The DCEDC Technology Council is a group of IT professionals from leading area companies, local elected officials and other concerned citizen who have been working since 2000 to improve reliability and access to the most up-to-date telecommunications technology for the entire county.

Council members have taken the lead in educating the community on the importance of broadband telecommunications for future economic development. The Council has commissioned and released studies on the available telecommunications infrastructure in the County, click here, a Technology Needs and Market Study, click here, and a feasibility study for a new fiber-to-the-home telecommunications deployment.

The Technology Council also engages with incumbent service providers to continually lobby for service upgrades and improvements. The Council has worked to speed up the deployment of DSL service to the City of Sturgeon Bay, supported a new redundant fiber link recently installed in the County and encouraged the extension of cable services in Northern Door County. In 2007, Charter Communications, supprted by DCEDC, completed a $33,000 upgrade to their facilities to include the Sturgeon Bay Industrial Park for deployment of their “triple-play” data/voice/video services.

In 2008, the County of Door released a request for proposals from service providers for a countywide fiber optics telecommunications network. The proposed network will help to advance the ability of existing businesses to grow and also provide an appealing lure for potential new business opportunities. From that process, the County received a separate proposal from Norlight Telecommunications for the deployment of a fiber optic telecommunications backbone around the county, supported by a robust wireless network, providing broadband connectivity to a majority of the peninsula. The County recently entered into a Letter of Intent agreement with Norlight to develop detailed engineering for the proposed countywide network

In order for this proposal to be financially feasible for the County, it will be necessary to acquire federal support through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. DCEDC, the County, Sturgeon Bay Utilities and Norlight are currently working together on the ownership, routing and design of the proposed combination of fiber optic and wireless network deployment, in order to define costs in anticipation of an application for federal assistance. We established an on-line survey (www.doorcountybroadbandinquiry.com) to assess business’s telecommunications needs in Door County. This assessment is an important step in determining the fiber route as well as the viability of the proposed deployment for qualification for potential Federal funding.

Additionally, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin is seeking input from residents and businesses on broadband needs in the state. It is likely that the state will be asked to advise federal agencies on where there are needs for broadband that could be helped through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Please help the PSC demonstrate to the Feds that Door County is an underserved area of the state by completing the quick and easy Broadband Customer Survey at http://psc.wi.gov/apps35/eSurvey/Broadband/WIbroadband.aspx.

To join the DCEDC Technology Council, please contact Sam Perlman.