Community Broadband PDX is having a Campaign Kickoff tomorrow!

[Russell Senior]

Where: Albina Branch Library, 205 NE Russell Street,
https://multcolib.org/hours-and-locations/albina-library
When: Saturday, June 27, 10:30am - 1:3opm
What: Community Broadband PDX Campaign Kickoff

Community Broadband PDX is an effort to get publicly-owned fiber
telecommunications infrastructure in the City of Portland. This idea
was studied in 2007, deemed viable, but spiked by then Commissioner
Dan Saltzman. Again, in 2020, Multhomah County and the constituent
cities funded a feasibility study, and then Multnomah County didn't
know what to do with it, called it too expensive, and dropped it on
the floor.

The 2020 feasibility study looked at one model, estimated the cost at
$950 million dollars county-wide, but did not estimate the Cost of
Doing Nothing. Subsequent estimates concluded that residents of
Multnomah County spend about $500 million PER YEAR on
telecommunication services, implying that the idea is financially
viable, if structured intelligently.

The event tomorrow is going to have some get acquainted time, a short
presentation, some fiber demonstrations and some snacks. We have some
fiber optic cable samples, a media-converter (fiber to etherenet)
demo, and hopefully a fusion splicer demonstration. We are also
expecting the General Manager of Hillsboro HiLight, a developing
municipal fiber utility, to attend.

Hope to see some of you there!

--
Russell Senior
rus...@personaltelco.net