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SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
One Valley. One Voice.
Regional Broadband
Broadband in the San Gabriel Valley
In November 2022, the SGVCOG secured $496,960 through the California Public Utilities Commission’s Local Agency Technical Assistance Grant. The Local Agency Technical Assistance grants support tribes and local agencies in their efforts to expand broadband services to unserved and underserved Californians. This grant will be used to complete a region-wide broadband needs assessment and develop a strategic plan for connecting unserved and underserved communities to high-speed internet throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
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San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) has partnered with Magellan Advisors, an Entrust Solutions Group Company, to develop a Regional Broadband Master Plan that will assist in the creation of an inclusive economy by efficiently meeting the high-speed internet needs of the SGVCOG’s residents and businesses. The Plan will serve as a blueprint to address the digital divide, allowing residents, government agencies, emergency services, schools, libraries, public works, transportation agencies, and other key stakeholders to have access to reliable, affordable broadband to improve quality of life.
Our Project
Our Broadband needs Assessment and Strategic Plan project will include:
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An inventory of existing broadband systems and services available to identify infrastructure and gaps in service.
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Analyzing existing uses of commercial network services being used, the current costs of those services, and the applications the services support.
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Governance, ownership, and management strategy to determine appropriate governance structures at the regional and local levels
Local Government's
Role in expanding Broadband
This Broadband study is intended to help the expansion of broadband in the San Gabriel Valley. Generally, public organizations have several important roles to play in the expansion of broadband in their communities.
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Local government have, by charter, the objective of serving its local community. Broadband is a community-wide need that impacts residents, businesses, schools, hospitals, public safety and overall quality of life.
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Local government have financial instruments at its disposal that the private sector does not, including a variety of funding sources that can be used to support long-range projects such as broadband networks.
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Local government have a much longer investment horizon than private service providers and the ability to invest in long-term projects, including water, sewer, roads, electric and gas. Broadband infrastructure falls into this same category as another infrastructure investment.
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Local government have important public policy powers that it can use to positively influence the development of local broadband infrastructure. Many local governments now incorporate broadband standards into their land development code, which enables this infrastructure to be installed with companion water, sewer, road, electric and gas projects, at costs significantly lower than could be achieved without these companion projects.
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Local government have efficiencies in permitting and right-of-way management that allow it to streamline the construction of local broadband infrastructure.
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Local government have access to grants and loans that allow it to implement infrastructure projects using local, state and federal funding.
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Local government can improve local broadband conditions without competing with broadband service providers and without “getting into the business.” Local governments can implement networks that are open and available to any qualified service provider to use in delivering their end user services. These networks also keep local governments out of the “retail” business, minimizing operational costs and requirements to support end user services.
Community Outreach & Engagement
The SGVCOG conducted a comprehensive study of internet availability at locations all across the region. This study holds the key to identifying the broadband requirements and potential avenues for expanding connectivity. The SGVCOG's goal was simple yet transformative, to provide households and organizations with faster, more reliable internet connections.
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The SGVCOG sought insights from various stakeholders, including cities, emergency services, libraries, public works, transportation, water districts, and government agencies operating within the SGV. Residents living in the San Gabriel Valley were also encouraged to submit a survey answering a few questions on their internet connection and accessibility. ​
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Regional Broadband Summit
SGVCOG, in partnership with Magellan/ENTRUST Advisors, held its first Virtual Regional Broadband Summit on Wednesday, March 13th that included a panel discussion on digital equity and municipal broadband infrastructure from representative agencies throughout LA County and a presentation on SGVCOGs Regional Broadband Needs Assessment results and preliminary Strategic Plan. A recording of the Broadband Summit can be accessed online here.
Final Regional Broadband Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan
In September 2024, SGVCOG's Governing Board received and filed the Regional Broadband Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan. SGVCOG will work with its member agencies to identify next steps on how to best utilize the Regional Broadband Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan for future projects and funding opportunities that align with SGVCOG's 2024 broadband legislative priorities. The Regional Broadband Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan is publicly available through this link here. For more information regarding SGVCOG's regional broadband efforts, contact Nicholas Ryu at nryu@sgvcog.org.
Our Consultant
In November 2022, ENTRUST Solutions Group announced its acquisition of Magellan Advisors. Magellan provides fiber engineering, consulting and network implementation to municipalities and utilities whose goal is to improve broadband in their communities. Over 400 municipalities, utilities and cooperatives have used Magellan to develop their fiber and broadband networks.
Contact US
SGVCOG
Magellan Advisors