Sonoma County Contracts with Magellan Advisors to Develop Broadband Strategic Plan

The Sonoma County Economic Development Board (EDB) has engaged Magellan Advisors to assist the county in developing a Broadband Strategic Plan. Magellan’s senior team of consultants will work with the county, EDB and Access Sonoma Broadband (ASB) to successfully develop a plan for Sonoma County’s broadband future. Ben Stone, Sonoma County Economic Development Director says,

“Broadband is a necessity and no longer a luxury for residents, businesses, and anchor institutions, including health care facilities, public safety agencies, and schools. The strategic plan will analyze and make recommendations for improving access to internet services."

The project team includes leadership from the EDB and ASB, and its goals are to evaluate the state of broadband throughout Sonoma County, including all unincorporated rural underserved and unserved areas. Magellan will work to analyze the broadband market, providers, and service availability for municipalities and businesses throughout the county. Magellan’s team will use their analysis to develop profiles of the various communities throughout Sonoma County, and will identify the key issues impeding broadband expansion.  Magellan will work with the county to develop strategies that will leverage smart public policy and possible local investment that could affect broadband expansion throughout Sonoma County’s communities.

Throughout the process, Magellan and Sonoma County project teams will engage local leaders, businesses, municipalities, and other community stakeholders to ensure regional collaboration as it relates to broadband infrastructure investments. Magellan Advisors is the leader in broadband and smart city planning and has a positive track record for developing actionable broadband strategic plans which can drive efficiencies throughout local government organizations, while incorporating technology and innovative solutions into the respective communities.

Magellan Advisors and the ASB are planning an educational workshop along with community meetings, focus groups, and interviews in September 2017. Meetings and focus group times are listed below.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Educational Broadband Workshop @ Finley Community Center (1 – 5 PM)

Wednesday, September 13, 2017 Public Safety Focus Group @ EDB (8 – 9:30 AM)

• HealthcareFocus Group @ EDB (10 – 11:30 AM)
• 1 District Focus Group @ La Luz Center, Sonoma (1 - 3 PM)
• 2 District Focus Group @ Petaluma Chamber (4 – 6 PM)

Thursday, September 14, 2017

• Municipal Officials/Staff Focus Group @ EDB (8 – 9:30 AM)
• Agriculture Focus Group @ EDB (10 – 11:30 AM)
• 4 District Focus Group @ Healdsburg Chamber (1 – 3 PM)
• 5 District Focus Group @ Sebastopol Veteran’s Memorial Building (4 – 6 PM)
• 3 District Focus Group @ EDB (6:30 – 8:30 PM)

About Magellan Advisors

Magellan provides leading broadband, smart city, information technology, and security consulting services to public and private organizations. Magellan’s goal is to find practical broadband and technology solutions that clients can implement in their communities. Through these services, over $1 billion new broadband investments have been made connecting more than 1,000 schools, hospitals, libraries, and governments and passing nearly 1 million homes with fiber. 

For details regarding the Broadband Strategic Plan, please visit sonomaedb.org and Access Sonoma Broadband.