional coordination, held out as an example to other regions - nationwide! Are you listening, Homeland Security? Clearly, this type of cooperation does not come easily or without significant effort; this gentleman explained to me that it had taken years to reach this level of cooperation, but that now his efforts are supported by regular communication and institutional connections at different functional levels. They've reached a sustainable level.

Taking this first step bodes well for the four major towns in the county as they consider regional wireless infrastructure - they have a real asset to leverage that other regions will have to start to build. If they so choose, they will be able to accomplish much more with a shared approach to a metropolitan wireless network than they ever could separately.

Imagine the possibilities (thanks for letting me borrow that phrase, Cisco!) when Killeen (100K), Harker Heights (30K), Temple (55K), and Belton (15K) go in together with Bell County on a joint project for their Metropolitan Statistical Area (ranked 138 nationally, with close to 330K as measured in the 2000 Census) to bring in a regional wireless network. Such collaboration and cohesion are greatly appealing to a potential private sector partner, which would then be looking at a much larger and more economically efficient project - all would win in an approach like this. The challenge for local governments is to get over the initial hurdles that often inhibit such regional cooperation, still rare in this new wireless industry.

Back to Tyler, or at least the drive up here... Driving up there in the wee hours yesterday morning, I passed innumerable towns along State Highway 79, which runs parallel to a railroad track for much of the way. Driving east, you pull away from the urban sprawl of Round Rock along I-35, past the Dell Diamond, and out into the country. It's been a while since I was up so early, so I had a front-row seat to witness Nature's daily wonder: dawn breaking over the countryside, revealing dew-covered meadows, fog-tinged creeks, and grazing cattle, where only 30 minutes before there had been only darkness. it took about 30 minutes for the show to unfold as I drove along, and I enjoyed it more than most man-made entertainment! Passing three trains along the way, my mind wandered to the way in which our society managed to connect our broad landscape, first with simple roads and paths, and then in rapid succession, a railroad network, highways, electricity, Interstates, and telephones. Broadband is just one more network to tie our towns together.

Reaching Palestine, which became for me the promised land as it marked the first major turn in hours, and only 60 miles to go, I turned onto Highway 69. All along the way on that journey, I thought that each one of those towns would be a candidate for at least one access point. Imagine the possibilities if I had pulled through a Hot Zone every twenty miles, with the option of pulling to the side to get gas, use the facilities, buy a Coke and a snack, AND check emails or even make a VOIP phone call. That reminds me of the network of payphones that used to dot the landscape before cellular phones became ubiquitous - add that network to the list above. We still have a long way to go to connect ourselves.

Now imagine if the county sheriff or Texas Dept of Public Safety officer could do the same. The evacuation of the Texas Gulf Coast would have been aided by such a network of Hot Spots and Hot Zones. We've got to push Texas in this direction - with so much ground to cover, this challenge truly brings to mind that analogy I often use - the best way to eat an elephant is to take small bites. This is a vision that Homeland Security should latch on to, using Texas as a test bed and then engaging local governments nationwide. We need to unwire these small towns that line our highways, so that everyone everywhere in the US is never more than a few miles from a broadband Internet connection - it's time to start taking some small bites.

Posted on November 18, 2006 at 06:08 AM | Comments (0)

On the Road Again (Apologies to Willie)

Up in Leander yesterday for my second Central Texas Cisco road show, I'm feeling the pain of a compressed schedule, as I type away at 6:00 am. I'm leaving this morning to drive down to San Marcos, then up to Belton tomorrow morning early.

As for the Leander event yesterday, Cisco, and all the attendees, were blessed with another beautiful autumn day in Central Texas, with deep blue skies and a temperature in the mid-70s, with a gentle breeze. You can't order up better conditions than that. And we had delicious beef and chicken fajitas for lunch. Yummm.

The revelation yesterday was a conversation with Williamson County EMS officials, who are responsible for providing services not only to Leander, but throughout the rapidly growing county that sits just north of Austin. The EMS director asked one provider when they would get coverage on their roads througout the county, so they can take advantage of some of these compelling new applications. "We're working on it" was the game response. We talked some about how to get things moving at a regional level, which is a continuing challenge. I'm convinced that regional collaboration is key, more specifically the key in this local region may lie with the Capital Area Council of Governments, or CapCOG, as it is known in these parts.

CapCOG, a regional entity that includes 10 counties in Central Texas, has a primary focus to serve as advocate, planner and coordinator of initiatives that, when undertaken on a regional basis, can be more effective and efficient. These include emergency services, elderly assistance, law enforcement training, criminal justice planning, solid waste reduction, infrastructure development, and housing and economic development.

From the CapCOG website:

What Is A Council Of Governments (COG)?

Councils of Governments are voluntary associations of counties, cities, and special districts formed under Texas law. These associations deal with the problems and planning needs that cross the boundaries of individual local governments or that require regional attention. Although known by several different names, including council of governments, regional planning commissions, associations of governments and area councils, they are most commonly referred to as "COGs."

A council of governments is defined by law as political subdivision of the state, but it has no regulatory power or the authority possessed by cities, counties or other local governments. Decisions by a council of governments are not binding on member governments. As a political subdivision, councils of governments are subject to state laws governing open meetings, access to public records and conduct of public officials.

I made preliminary attempts to engage with the CapCOG staff in January when I was planning a regional seminar on municpal wireless, but because staff lacked specific guidance on broadband infrastructure development, I didn't get too far. I came away thinking that the way to get them focused on regional collaboration to support broadband infrastructure development will need to begin at the board level. I'll have to have another go at them, since the November elections brought in some fresh county leadership, and those judges and commissioners sit on the CapCOG board.

More on this later, as I believe it will bear fruit ultimately. It reminds me of my white paper on Regional Broadband Authorities from a few years back.

Posted on November 14, 2006 at 06:46 AM | Comments (0)

MetroNetIQ Offers Starter Kit Bundled Consulting to Cities

My experience in San Marcos since June of this year has inspired me to put together a package of consulting offers for cities to help city staff and leadership get started on a municpal wireless project. You can read more about those packages in this descriptive brochure. But first, download this Executive Background Brief entitled MetroNetIQ Exlains Wireless Broadband brochure and get it in front of the decision-makers in your city. Digest it and then use it to start a conversation to stimulate a project in your city. Why is this the recommended route?

Over the past four weeks, I've met with representatives from half a dozen cities in the local region and shared my impressions with industry veterans and the feedback on both sides has confirmed my assumptions about the fundamentals of this new market. Most specifically, I have a clearer picture on the constraints that slow things down, prevent projects from launching, and keep the market from exploding.

A hint: it's not about convincing the IT Directors and CIOs. By and large, they already get it. So do the Police and Fire Chiefs. The target has to be the decision-makers, the Mayors, City Council Members, and City Managers, those who control spending, make strategic decisions, and give the Green Light to new projects. Here's a short list of the barriers, leading to suggestions on necessary steps to get going.

1. A general lack of understanding of municpal wireless networking among decision-makers. Municipal wireless networking is a fast-changing landscape with its own vocabulary. Few elected decision-makers have the fundamental background, or in many cases, the interest, to make informed decisions without some help. Of the few consultants active in this small industry, most are positioned to help cities that are all ready to go. Until more city council members and mayors have grasped the basics of this new opportunity for cities, "caught the bug," if you will, the industry will be slow to develop. Think like a virus.

2. A conservative bent in city governments that keeps projects from happening until there is overwhelming proof of benefits - risk aversion honed to an art form. Many city government leaders define their jobs in a very narrow sense, as keeping to the tried-and-true formula of maintaining the status quo and dealing with crises when they arise. New projects have high hurdles to overcome to get attention. For municpal wireless to take off, it will have to be on the agenda of the city council, once, twice, multiple times to raise leaders' attention and awareness and spur them to action - call it the "Squeaky Wheel" method.

3. A perception that the oppportunity is too big to handle, too risky to enter into, or too complex to understand, which often results in a deferral of the issue to a later date. This attitude is understandable and when viewed as a strength, it is what keeps cities functioning and operational. But when taken to an extreme, it can lead council members and mayors to postpone dealing with an issue that is perceived as either too complex, too expensive, or too politically risky. At some point, their window of opportunity closes and by playing it safe, they have missed out on a chance to bring benefits to their citizens. I'm reminded of the old saying, "The way to eat an elephant is to take many small bites."

I've been watching this new industry develop for three years and my observations have been recorded on this website (and its predecessor, UnwireMyCity.com last year) since May 2005, about 18 months. I've posted nearly 400 articles, some long, some short, some deep, and some as superficial as they come. And the only conclusion I can make about the slow adoption curve and lack of momentum is this.

The key to generating momentum is raising the level of awareness among a wider circle: until the awareness of opportunity spreads beyond the technological cognoscenti, the IT directors and staff, to the decision makers and non-technology people, these projects will be slow to get going.

For those of you who are interested in getting a project underway in your city, my advice is straightforward:

1. Form a small group of dedicated action-oriented "doers" and put together a simple plan.
2. Use the tools offered by MetroNetIQ to expand that small circle of cognoscenti through a series of conversations.
3. Define a starter project to catch attention and get more people in your city excited.
4. Refer back to the tools on MetroNetIQ and track your progress on WikiMetroNet.
5. Engage with a consultant to bring focus and attention to your project, accelerate your project, and generate more momentum, sooner.
6. Repeat Steps 1-5.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Shampoo Daily.

Posted on November 13, 2006 at 08:45 AM | Comments (0)

Support from 50,000 feet on the way?

Check out this recent article by FCC Commissioner Michael Kopps: America's Internet Disconnect. As we sift through the wreckage left by the electoral earthquake (8.0 on the Political Richter Scale) that rocked our world on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, we can begin to wonder about the potential for a change in the climate of telecom regulation.

While we still have a Republican executive branch, we can expect a different climate and direction in Congress with such a dramatic change in leadership. Will that extend to our national telecom policy, and dare we hope, a national broadband policy, long a missing piece of the broadband puzzle?

Raising that question, Kopps highlighted once more the dismal state of broadband connectiity for US citizens compared to citizens in other leading nations around the globe. This complaint is valid, though it has become almost trite by repetition, with little action to address the issue, or answer the compelling question: "How can we compete globally, in a networked and interconnected information economy, " as Kopps asks for the umpteenth time, "with a second rate broadband infrastructure and no national policy to improve the situation?"

The answer, as we all know, is that we will have to address the broadband infrastructure question with more resources and creativity than we have shown to date. "Stay the Course," to borrow a phrase much used these days, will not get us out of this hole we have dug for ourselves. Kopps highlights that wireless and BPL are two technologies that will need more attention, as part of the solution.

OK, cities, will you be ready to walk through the door when it opens? That sound you hear is Opportunity Knocking. Will you be prepared to answer the call and take advantage of a changed landscape, whether in the form of new grants, newly available spectrum, or a more lively private sector marketplace providing more choices for partnering? It's time to start getting ready, because the handwriting is on the wall, change is on the way, in one form or another in the coming year!

Posted on November 10, 2006 at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)

Cisco Puts Its Best Foot Forward, Shows Leadership

The MetroNetIQ Perspective: Cisco Ties It All Together with a Fantastic Road Show

Today, November 8, the City of Boerne (pronounced "Bernie") hosted an event on a beautiful autumn day, with ample turnout, interested city staff, and lively conversation amid the splendor of the beautiful Texas Hill Country, one of the most fabulous parts of the country in my book. Cisco Systems is hosting a series of road shows in Central Texas, a multi-city "Imagine the Possibilities" Tour, where they set up a mobile network so that city government officials and other interested parties can experience first-hand the new applications that are well on the way to transforming how cities and towns get their work done.

This event today was for me the first out of the shoot, and I was not disappointed. To the contrary, I was impressed! What makes this type of event especially interesting is the inclusion of Ciso Solution Partners, application providers whose products and services leverage Cisco's wireless infrastructure solution. To top it off, the host cities for these events are local cities whose leaders are actively considering or launching wireless network programs. This is a winning combination, and it went well indeed. With many more events like this, it's not hard to imagine the pace of municpal wireless deployments accelerate considerably!

Next week, there will be three more, all in a row: Monday, Nov 13 in Leander (a northwest Austin suburb), Tuesday, Nov 14 in San Marcos, and Wednesday, Nov 15 in Belton. These events are not only good for local staff and leadership, but also an opportunity for regional collaboration and discovery: for example, the invitation list for San Marcos, which I helped coordinate because San Marcos is my client, includes city government officials and staff in neighboring Kyle, Buda, Dripping Springs, Wimberley, New Braunfels, and Seguin, as well as Hays County officials and staff, and regional public school officials and staff. Who knows what good things may come from getting those folks together in one place to "imagine the possibilities?"

As mentioned above, these shows are not just about promoting Cisco wireless gear. Besides the Cisco staff demonstrating the Cisco wireless networking solution that ties everything together, a number of application providers (Cisco Solution Partners) are on hand to showcase their special hardware and software that works with the wireless network to enable lower costs, new levels of service and new ways of doing the old business of running a city. Including these partners and their solutions really leant relevance to the show, because this is where the benefits of networks accrue for city staff, and these applications are the best way for a city to make the business case to go forward with a wireless network project.

Here's a list of some of the different applications and specialty appliances that are being showcased at the road shows.

ACCELA provides enterprise software solutions, including asset management, mobile permitting, mobile inspections, and citizen access.

ARINC provides the ARINC Wireless Interoperable Network Solutions, known as "AWINS," which is a standards-based architecture that utilizes data networks to enable interoperability among disparate radios and other communication systems. This solution enables Cisco to tie together the disparate applications highlighted in this road show for an integrated and manageable solution for local government.

Azulstar Networks is a network operator that provides design and engineering services, as well as usability applications, such as billing and customer support systems. Azulstar combines WiFi (802.11 a/b/g) and WiMAX (802.16) for a comprehensive wireless network solution.

Blue Sky Mast provides portable masts for mounting wireless equipment. Such "elevating solutions" deliver speed, portability, versatility and dependability.

Cellnet provides automated meter reading solutions for electric, water, and gas utilities that rely on a fixed wireless network to bring the data back to the utility for a management solution.

Coban provides public safety digital video solutions in the vehicle.

e-Watch provides enterprise-class video security solutions that are operational on a wired or wireless network.

Naztec provides advanced traffic control hardware and software.

Parkeon provides digital parking meter solutions.

Spacenet provides customized broadband VSAT satellite networks to multi-location enterprises.

TracStar Systems, the leader in tracking innovations, provides two-way mobile broadband satellite solutions.

From what I saw today, I encourage all who read this to investigate these companies and understand better how they work together to make a comprehensive solution. I'll add any relevant documents I find to accompany this review.

This is a great opportunity for city government officials who have been curious about municipal wireless broadband, or have heard about it and wondered what all the fuss is about. But the event is helpful for all levels of experience - others have read about the trend for cities to take a more active role in leveraging wireless technologies or have even been to a conference or seminar to learn more. As stated above, some attendees may have direct experience with current engagement on a wireless project. Whatever the state of experience, attendees have a compelling opportunity to "try on" these new technologies and meet their counterparts from other cities in the local area, to compare notes and accelerate the learning process.

From the perspective of MetroNetIQ - we provide consulting for city and county governments, from early stage organizational awareness and business planning up to RFP design, vendor integration, and network deployment oversight - I found it fascinating to talk to city officials and see the similarities among different and disparate cities. The conversation today with City of Boerne staff, as well as staff from Kendall County (Boerne is the county seat), was very familiar, given my most recent experience with the folks in San Marcos.

These conversations so far reveal to me that it is likely quite common for city staff and elected officials to struggle to get over the hump and get a project started. Interested cities appear to share common issues of gaining focus and setting priorities, of generating awareness and building community consensus around a common vision, of overcoming political objections, and of simply managing the business basics of planning and execution.

So for me, with today's perspective of learning about the City of Boerne and its exciting prospects with these technologies in the near future, the process I went through with the City of San Marcos is looking more and more instructional. Today's experience shows me that it pays to move ahead deliberately and prudently when considering such an innovative approach to city government. It pays to build consensus and stakeholder buy-in. It pays to fully investigate the options before acting. And finally, it pays for a city to pony up a little money early on in order to move forward more quickly, with lower risks and better potential for long term success.

I'm looking forward to gathering more data points and additional perspective next week in Leander, San Marcos, and Belton, three very different communities. But three communities that, I suspect, may well have more in common than one would think initially, if today's experience holds true.

Posted on November 08, 2006 at 08:07 PM | Comments (0)