Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

02/16/2023 01:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

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Audio Topic
01:31:11 PM Start
01:31:41 PM Presentation(s): Overview of the Alaska Office of Broadband
02:18:24 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Overview: Alaska Office of Broadband by TELECONFERENCED
Thomas Lochner, Director
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
    SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                  
                       February 16, 2023                                                                                        
                           1:31 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Forrest Dunbar, Chair                                                                                                   
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson                                                                                                       
Senator Jesse Bjorkman                                                                                                          
Senator Cathy Giessel                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Donald Olson, Vice Chair                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
PRESENTATION(S):  OVERVIEW OF THE ALASKA OFFICE OF BROADBAND                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
No previous action to record                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
THOMAS LOCHNER, Director                                                                                                        
Alaska Broadband Office                                                                                                         
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development                                                                      
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave an Alaska Broadband Office update.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:31:11 PM 08                                                                                                                 
CHAIR  FORREST DUNBAR  called the  Senate Community  and Regional                                                             
Affairs Standing Committee meeting to  order at 1:31 p.m. Present                                                               
at the  call to  order were  Senators Giessel,  Gray-Jackson, and                                                               
Chair Dunbar. Senator Bjorkman arrived immediately thereafter.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
^PRESENTATION(S):  Overview of the Alaska Office of Broadband                                                                   
  PRESENTATION(S):  Overview of the Alaska Office of Broadband                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:31:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNBAR  announced  an overview  by  the  Alaska  Broadband                                                               
Office. He invited  Mr. Lochner to put himself on  the record and                                                               
begin the overview.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:32:06 PM                                                                                                                    
THOMAS LOCHNER, Director, Alaska  Broadband Office, Department of                                                               
Commerce, Community and  Economic Development (DCCED), Anchorage,                                                               
Alaska,  gave an  Alaska Broadband  Office update.  He offered  a                                                               
brief  history of  his professional  background,  stating he  has                                                               
experience  building broadband  in urban  and rural  areas. House                                                               
Bill   363,  sponsored   by   Representative   Edgmon  in   2022,                                                               
established  a broadband  office.  The Infrastructure  Investment                                                               
and Jobs Act (IIJA) requires a broadband office in every state.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER  advanced to  slide  2,  Alaska Broadband  Office  -                                                               
Organization  Chart. The  chart  shows the  configuration of  the                                                               
Alaska Broadband  Office. The  office consists  of a  Director; a                                                               
tribal liaison, Melissa Kookesh;  an administrative specialist; a                                                               
senior  project  manager, Lisa  Von  Bargen;  and a  connectivity                                                               
manager. The  office also  has the support  and expertise  of two                                                               
grant administrators.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:32:32 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN joined the meeting.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:34:21 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON  asked  when the  Alaska  Broadband  Office                                                               
added a tribal liaison position.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER  answered  it  was  added  last  during  the  Alaska                                                               
Federation of  Natives (AFN) Convention. He  expressed his belief                                                               
that it was in mid-October.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON asked  if the  tribal liaison  position was                                                               
permanent.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER answered yes, it is.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:34:57 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LOCHNER  advanced to slide  3, Broadband Advisory  Board. The                                                               
board consists  of members from  across the state who  have wide-                                                               
ranging  expertise. Slide  3 listed  the  name, appointment,  and                                                               
expiration dates of each advisory member:                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                    Broadband Advisory Board                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Name                               Appointed Expires                                                                     
                                        in 2023   in 2026                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska Native Corporation:                                                                                                 
       Anastasia Hoffman (Bethel)       1/23      01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Broadband Consumer:                                                                                                        
       Kathleen Moran (Anchorage)       01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Broadband Industry:                                                                                                        
       Christine O'Connor (Wasilla)     01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Business Community:                                                                                                        
       Tara Sweeney (Girdwood)          01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     DCCED or Designee:                                                                                                         
       Thomas Lochner (Anchorage)       01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Commissioner of Education &                                                                                                
       Early Development or Designee:                                                                                           
         Laurel Shoop (Juneau)          01/23                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Health Care Community:                                                                                                     
       Archibald Ferguson (Anchorage)   01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Local Government Representative:                                                                                           
        Glenda Ledford (Wasilla)        01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Representative for Rural Energy Systems:                                                                                   
      Travis Million (Copper Center)    01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     School District:                                                                                                           
       Steve Noonkesser (Dillingham)    01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Technology Neutral Consultant:                                                                                             
       Charles Carpenter (Anchorage)    01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Tribal Government:                                                                                                         
       Charlene Stern (Fairbanks)       01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     University of Alaska:                                                                                                      
       Michael Brase (Fairbanks)        01/23     01/23                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Ex Officio/House Speaker Appointee/nonvoting: Vacant                                                                       
     Ex Officio/Senate President Appointee/nonvoting: Vacant                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:35:31 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL asked if this was a short-term board.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  answered it  is a three-year  term for  all advisory                                                               
board members.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GIESSEL sought confirmation  that the advisory board will                                                               
expire in  three years, emphasizing  that ongoing boards  are not                                                               
set up this way.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  asked for indulgence,  stating it would  become more                                                               
apparent when he presented the timeline [slide 8].                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:36:19 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON questioned the  board's makeup, wondering if                                                               
there were plans to incorporate more rural communities.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER  answered  the  applicants   and  the  selection  of                                                               
appointees went through the governor's  office. He clarified that                                                               
he  had no  input into  the process.  The Boards  and Commissions                                                               
Office in the Office of the Governor oversees the process.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON sought  confirmation  that  members of  the                                                               
Broadband   Advisory  Board   went  through   the  process   that                                                               
applicants who want  to serve on a board  or commission typically                                                               
go through.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  replied that he is  unaware of the details  and that                                                               
the Boards and Commissions Office  did not inform him of anything                                                               
unusual.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:37:13 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LOCHNER  advanced to slide  4, Infrastructure  Investment and                                                               
Jobs Act. He explained that  Alaska would receive $65 billion for                                                               
broadband  through  IIJA.  The  National  Telecommunications  and                                                               
Information  Administration  will  distribute the  following  two                                                               
tranches:                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
          NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION                                                                           
                 ADMINISTRATION (NTIA) PROGRAMS                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Digital Equity (DE):     Broadband Equity, Access and                                                                      
     $640,000,000             Deployment (BEAD):                                                                                
                              $42,000,000,000                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER said  that NTIA  would  distribute the  DE and  BEAD                                                               
program funds  among states nationwide, and  Alaska would receive                                                               
a portion.  He explained the  difference between the DE  and BEAD                                                               
programs. He described BEAD as  the "infrastructure build to" and                                                               
DE as  making broadband meaningful  so people can  participate in                                                               
the digital  economy and the  world after the  infrastructure has                                                               
been installed.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:38:33 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LOCHNER  discussed the administrative  costs on slide  5. The                                                               
National   Telecommunications   and  Information   Administration                                                               
Program awarded the following administrative funds:                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
        Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act - So Far                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
              NTIA PLANNING GRANT AWARDS TO Alaska                                                                            
     DE Planning Grant:            BEAD Planning Grant:                                                                         
     $567,800                      $5,000,000                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Develop the DE Plan           Develop the BEAD Program                                                                     
     due September 30, 2023                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:39:07 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNBAR asked  if either  of these  grants fund  the Alaska                                                               
Broadband Office or any staff in the office.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  replied that he  expects the BEAD planning  grant to                                                               
fund the Alaska Broadband Office.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:39:37 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LOCHNER  advanced to slide  6. He explained that  the Digital                                                               
Equity  Program covers  eight specific  populations listed  under                                                               
"Covered Populations."  He reviewed  the covered  populations and                                                               
funding on slide 6:                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Digital Equity - Digital Inclusion - Digital Literacy                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                      COVERED POPULATIONS                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     • Households at/or below 150% of the Poverty Level                                                                         
     • Aging Individuals                                                                                                        
     • Incarcerated Individuals                                                                                                 
     • Veterans                                                                                                                 
     • Individuals with Disabilities                                                                                            
     • Individuals with a Language Barrier                                                                                      
      • Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic                                                                       
        Minority                                                                                                                
     • Individuals who Reside in Rural Areas                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                            FUNDING                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     • Planning Grants: $60 Million         Alaska Awarded                                                                      
        $567,800                                                                                                                
     • Capacity Grants: $240 Million  Alaska's Award: TBD                                                                       
      • Competitive Grants: $1.25 Billion  Alaska's Award:                                                                      
        TBD                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:41:13 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNBAR  commented that  on  some  other federal  programs,                                                               
there  has been  controversy  recently on  whether Alaska  Native                                                               
corporations are eligible to apply  for tribal funds. He asked if                                                               
Alaska Native corporations could work with these funds.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER expressed his belief  that Alaska Native corporations                                                               
can.  He believed  the courts  resolved  this issue.  He said  he                                                               
would confirm and advise the committee.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:41:49 PM                                                                                                                    
MR.  LOCHNER  moved  to  slide  7  to  discuss  the  $42  billion                                                               
allocation  for  BEAD  funding.  He said  these  funds  would  be                                                               
deployed in three tranches in order of the priority shown below:                                                                
                                                                                                                                
            Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment                                                                           
                                                                                                                              
      ALLOCATED $42 BILLION FOR ALL STATES AND TERRITORIES                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     • $100 Million Minimum Allocation per state                                                                                
      • High-Cost Allocation (10% of $42B) = High-Cost in                                                                       
        Alaska / High-Cost total for US                                                                                         
       • Remaining Funds = Unserved in Alaska / Unserved                                                                        
        total US                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
              DISBURSEMENTS OF ALASKA'S ALLOCATION                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
      Grants will be based on percentage of locations that                                                                      
     are:                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     • Unserved - less than 25Mbps/3Mbps                                                                                        
     • Underserved - less than 100Mbps/20Mbps and                                                                               
     • Unserved Community Anchor Institutions - less than                                                                       
        1Gbps/1Gbps                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:42:40 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR    GRAY-JACKSON   inquired    about   Community    Anchor                                                               
Institutions.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  replied that allocations  would be disbursed  in the                                                               
order prescribed at  the bottom of slide 7:  unserved first, then                                                               
underserved, and lastly,  unserved community anchor institutions.                                                               
Unserved  community  anchorage  institutions  are  entities  like                                                               
schools,  clinics,  tribal  libraries,  tribal  governments,  and                                                               
municipalities  slated to  receive  1Gbps/1Gbps if  any money  is                                                               
left over.  He defined Mbps  speeds, stating  consumers generally                                                               
download more than they upload.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:44:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR skipped ahead through  the presentation, looking for                                                               
an estimate of how much  money Alaska will receive for broadband.                                                               
He gauged  the distribution formula favors  rural and underserved                                                               
populations,   stating    it   appears   Alaska   will    get   a                                                               
disproportionate  amount of  these  funds relative  to the  state                                                               
population.  He sought  confirmation that  this is  the case  and                                                               
asked about the magnitude of funds expected in total.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER replied he is reluctant to give a really bad answer.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR remarked that, in this case, a bad answer is okay.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  said U.S. Senators Sullivan  and Murkowski estimated                                                               
between $500  million and $1  billion. He  said he did  the math,                                                               
but there were too many variables to lock in a number.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR  reiterated that Alaska  would receive  $100 million                                                               
minimally  through the  [BEAD  program].  He sought  confirmation                                                               
that [U.S.  Senators Sullivan and  Murkowski] estimated up  to $1                                                               
billion is possible.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER replied yes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:45:52 PM                                                                                                                    
MR.  LOCHNER  reviewed  the  calendar  graph  on  slide  8,  NTIA                                                               
Milestone Dates  and Alaska Broadband  Office (ABO)  Timeline. He                                                               
brought  up  an  inquiry  about the  lifespan  of  the  Broadband                                                               
Advisory Board  and pointed out  the three major  NTIA milestones                                                               
on the  graph. [The Broadband Advisory  Board lifespan correlates                                                               
with the milestones].                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER  said  the  first milestone  was  receiving  the  $5                                                               
million  planning grant  award, which  triggered a  270-day shock                                                               
clock to write a 5-year action  plan. He interjected the red line                                                               
on the  graph is today. The  5-year action plan will  detail what                                                               
is  necessary  to get  every  broadband  serviceable location  to                                                               
120Mbps/20Mbps  in  the  near future  and  delineate  the  entire                                                               
network and build-out.  He explained the significance  of the ABO                                                               
benchmark dates  that appear  below the  calendar dates.  He said                                                               
the ABO overall build and  network idea would cost $1.88 billion.                                                               
He added that ABO needs input  from a lot of different sectors to                                                               
fine-tune the model and get a more precise bead on cost.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER said  the second major milestone is  the NTIA Funding                                                               
Allocations, estimated to happen on  June 30, 2023. This will key                                                               
off a 180-day timeline for  submitting an initial proposal. After                                                               
NTIA approves the initial proposal,  it will release a minimum of                                                               
20  percent  of  the  funds  allocated  to  the  state  to  build                                                               
locations that meet these criteria:                                                                                             
-  80 percent  of  the population  is under  150  percent of  the                                                               
poverty line, and                                                                                                               
- 80 percent of the population is unserved.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  drew attention to  the [third milestone],  the Final                                                               
Proposal. This  milestone requires ABO  to run all  the remaining                                                               
grants and assign  allocations; once that is  complete, NTIA will                                                               
release the funds to start the builds.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:51:12 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LOCHNER  spoke to slide  9 which outlines  NTIA's definitions                                                               
of unserved, underserved, and served populations:                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
       Required Broadband Service Level for BEAD Funding                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Unserved:                                                                                                                  
     • 25 Mbps Download Bandwidth (Watching a video)                                                                            
     • 3 Mbps Upload Bandwidth (Posting a picture)                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Underserved:                                                                                                               
       • 25 Mbps Download Bandwidth, but cannot reach 100                                                                       
        Mbps                                                                                                                    
     • 3 Mbps Upload Bandwidth, but cannot reach 20 Mbps                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Served:                                                                                                                    
     • 100 Mbps Download Bandwidth                                                                                              
     • 20 Mbps Upload Bandwidth                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  said served communities  are those where  80 percent                                                               
of the  population gets 100Mbps/20Mbps.  He remarked  that served                                                               
communities  could   have  a  population  pocket   with  terrible                                                               
service,  like Rabbit  Creek in  Anchorage, Cohoe  in Kenai,  and                                                               
[Nikolaevsk]  east of  Anchor Point.  He coined  the term  "donut                                                               
hole" to describe  poor service pockets surrounded  by areas with                                                               
good service.  He plans  to work  with NTIA  to carve  out "donut                                                               
hole"  areas from  served  communities so  they  are counted  and                                                               
treated separately. He  wants to optimize the  opportunity to get                                                               
people served.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:52:46 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LOCHNER  summarized the maps  on slides 10  - 16. All  of the                                                               
slides are titled, Evaluation of Current Status of Broadband.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MAPS ON SLIDES 10 - 16                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Slide 10                                                                                                                      
This slide  shows the location  of served communities  in Alaska.                                                               
Alaska has  112 served communities  totaling 28.9 percent  of all                                                               
the communities in the state.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Slide 11                                                                                                                      
MR.  LOCHNER   said  that  ABO   found  100  percent   of  served                                                               
communities are on  fiber systems, shown as green  lines on slide                                                               
11.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Slide 12                                                                                                                      
MR.  LOCHNER said  the state  has robust  microwave systems  that                                                               
provide  broadband;  however,  these  systems  do  not  meet  the                                                               
specifications  required by  the federal  government. This  means                                                               
there are no served locations on microwave systems.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:53:19 PM                                                                                                                    
Slide 13                                                                                                                      
MR. LOCHNER  said other  "money to build"  programs have  been or                                                               
will be deployed. They are:                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
-  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  (USDA)  Community                                                               
Connect and ReConnect  Programs. There have been  three rounds of                                                               
Reconnect Programs, several  of which appear as blue  pins on the                                                               
map.                                                                                                                            
-  The NTIA  Tribal  Broadband Connectivity  Program. There  have                                                               
been  three  major  Tribal  Broadband  Connectivity  Programs  in                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
- He  said there  are programs associated  with the  remaining $1                                                               
billion allocated  to the Tribal Broadband  Connectivity Fund. He                                                               
believed  that  Alaska  companies and  Native  organizations  had                                                               
applied for this funding.                                                                                                       
- Middle Mile Infrastructure Build  Fund. He expressed his belief                                                               
that entities have applied for this funding.                                                                                    
- USDA ReConnect will continue this  program with rounds 4 and 5.                                                               
He said these awards will arrive throughout this year.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER  said  that the  Federal  Communications  Commission                                                               
(FCC)  has a  program  that  applies to  the  operations side  of                                                               
broadband, whereas  the programs listed above  apply to broadband                                                               
infrastructure. The  FCC has  money through  the Alaska  Plan, E-                                                               
Rate  program  for  schools, and  Rural  Healthcare  programs  to                                                               
subsidize operations on an ongoing basis.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:55:06 PM                                                                                                                    
Slide 14                                                                                                                      
MR.  LOCHNER  said  the  yellow-green   lines  show  these  fiber                                                               
projects:                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
- Fort Yukon  down to Tanana is Doyon in  partnership with Alaska                                                               
Communication System (ACS);                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
-  Dillingham   to  Bethel  is   Bethel  Native   Corporation  in                                                               
partnership with General Communication, Inc. (GCI); and                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
- The Anaktuvuk  Pass line is a Reconnect Program  for the Arctic                                                               
Slope Telephone Association Cooperative.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:55:44 PM                                                                                                                    
Slide 15                                                                                                                      
MR. LOCHNER  said the  gold lines  build microwave  technology to                                                               
connect  villages.  He drew  attention  to  a gold  line  through                                                               
Tanana Chiefs Conference  and pointed out it is  a USDA Reconnect                                                               
Program.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:56:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  asked if these  lines are  already built or  are in                                                               
the process of being built.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  answered this shows  built lines except for  the two                                                               
sets of  "adds" on  the map,  which were awarded  and are  in the                                                               
process of being built.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Slide 16                                                                                                                      
MR.  LOCHNER described  this  map as  his  punchline. Purple  and                                                               
salmon-colored pins were added to  this map, denoting underserved                                                               
and unserved communities.  He said this map  shows the tremendous                                                               
amount of work remaining to connect the purple and salmon-                                                                      
colored pins.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:56:35 PM                                                                                                                    
MR.  LOCHNER  summarized the  maps  on  slides  17 -  19  titled,                                                               
Network Ideas for Underserved/Unserved Locations.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MAPS ON SLIDES 17 - 19                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
Slide 17                                                                                                                      
MR. LOCHNER removed these markings from the map:                                                                                
- the green pins representing served communities,                                                                               
- the light blue pins representing projects, and                                                                                
- the technology system lines.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
The purple  and salmon-colored  pins are  all that  remain; these                                                               
pins  represent the  Alaska Broadband  Office charter  to connect                                                               
these 196  locations. He encouraged  communities to  ascertain if                                                               
ABO  misidentified their  population  as  served. As  communities                                                               
notify   ABO  of   misidentified  populations,   the  number   of                                                               
underserved and unserved communities may grow.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:57:32 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BJORKMAN  commented that  he  knows  of  no one  in  his                                                               
district  that  has a  100Mbps  download  speed.  He asked  if  a                                                               
website or link is available to  Alaskans to run speed tests from                                                               
home or  work and submit those  results directly to ABO  as real-                                                               
world checks on actual broadband speeds.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER answered yes. ABO is  working on an email address, so                                                               
Alaskans can run a speed test,  take a screenshot of the results,                                                               
then submit  them. ABO would compile  all that data. He  said the                                                               
question sparked his  imagination;  ABO should have  a speed test                                                               
link on its website. He will  work with the webmaster to get this                                                               
done.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:59:12 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR wondered how citizens could help with this effort.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  directed the committee  to a website  where citizens                                                               
can give feedback.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNBAR  asked  what  specific  type  of  help  the  Alaska                                                               
Broadband Office would like from citizens.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER replied  that this map is on a  Google Earth image on                                                               
the  ABO  webpage.  Users  can zoom  in,  see  their  community's                                                               
technology  system, give  feedback,  and make  suggestions for  a                                                               
better  system.   He  noted  that  this   project  is  technology                                                               
agnostic. The webpage is set up  with an EXCEL capital cost model                                                               
spreadsheet to  calculate the  cost of changes.  He spoke  to the                                                               
[notice  of  funding  opportunity]  (NOFO),  stating  the  future                                                               
definition of affordability is 1Gbps/1Gbps.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:01:43 PM                                                                                                                    
Slide 18                                                                                                                      
MR.  LOCHNER said  this slide  re-adds infrastructure  lines that                                                               
are in place or will be shortly.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Slide 19                                                                                                                      
MR. LOCHNER  said ABO network ideas  show up as fuchsia  lines on                                                               
this map.  The salmon-colored pins  change to salmon egg  pins as                                                               
every  community  is penciled-in  for  a  network connection.  He                                                               
explained  this is  how the  Alaska Broadband  Office puts  every                                                               
community's stake in the ground  for their network connection. If                                                               
a stake is in the wrong  area, he encourages anyone interested to                                                               
go to the  ABO website and give feedback. The  office needs input                                                               
to get  the best  possible network reaching  all of  the unserved                                                               
and underserved villages.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:02:35 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LOCHNER  advanced to  slide 20, BEAD  Next Steps  - Five-Year                                                               
Action Plan, stating  he hopes to submit the action  plan by June                                                               
15. He  categorized the  notice of  funding opportunity  items as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
             BEAD Next Steps  Five-Year Action Plan                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
       Work with Communities, Tribes, Village & Regional                                                                        
        Corporations, AFN, AML, Industry, and others to                                                                         
     develop and submit a Five-Year Action Plan.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Outreach:                                                                                                                  
       • Digital Equity Inclusion and External Engagement                                                                       
        Process                                                                                                                 
    • Alignment         with         Other        Statewide                                                                     
        Social/Economic/Infrastructure Plans                                                                                    
     About 1/3 of this category is complete.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Network:                                                                                                                   
     • Broadband Service Needs                                                                                                  
     • Asset Inventory                                                                                                          
     • Deployment Barriers & Obstacle Identification                                                                            
     • Comprehensive High-Speed Internet Plan                                                                                   
     About 3/4 of this category is complete.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Logistical:                                                                                                                
     •  Outline of Broadband Office,  Employees, Consultants                                                                    
        & Contractors, Program Work, and Anticipated                                                                            
        Technical Assistance & Capacity Needs                                                                                   
     •  Broadband Funding  Identification  (Federal,  State,                                                                    
        Local   &    Tribal    Providers)   and    Broadband                                                                    
        Affordability Data                                                                                                      
     About 2/3 of this category is complete.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:03:23 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON sought confirmation that this project will                                                                 
substantially reduce the cost of broadband in rural areas.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER answered yes. ABO has  a target of $150 per month. He                                                               
said  that  he heard  the  Affordable  Connectivity Program  will                                                               
continue, and because  all of Alaska is  considered tribal lands,                                                               
there is an opportunity for a $75 per month subsidy.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:04:23 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. LOCHNER reviewed slide 21, which outlined the NTIA notice of                                                                
funding opportunity scoring criteria:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
      BEAD Next Steps - Grant Criteria - Initial Proposal:                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Primary Criteria                                                                                                         
     Fixed   75%  of   Scoring   from   Notice  of   Funding                                                                  
     Opportunity:                                                                                                             
     •  Efficient Use  of  BEAD Funding     How  big is  the                                                                    
        match?                                                                                                                  
     •  Affordability     1Gbps/1Gbps   affordable  consumer                                                                    
        product                                                                                                                 
     •  Fair Labor  Practices     Can and  will  Subgrantees                                                                    
        comply with Federal labor and employment laws?                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Secondary Criteria:                                                                                                      
     Will the work be completed by a set date?                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     All Other Criteria:                                                                                                      
     • Network Design                                                                                                           
     •  Operating  Costs      Sustainable,   Affordable  and                                                                    
        Scalable                                                                                                                
     • Native Bidders                                                                                                           
     • Carrier Neutral and Fair Pricing Practices                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:07:30 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR outlined this model:                                                                                               
- A private, for-profit entity builds out its network.                                                                          
- With  the help  of the  state, the  federal government  makes a                                                               
  massive financial investment into building out that entity's                                                                  
  infrastructure.                                                                                                               
- Operations are turned over to that entity.                                                                                    
- The entity runs the network for profit.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR  asked the  following series  of questions  based on                                                               
that model:                                                                                                                     
- What is to stop  a private, for-profit entity from dramatically                                                               
  raising its rates in the future?                                                                                              
- Would anyone else have access to that network?                                                                                
- Who would own the network?                                                                                                    
-  How  can monopolistic  price  gouging  be prevented  in  rural                                                               
  communities?                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER  replied  that the  notice  of  funding  opportunity                                                               
contemplates  open  networks,  meaning  the  network  has  to  be                                                               
available  to all  comers at  a  reasonable rate.  NOFO does  not                                                               
define a  reasonable rate. The sweet  spot is a 10  to 15 percent                                                               
margin in  the [operations and maintenance]  (O&M) calculator. It                                                               
will look like price gouging  when ABO grades a grant application                                                               
with  a 50  percent margin.  He said  tribes in  partnership with                                                               
telecoms or municipalities will own  networks, but the state will                                                               
not.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:09:35 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   DUNBAR   asked   whether    ownership   is   limited   to                                                               
municipalities, tribal  entities, and  co-ops or if  a for-profit                                                               
company could own the infrastructure.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR.   LOCHNER   replied  yes,   a   for-profit   could  own   the                                                               
infrastructure.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR asked  what the enforcement mechanism  is to prevent                                                               
price gouging ten years down the road.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER  replied  he  does  not know  whether  there  is  an                                                               
enforcement mechanism  for ten years out;  he did not see  one in                                                               
the NOFO.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR commented that an  entity could go through the grant                                                               
process, build  it out,  own it, then  change its  rate structure                                                               
ten  years  from  now.  He  wondered  if  the  federal  or  state                                                               
government would try to retrieve funds for price gouging.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  answered that he  had not  seen a mechanism  for the                                                               
federal or state  government to do that if an  owner changes from                                                               
an affordable to an unaffordable product.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR said that could be  a question for the Department of                                                               
Law at some point.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:11:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR inquired  about the timeline, asking  if the initial                                                               
20 percent tranche of funds would come out this summer.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER  referred to  slide 8, explaining  the dates  on this                                                               
timeline are estimates.  He said after NTIA  approves the initial                                                               
proposal, they would disburse the 20 percent tranche.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR asked  for an estimate of when the  first fiber will                                                               
be laid in the ground.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER  replied that  an  estimate  based on  mega  project                                                               
permitting,  supply chain,  and  workforce  development is  three                                                               
years after funding is awarded.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:12:17 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON dovetailed  on  Senator Dunbar's  question.                                                               
She expressed  concern about  price gouging  five years  down the                                                               
road. She said  GCI continually raises its rates.  She stays with                                                               
GCI   because  the   alternative  telecommunications   provider's                                                               
broadband speeds are too slow.  Price gouging defeats the purpose                                                               
of this  project. She asked Mr.  Lochner if he would  provide the                                                               
committee  with legal  answers  on price  gouging  or should  the                                                               
committee do it.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER answered that he did not know.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON restated that she  would like him to get the                                                               
advice of  legal counsel and  provide answers to  the committee's                                                               
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:13:22 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  commented that  the primary  purpose of  the Alaska                                                               
Broadband  Office is  to identify  the  locations of  underserved                                                               
areas and coordinate and direct  the funds to build connectivity.                                                               
He sought  confirmation that the  ABO charter does not  appear to                                                               
have a post-connectivity plan.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER replied  that he would contact the  Department of Law                                                               
to  see  if the  grant  allowed  something  to  be done  or  what                                                               
mechanism could  be used to  prevent price gouging. He  said that                                                               
in  his experience,  when providers  raise rates,  they nominally                                                               
increase the value  of the service whether the  customers want it                                                               
or not.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNBAR  emphasized that  in  this  case, more  than  most,                                                               
mechanisms to prevent  price gouging are a  little more justified                                                               
because of the massive public  investment in this infrastructure.                                                               
Private  industry  alone  is  not building  this;  it  is  coming                                                               
through  the federal  and  state governments.  He  asked how  the                                                               
legislature could help with this  project, for example, statutory                                                               
changes or matching funds.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER answered  that ABO  does not  need immediate  action                                                               
from  the  legislature, but  the  office  may  need help  as  the                                                               
project progresses.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:16:27 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  commented on the  irony of  underserved communities                                                               
trying  to  submit  feedback  online,  stating  they  might  have                                                               
difficulty accessing  the website.  He asked if  ABO has  a phone                                                               
number so people can call in their feedback.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LOCHNER replied  that  ABO would  host  a community  call-in                                                               
starting  in  March. Communities  can  talk  to the  director  on                                                               
Tuesdays and  Wednesdays, and technical  calls are  on Thursdays.                                                               
ABO is  sensitive to this irony  and wants to ensure  that people                                                               
can reach out to the office in a meaningful way.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR asked for the best phone number.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. LOCHNER replied it is being set up.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR thanked the presenter.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:18:24 PM                                                                                                                    
There being  no further  business to  come before  the committee,                                                               
Chair Dunbar adjourned the Senate  Community and Regional Affairs                                                               
Standing Committee meeting at 2:18 p.m.                                                                                         

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
Alaska Broadband Office Presentation S CRA 02-16-23.pdf SCRA 2/16/2023 1:30:00 PM