OpenCape Initiative for Creating Regional Broadband Opportunities

(Reprinted with permission of the OpenCape Corporation)

As the interstate highway facilitated the exchange of goods and services in the 20th Century, the telecommunications infrastructure will facilitate the exchange of information in the 21st Century. It is the critical element of infrastructure for economic development. Cape Cod and the Southeastern Massachusetts Region have inadequate communications infrastructure. The communications deficiencies are in backhaul transport and “last mile” access options.



The issue goes beyond economic development. The Cape, Islands and South Coast are the most vulnerable region in Massachusetts to natural disaster. A hurricane will eventually strike the region. Its proximity to the Plymouth nuclear power plant adds to this vulnerability. The region does not have the robust and redundant system of communications it will need in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.



OpenCape’s purpose is to fulfill the need for a regional communications network to enhance education, research, and economic development, AND provide for an emergency communications network in times of crisis. This network will provide reliable, redundant, and secure backhaul communications for public and commercial access networks on Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The network will support open access and promote competition in all telecommunications services.



OpenCape is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to create a much-needed digital communications network for our region, and to act as a catalyst for regional collaboration and use of the network.

OpenCape can act as a catalyst that will provide the core elements and backbone of the 21st century digital environment needed on Cape Cod. In particular, it can support development of the following essential capabilities:

• Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH). If Cape Cod is going to participate fully in the civic and economic marketplaces of the present and future it must ultimately deliver fiber optic connectivity to every home and business.
• Mobility Network. Mobile applications will increasingly become a part of our life for social and economic activity. A mobility network that covers the entire Cape with signals adequate to deliver bandwidth intensive applications must be implemented.
• Regional Umbrella Services Model. The silos and parochialism of the past must be rejected and a system of umbrella government and educational services must be laid over the region to increase the effectiveness of government services, and reduce the cost to taxpayers.
• Robust Systems. The creation of robust data networks and a regional collocation center are essential to government and business effectiveness and efficiency. The threat of a hurricane to the region makes these systems vital to reducing the impact of such an event, and ensuring the continuity and recovery of services.

The most current planning for OpenCape envisions the construction of an integrated system with three components. This OpenCape network will likely be built through a design, build, and operate contract using $5 million from the $40 million Incentive Fund under the auspices of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. Described below are the system’s component parts and an illustration of the network:

 

Bring backhaul capacity to the region by installing fiber optics:

• Commit Incentive Fund bonding to constructing a looped, optically switched, fiber optic network on Cape Cod.

•  Three segments include:
  • Sagamore to Orleans via the Sagamore Bridge, and Route 6 or RR RoW (36 miles)
  • Sagamore to Falmouth via Canal Road, Bourne Bridge and Route 28 (19 miles)
  • Orleans to Wellfleet via the Cape Cod Rail Trail (13 miles)

• A regional Wide Area Network (WAN) with a single point of entry to each of the municipalities on Cape Cod and the Islands will be created as part of this project.

 

Create a wireless microwave network integral to the fiber optic network that can also operate independently in a crisis, such as a hurricane.

• Commit incentive fund bonding to create the wireless backhaul network as an integral part of the fiber network with independent operation capability.

•  Approximately 15 water towers and communications towers may be used as part of the network implementation.

• Further connection to all designated emergency shelters will be accomplished by the county, towns, or other public safety entities.

• Linkage of the network to the emergency voice communications 800Mhz and 4.9Ghz data systems.

 

Create a regional carrier hotel, collocation center and data center.

• Commit incentive fund bonding to build a regional carrier hotel, collocation center and data center in an optimally positioned location on Cape Cod on state, county, or donated land.

• The center must be located and constructed to be survivable in a hurricane with stable, redundant, and emergency power.

• A specified amount of floor space in the center would be allocated to public entities to create regional data centers for school information systems, web services, GIS services, etc. at a heavily discounted fee structure.

Dan Gallagher is the Director of the OpenCape Corporation and sits on the Steering Committee for the Cape Cod Focus Group.

 

OpenCape Resources

Opportunities for Businesses Under OpenCape

Southeastern Massachusetts: The North Korea of Fiber Optics 

Town Guidance Under OpenCape

Cape Cod in the Year 2020

OpenCape Brochure

 

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