• Russ Angus has replaced Linda Dorsett as task force chair.
• The Foothills project has received preliminary approval for the next phase, to be completed by summer, 2013.
• The first phase - connecting fiber to the Deming Library - was completed August 1.
• The next phase will extend the fiber another 14 miles to Kendall, with a wireless system covering Glacier, Silver Lake and other areas.

Contact Russ Angus at 360-224-6705 or  russ@angusassociates.com

Click here to read the full report (PDF)

Fiber is expected in Kendall in 2012.

We are still negotiating and trying to work out the many details that would enable us to build a wireless system from Kendall to Glacier and up Silver Lake Road.  We have a significant deadline approaching at the end of this month that will result in a yes or no decision about moving forward. 

We are getting huge support from PogoZone (internet service provider), Whatcom PUD, the County Executive’s office, County Councilman Sam Crawford, the Port of Bellingham, the Foothills Chamber of Commerce and a variety of local volunteers.

Click here for a full update (PDF)

Update:

• On Feb 15, the President of the Foothills Chamber of Commerce presented a proposal to the Port of Bellingham requesting funding for a coordinator to drive the effort to bring broadband to the Foothills. The Port commissioners will likely make a decision at their March 1meeting. If you would like to provide input, contact info is available at www.portofbellingham.com.
  
  
• NoaNet is continuing to work out plans for deploying high speed fiber to Kendall and Maple Falls. Details will be posted as soon as plans are finalized.
  
  
• Two local wireless Internet Service Providers are attempting to develop plans to deploy wireless internet service to some of the areas of the Foothills that would not be covered by fiber.
  
  
• South Fork residents: Wireless internet service may already be available in the South Fork through StarTouch. Currently, there are not many subscribers. StarTouch has agreed to lower the monthly cost if enough people subscribe. The more people who are interested, the more price leverage we have in negotiating a lower rate. If you are interested, please email Linda Dorsett and let her know.
  
  
• Glacier, Silver Lake and Mosquito Lake Road residents: Potential tower sites have been identified to enable wireless internet service in these areas. We are identifying and working with land owners to seek permission for tower placement. Again, the more subscribers, the lower the monthly fee. We will keep you informed as more information is known.

It has now been confirmed that the Round 2 federal stimulus funding will bring open access fiber up the Mt. Baker Hwy to Kendall, the new East County Resource Center, and Maple Falls. The hope is to have the fiber installed within about a year. Additional funds are available to help bring broadband to Glacier, but we need to raise approximately $230,000 by December 15 to enable this to happen. For details, pledge forms, and important community input, please use the following links (all are PDF documents):

Information about the Glacier fundraising project
Glacier Broadband Residential Questionnaire
Glacier Broadband Business Questionnaire
Glacier Broadband Project Pledge Form

The Washington State Broadband Program needs to hear from us! Please do any or all of the following:

1. Run a speed test to determine if you are getting the Internet speed you need: Click here for the speed test
2. Tell your story about your need for broadband, how your lack of broadband affects you, or problems you are having with broadband: Click here to tell your story
3. If you run a business or know people in the community who do, please fill out a brief survey: Click here for business survey

Feel free to download, print, and use broadband benefit fact sheets: Click here for fact sheets

Please send any information you have gathered about broadband capabilities in your community (studies, reports, maps, etc.) via email to WaBroadband@DIS.WA.GOV

We have finally received word about the WA-RBC grant request for high speed internet funding.  For reasons that are not entirely clear, their request has been denied. 

WA-RBC (in conjunction with the Tulalip Tribe) collaborated  with NoaNet (a statewide consortium) for round two funding.  Sixteen hours before the grant request was to be submitted, the Tribe abruptly pulled out - entirely.  That grant request was supposed to bring the public access line to the proposed East County Resource Center in Kendall and into Maple Falls.  We are no longer included in that grant request.  There was not enough time to amend the grant and withdraw the Tribal involvement, so our area was simply deleted.

This news is very disappointing, but it will not stop us. Another pool of money is scheduled to open within the next month or so.  Between now and then, it will be to our advantage to cooperate with the State in two projects they are initiating.  The first is a mapping project.  They are trying to identify all of the unserved or underserved areas in the State.  The second is a speed test – to find out just how pathetic our connection speeds are.