CostQuest Associates has determined a need for providing various stakeholders with an accurate and real-world bandwidth needs/demand assessment at a specific location for either residential users or for a specific business, organization, or anchor institution. This web based application provides clients with a detailed understanding of bandwidth needs consisting of speed, connections, and technology type required at a given location. Once an assessment is taken the application will identify if service currently exists, the potential providers, and technology types in the chosen area. In the event that there is no service available, the application allows business users to submit a specific ‘request for proposal’ to area providers. While residential users that have chosen to “opt in” can also be contacted by specific providers in a given area with related service offerings information. No personal information is ever shared with providers, as the application has a self-contained communication feature which maintains user anonymity.
How it Works
The Bandwidth Assessment Tool is fairly simple to understand and engage with. In many cases it is used by people with limited knowledge in the technology sector. For example, a likely use scenario is where a local economic development expert will use the tool to help a business prospect identify their bandwidth requirements as they work to determine viable locations for their business. In another use scenario, an existing business will use the tool to help define current and future bandwidth requirements in their efforts to determine the viability of their current location and service options. The tool is executed online through a three phase process.
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Step 1 - Assessment: The first step in the tool consists of a questionnaire which asks for a prospective business or residential user’s demographic information, collects use and capacity metrics and lastly, inquires about further needs and growth expectations.
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Step 2 - Recommendation: The second step is the recommendation phase. This phase will take into account the location, use, capacity, and future need metrics provided in the earlier assessment and through a series of algorithms (using connected databases) to provide an accurate and real-world assessment of the bandwidth necessary, including a recommended speed, number of connections, and most optimal technology type.
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Step 3 – Reporting and Outreach: The third and final step consists of user outreach. The Bandwidth Assessment Tool provides the user with a printable report of the assessed recommendation. If your state has opted to provide the expanded version of the Broadband Assessment Tool, the following additional functionality is available in step 3:
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The application allows business users to create a Request For Proposal (RFP) while residential users can “opt-in” to being contacted. Both would be placed into a provider portal. The portal allows providers to view demand on a map and either respond to the RFPs or contact a residential user via the bandwidth assessment tool.
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Analysis of existing coverage (as reflected in the National Broadband Map) and evaluation of the availability of service. If service is currently available in the relevant area, then a Broadband Service mini RFP can be created at the user’s discretion and made available to area providers who have opted into the Broadband Assessment Tool service. If relevant service is not currently available, the application will provide the user with a static set of instructions on how to request service in their area, along with a list of contact numbers for state and local representation working to expand the reach of broadband in their area.
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Provider Portal: The provider portal is an extension of the bandwidth assessment tool which gives the provider community access to demand points (RFPs and Opt-in users) on a map. The provider then has the option to reach out to users who might be interested in service opportunities in a given area. No user’s personal information is ever shared with providers – rather the tool has a built in and vetted communication function that acts as an intermediate for correspondence between users and providers.
Target Market
A primary audience for the CostQuest Bandwidth Assessment Tool will be state and/or local governments (e.g., Economic Development Specialists) who are interested in determining service needs of their constituents (including economic development candidate businesses). Additional priority intended uses of this application include service providers analyzing demand and/or costs for providing service in a given area, or local businesses assessing their current and future bandwidth needs.
