General Discussions

Ziply (existing but slow and unreliable at best), and Starlink (great if you aren't blocked by trees) are currently available but neither are great so we need better or reliable services. Ziply fiber looks very promising for speed and reliability while Pogozone could be an alternative (no infrastructure yet). A few board members are looking at both alternatives and any suggestions from our members. When we have more information, we will update here.

Update 1:

Ken Lam <kjklam@gmail.com>Tue, Mar 9, 5:24 PM (2 days ago) to Mitch, CAS, Snowline, Rich, Maroof Hi Mitch, Thanks for reaching out again. We briefly spoke last year when you floated the idea of Snowline CC participating in bulk purchase essentially operating as a private sort of mini utility where we buy from Ziply then bill our members. I believe I mentioned to you that was something the board would not support. It would appear that you guys have figured out a way to pipe fiber out this way to the doorsteps of the communities and based on what we heard about Snowater, they are not about to become a mini utility either. Obviously there had been some excitement about a reliable broadband alternative in the community. There are many questions from the board as well as Snowline members and other community members which I imagine will be answered in due course. Can we have a quick call to discuss three key items at least on a preliminary basis? It can be a phone call with me or a Zoom meeting with a few board members on this email.

1. What is Ziply roll out plan?

2. Recent visit by a Ziply surveyor that Chuck coordinated - what are the findings about the infrastructure in Snowline CC?

3. Lastly, and more importantly, we have a tough time processing the possibility that Ziply wants its customers to pay for assets that they don't own then pay monthly fees indefinitely to receive services delivered by infrastructure they paid for?

Update 2, March 11:

Myself, Chuck, Maroof (new board member), Rich, and Marcel zoomed with Peter Hauser and Guy Merin from The Rim this evening to share information and learn about the proposed (potential) solution/alternative offered by a local company PogoZone (using microwave towers). The attached presentation is courtesy of Peter Hauser. Please review this preliminary proposal. We want to hear what members think about this potential solution - pitch in for the temporary tower & commit to be a subscriber for a few years?

Update 3, March 21:

Zoomed with Port of Bellingham's Commissioner Michael Shepard, Project Manager Gina Stark and attended by an ex-Glacier local Gram Davis on Friday March 19.

Ziply actually hung their own fiber cable with 24 strands (per Gina Stark) to the door steps of the respective communities including Snowline. The challenge and question is how they plan on rolling it out to the individual homes. Although Ziply has phone lines (twisted pairs & conduits) in Snowline, neither them nor we have that "last mile" of fiber to reach the homes. Btw, no reply from Ziply to my March 9 email yet.

Even more exciting is The Port of Bellingham is in the design phase of a project to construct a 288 strand fiber cable to the Glacier area up to Snowline CC and other communities. This dark fiber will be open access to Internet Service Providers (ISP) so they can lease and deliver broadband internet to the retail customers (like each of our homes). This will probably be a direct competition to Ziply's own smaller fiber. Again, in order to connect to the dark fiber, the respective communities and homes need fiber/cable infrastructure to tap into the big fiber cable on the edge of the 542. This "last mile" infrastructure will cost a lot of money (not sure how much but lots). The board will continue to gather more information and work with other communities like The Rim, the ISPs who want to engage and of course the Port of Bellingham and possibly WA Rural Broadband office to see if and how we can get financial support/grant for this "necessary" infrastructure. Without that "last mile" of fiber, neither the communities nor The Port, nor the local, state or federal governments can achieve their rural broadband internet objectives. The board and other volunteers will continue this and other conversations and update our members here. Time and patience is what we all need at this time and into the foreseeable future (e.g. a year).

Below is a partial excerpt of Gina Stark's email:

Yes the Port is the process of designing and constructing open access dark fiber out to Glacier that will stop at the communities of Snow Line, Snow Ridge, and Mt. Baker Rim. We are unable to construct fiber into the communities due to the fact that it is private property however we are willing to look into this for the community. This dark fiber can be leased by ISP provider such as Ziply, PoGO Zone, and WAVE to provide competition.

Here is a link to the Port's Rural Broadband Dark Fiber RFPS. Thanks for Kent Bergsma for providing the link via this discussion treads.

https://www.portofbellingham.com/DocumentCenter/View/9122/WC-Rural-Broadband-DF_RFPS?bidId=

Update 4, April 2:

You may have already heard the Biden Administration's $2.25 trillion infrastructure bill includes $100 billion for Rural Broadband internet. While this is very good new, who knows how long it will take or what impact it will have on our communities or existing programs. Once again, we need time and more information. Biden promises broadband for all in $2 trillion infrastructure plan - CNET

Below is my latest email with Port of Bellingham to continue moving us down the road of getting funding to connect our community to the open access dark fiber:

Ken Lam <kjklam@gmail.com>12:19 PM (42 minutes ago) to Gina, Marcel, Rich, A

Hi Gina,

The announcement is exciting indeed because the bill seems to address what wasn't working with previous federal efforts such as the digital opportunities fund that favoured incumbent providers and without much accountability for achieving actual targets. Hopefully, the bill can pass quickly but we all know what it takes to get anything done where bi-partisan participation is required. We need to continue working towards getting assistance to build out the last mile(s) of delivery. Given what may come down the pipe (who knows when), does this announcement in any way change the Port of Bellingham's dark fiber project? As previously discussed, the last mile of delivery will likely be the risk and obstacle for black fiber to achieve its objective of delivering broadband to the homes in our communities and also negatively impact the project's financial projection to break even (I believe) in about 10 or 11 years if the open access subscriber onboarding rate does not line up with forecast. While the $100 billion announcement is great news, we need to continue our efforts to tap into existing federal and state level funding programs to get the job done. Your mentioning of possibly approaching PUD #1 Whatcom County is a great idea (other PUDs have done similar things) and hope that you can help us make that connection for meaningful discussions. I am also hoping for a call from WA Rural Broadband's Russ Elliott's assistant for a time to connect but not sure when that will be. Love to reconnect you and get some updates and ideas about how to move this forward. Thanks for the link Marcel! Ken

Update 5, April 27:

Thanks to Christina Hemmen for informing us that WA Senate passed the Public Broadband Act (bill HB1336)! This act enables public utility districts (PUDs) to offer broadband directly to the public. The Whatcom PUD #1 passed a resolution in support of the Public Broadband Act.

This is great news because it now confirms Whatcom PUD’s has ability and flexibility to be able help communities like ours with infrastructure to connect to the open access dark fiber to be constructed by the Port of Bellingham.

We will continue to try to link up with Port of Bellingham’s Gina Stark who is working to connect us with PUD of Whatcom County. We also hope to connect with WA Broadband office’s Director, Russ Elliott to continue the discussion about rural broadband.

Patience and time are what we need to get us positioned strategically to get the most out of open access dark fiber.

Update 5, June 17:

Crappy speed or no internet available? Get your dot on the map!

Take the 1-minute broadband survey at www.broadband.wa.gov and help us fund future-proof broadband in our community. ***you may need to copy the URL onto a browser if no hyperlink***

I had a long conversion with the Broadband Office at the Department of Commerce today. They now received funding, staffing and are quickly bringing different parties like Internet Service Providers, The Port of Bellingham (Dark Fiber) and others to the table to hash out public/private partnerships to help under served communities like ours get access to real broadband. There may be some update in a couple of weeks because Ziply joined the discussion (possibly public money on the table) and that may change the Port of Bellingham's Dark Fiber project.

Three ways to tell the WA Broadband office about our community's lack of broadband internet access. Please share and get as many dots on the maps as we can quickly! As of today, the results map shows only about 20 dots for the entire area between Glacier Sprigs and Snowline. I am posting this on the Snowline and Glacier FB group as well.

DO NOT speed test using your internet connection that isn't in the Glacier area (for example, from Bellingham, Seattle or Vancouver) because it will register the internet speed of the network there.

1. Speed Test on-premise using broadband service provided at your home (if testing on a mobile device, mobile device must be connected to premise Wi-Fi, and mobile data turned off to ensure test is performed on Wi-Fi connection).

2. No internet at all? Provide an address with “No Available Service” can be entered from any device/location, does not require a speed test, just allows address to be entered to register as no available service.

3. Speed Test on a Mobile Device – “Use my GPS location” shows up on the survey selections, this only tests the mobile device speed data (which is also useful data, but does not test the on-premise service).

Update 6, August 29:

No new information since following up with Russ Elliott of the WA Broadband office on August 8. They continue to have discussions with Port of Bellingham's Dark Fiber initiative and Ziply (possibly other providers) and agreed that open access fiber broadband similar to one previously proposed by Port of Bellingham makes the most sense.

Ziply DSL tech onsite Aug 31: ticket #90270445 to check pedestals for corroded lines

I arranged for for tech to check all the pedestals (on the road sides) for corroded copper wire connections that may cause phone and/or internet connection quality. This request was based on recent issues with internet problems at the clubhouse line, my own cabin's and few others that were resolved by fixing corroded wires at the pedestal. On site between 8:00 AM and noon Tuesday August 31. Chuck is aware of the visit. Not sure how many pedestals will be inspected by the tech. If your line is corroded, the tech will probably resplice the connection that may cause a temporary outage but unsure if will knock on cabin door before doing so.

Update 7, Oct 13:

Posting a few conversation screen shots with WSBO to keep all in the loop. Slow going...

Update 8, March 16, 2022

Thanks to Christina Hemmen efforts, we have established and/or made connections with Ziply’s Jessica Epley, Port of Bellingham Commissioner Ken Bell, Whatcom County Council Member Tyler Byrd and hopefully soon to connect with Public Utility District #1’s Broadband Manager Andrew Entrikin.

Ziply already has a business plan to bring fiber optic service along the 542 passing our front gate. They are working out a few costs sharing snags with four power poles close to the Rim. That means our collective energy can be focused on getting the fiber infrastructure built within Snowline (would imagine similar approach for the Rim). We, of course hope to access any public funding / support that may be available; therefore, a working group was formed February 17 and meets bi-weekly with the goal of:

1. Get Ziply to provide project cost for building the fiber infrastructure within Snowline using micro trenching approach to laying cables.

2. Prepare community outreach/survey to be emailed to Snowline members to assess the community’s overall needs and willingness to invest. Also, to tell stories about lack of broadband and the impact on the community.

3. Collaborate with other communities like The Rim, Snowater and others.

4. Connect with Port Commissioner(s), County Counsellor(s) and PUD and hoping to setup a virtual meeting to present our stories. The goal is to secure public funding/grant via or flow through one of the public entities.

Participants of the initial Working group meeting:

Christina Hemmen, Libby Snead, Ken Lam, Sharon Wrestling, John Ennes, Maroof Haque, Tim Ahlers, Colin Dettweiler, Randy Winjum, Scott Myhre

Will update as new information becomes available.

What can you do?

• Respond to the Outreach/Survey coming to your email inbox

• Take the 1 minute WA State Broadband Access & Speed Survey

• Register for Digital Equity Forum - Washington State Department of Commerce

Update, March 18, 2022:

A very encouraging development!

Had an initial 45 minutes conversation with PUD#1's Broadband Manager Andrew Entriken. He sees the dire internet access gap in our communities and will get to work on mapping out the last mile by the end of April as well as talking to providers like Ziply. He thinks he can get the project(s) identified and potentially submit "us" as part of the May application for state level grant funding. Our outreach/survey results (the parts with name, address, access challenges) can be included in the application as supporting material. Funding would be the entire last mile along the road edges and to each home. The infrastructure will be open access to other ISPs who wants to provide (resell) internet.

Members, please continue our advocacy action using the 5 forums outlined below, particularly the Broadband Speed survey which should be TOP priority if you have not doe it yet.

GET your internet speed “dot” on the MAP! Only 33 homes in Snowline took the speed survey. 23 of the 26 have internet at less than 10mbps while 7 have nothing at all. The other 3 must have Starlink!

Let them hear your voice and stories!

1. WA Broadband Office - Speed Survey (1 minute) - from your cabin's internet or anywhere if your cabin cannot subscribe to internet at all

2. Digital Equity Forum - Washington State Department of Commerce First session is March 29. Speak out - tell your story - impact on your life and work

3. PUD#1 Commissioner bi-month meetings Open to the public to speak in person or virtual. PUD is who we ultimately will need to get on board with us apply for funding to build the "last mile" in our communities. Again, tell your story.

4. Whatcom County Council bi-monthly meetings Open to the public to speak in person or virtual

5. Port of Bellingham Board Commissioner bi-monthly meeting Open to the public

Please also reach out to business owners in Snowline and around Glacier to write letters about their internet challenges to be included as part of the application.

March 22, 2023

In case you have not seen a post on the Glacier FB page 3 days ago, The PUD#1 and Ziply submitted a funding application for the Glacier communities. You can get more info here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/eecb09325ae5461a83e6587f88bf7340

Wow, the PUD#1's broadband availability mapping and methodology is quite comprehensive, corroborative and clearly highlights the lack of broadband access in the Glacier area.

More information about the state broadband program: https://www.commerce.wa.gov/building-infrastructure/washington-statewide-broadband-act/

The Glacier area is one of three funding applications the PUD#1 submitted. The Glacier area application is to build fiber-to-the-premise to all 1,099 locations in the project boundary. It’s a last mile build all the way to the side of every house (not sure if this is the road's edge or all the way to each home but still awesome). It is competitive process so we may not get selected but will know soon by around end of April. This is the most encouraging event thus far. Fingers crossed. If this does not go, the PUD#1 and Ziply will likely apply again later in the year when more funding become available. If and when successful, the PUD# 1 will own the physical infrastructure while Ziply (10% funding match) will operate it. Ken

May 12, 2023

Unfortunately the $4M funding application by PUD#1 with 10% contribution by Ziply did not receive approval this time. It is a competitive process so it will eventually get to us as the other under served communities that stood out more get funded - next time better luck. The PUD#1 will bet a debrief to help prepare for the next round of application.

Ken