POLK COUNTY BROADBAND PLAN
Public-Private Partnerships
Public-private partnerships are indispensable to the future of broadband in Polk County . In most communities and regions , government ( federal , state , or local ) is generally responsible for overseeing and regulating infrastructure , while broadband service is mostly provided by private companies in competition with one another . It is vital for government and the private sector to cooperate and collaborate with each other in order for new and improved broadband infrastructure to be put in place .
Public-private partnerships have already done many good things for broadband in the Central Florida region . For example , the City of Bartow currently provides internet service to a limited number of downtown businesses via the city-owned fiber network . Beginning in 2011 , a partnership between the government of Hardee County and the private company Rapid Systems made wireless broadband available to residents and businesses throughout the entire county , with the most basic plan ( 3 mbps download speed ) available at $ 19.95 per month . 9 Another example , further afield , is the City of Leesburg , which has been providing secure fiber optic capabilities to connect all regional medical facilities since 1992 . 10
Avoiding Conflict between Public - and Private -Sector Providers
Municipal broadband networks have the potential to provide high-quality , affordable broadband service to homes , businesses , and Anchor Institutions . Municipal broadband has been endorsed by the FCC as a “ best practice .” 11 However , Florida ’ s regulations of municipal broadband are highly restrictive . 12 A number of municipalities in Florida currently provide broadband service , and rather than “ crowding out ” private investment , the reality has shown that where municipalities invest in broadband , there are more private providers of broadband services . 13 Municipalities frequently sell services to private communications firms , resulting in a symbiotic environment that benefits both consumers and the private sector . In addition , municipal broadband networks generally do not rely on tax exemptions or subsidies to any greater extent than private providers , and their tax burden is similar to that of private telecom firms . 14 Generally speaking , broadband deployment by any entity — public or private — should be encouraged in order to spur economic development , expand educational opportunities , and provide all the other benefits that come with broadband access .
The keys to avoiding conflict between commercial and public-sector providers are communication and cooperation . When properly coordinated , public and private broadband investment can exist side-by-side , benefiting one another and the community at large .
9 Rapid Systems . “ Hardee County Frequently Asked Questions .” http :// rapidsys . com / hardee / faq . html 10 Florida Municipal Electric Association . “ The Case for Municipal Broadband in Florida ,” p . 6 . http :// www . muninetworks . org / sites / www . muninetworks . org / files / 2005 % 20- % 20fmea _ white _ paper . pdf 11 Federal Communications Commission . “ Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Capability : Second Report .” http :// transition . fcc . gov /
Bureaus / Common _ Carrier / Orders / 2000 / fcc00290 . pdf 12 Fiber To The Home Council . “ FTTH Community Toolkit .” http :// www . ftthcouncil . org / p / cm / ld / fid = 106 # reg 13 “ The Case for Municipal Broadband in Florida ,” p . 4 . 14 Ibid .
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