creating regional broadband opportunities
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As the interstate highway facilitated the exchange of goods and services in the 20th Century, the telecommunications infrastructure will facilitate the exchange of information in the 21st Century. It is the critical element of infrastructure for economic development.
Cape Cod and the Southeastern Massachusetts Region have inadequate communications infrastructure. The communications deficiencies are in backhaul transport and “last mile” access options.
The issue goes beyond economic development. The Cape, Islands and South Coast are the most vulnerable region in Massachusetts to natural disaster. A hurricane will eventually strike the region. Its proximity to the Plymouth nuclear power plant adds to this vulnerability. The region does not have the robust and redundant system of communications it will need in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
OpenCape’s purpose is to fulfill the need for a regional communications network to enhance education, research, and economic development, AND provide for an emergency communications network in times of crisis.
OpenCape Corporation will create and operate a regional wholesale digital backhaul communications network commonly referred to as the TRANSPORT network. This network will provide reliable, redundant, and secure backhaul communications for public and commercial access networks on Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The network will support open access and promote competition in all telecommunications services.
The OpenCape Corporation will provide priority access to designated Regional and Primary emergency evacuation centers and community emergency operations centers.
OpenCape Corporation will generate revenues adequate to operate, maintain, and upgrade the transport network by selling access to the transport network to access entities. Access entities will take many shapes and forms. None of these entities could create or operate the necessary backhaul to meet their individual needs. By creating an open wholesale transport network that each can use, each can thrive.
The estimated implementation cost of OpenCape is $5M.
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local links
Cape Cod Community College
Cape Cod Technology Council
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Barnstable County
Cape Cod Commission
Cape Cod EDC
UMass - Dartmouth
Southeast MA Regional Planning
Cape Cod Emergency Preparedness