Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell

A Perspective from the Chair: Short Version

Link to complete version:

This writing addresses the issue as to whether Seattle should build and own a broadband system, also referred to as a “fiber network” for its residents and businesses. This is a condensed version. While Mayor Nickels and previous Councilmembers have supported the concept and invested in determining the feasibility of building a fiber network, Mayor McGinn has announced that Seattle should build a citywide fiber network. Mayor McGinn plans to prepare an application for federal grants and is developing a plan for local financing.

The issue: Should Seattle build a fiber network for all of its residents and businesses?

Analysis: To sustain a successful business and learning environment, we must make sure affordable, next-generation broadband access is available to all residents and businesses. Our neighbors in other smaller cities and regions are investing in stronger technology systems to attract people and businesses. Maintaining the status quo regarding Internet speed and capacity could mean Seattle is left behind. Moreover, there are parts of Seattle that receive poorer broadband access than others.

Seattle is a technology and business leader. To continue that leadership and remain a renowned hub of innovation, Seattle should have a network that provides residents with download speeds of 20 Mbps to 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 10 Mbps to 50 Mbps. The network infrastructure should be capable of offering symmetrical download and upload speeds of 100 Mbps by 2020. This type of high-speed Internet would advance our access to medical monitoring tools, distant learning tools, and running a small business from your home.

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A Perspective from the Chair: Complete Version

Link to condensed version:

One of my goals is to formulate the best environment for people and businesses to thrive in this region (1). To sustain a successful business and learning environment, we must make sure affordable, next-generation broadband access is available to all residents and businesses of all sizes. Our neighbors in other smaller cities and regions have capitalized on this proposition and are investing in stronger technology systems to attract people and businesses. Maintaining the status quo regarding Internet speed and capacity could mean being left behind. To suggest that Seattle has neglected a plan to deploy high speed fiber is somewhat naïve and inaccurate. There are clearly reasons why no major city has deployed a municipally owned fiber system and why Clarksville, Tennessee; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Monticello, Minnesota are cited as the examples of cities that have deployed it. There is a reason why San Francisco, Portland and St. Paul have not launched a city-owned system. Irrespective of these facts, I agree that an opportunity for national leadership on this issue presents itself.

I have played major roles in new product and service deployment so this is the type of opportunity that I embrace. But here, there is no room for impetuousness because our citizens deserve better; this is not a lab experiment or classroom exercise. We can cite numerous examples of failed or troubled municipally-owned fiber networks.

Let me share some details about the policy issues related to providing public high-speed broadband access for all residents in Seattle. While past Councilmembers have concerned themselves with this issue, I am not sure whether they had the data that we now have, or the wherewithal to drill deep into what this may now mean or cost; or in contrast, what it may mean or cost not to have full broadband access.

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