In a recent Middle Mile Advisory Committee Meeting, the State significantly changed its proposed Middle Mile Broadband Initiative plans. The middle-mile is the physical fiber optic infrastructure needed to enable internet connectivity.

It is made up of high-capacity fiber lines that carry large amounts of data at high speeds over long distances. An open-access network gives providers and entities access to broadband infrastructure that will allow any networks to connect on equal economic and service terms.

The plan changes result in a reduction to only 134 miles of proposed State-funded Phase I fiber for Santa Barbara County (see map image). Citing supply chain and labor cost increases, State spokespeople stated that now only about half of the network originally envisioned could be built for the $3.8B initiative approved in 2021. After Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 156 to build a state-funded 10,000 mile broadband middle mile network, between 2021 and 2022, the telecom industry experienced significant increases in supply chain costs and labor due to inflation and other factors.

As a result, only half of the idealized 10,000-mile network could be constructed with the current budget.

In response, the MMBI (Middle Mile Broadband Initiative) team developed a plan (see Report online here) that will optimize the network’s reach to serve the maximum number of unserved and underserved Californians. Announced at the July 21, 2023, Middle-Mile Advisory Committee meeting, the plan leverages leasing, joint builds and purchasing and divides the effort into two phases to deliver equitable, high-quality, 288-count fiber across the state.

Phase 1 encompasses approximately 8,300 miles of the statewide network, serving communities in all 58 counties where 570,000 households currently lack high-speed internet access.

The State’s Phase 2 timeline, which would significantly increase Northern Santa Barbara County middle-mile fiber, has not been shared.

At this time, EconAlliance and the Chumash are completing a federally-funded grant study to articulate, cost-out and evaluate two possible routes for the North County Fiber Ring Network concept (see image) conceived by the EconAlliance broadband committee in 2021. The resulting recommended route will be shared in October.

The report will inform County broadband strategy implementation currently underway by Santa Barbara County (SBCo) and the SBCo Association of Governments. It will support all North County broadband stakeholders who must now seek other funding to supplement the State’s network.