by Bailey White
Staff Writer
Fiber optic cables, wireless Internet connections, high speed networking — Jacksonville is moving closer to the future with the help of the City’s Task Force on Telecommunications. The committee chose Black & Veatch Inc., a Kansas City-based technological consulting firm with about 30 employees in Jacksonville, to help the City reach its technological needs.
Representatives from Black & Veatch were at Tuesday’s meeting of the task force to inform the committee of current developments regarding the Telecommunications Study and Master Plan that the City wants to implement sooner than later.
“We want to find out what is feasible, practical and what will work for Jacksonville,” said John Toccalino, director of integrated networks for the company.
The company will study the City’s existing infrastructure and come up with a conceptual design for where Jacksonville wants to be in its technological future. They will try to factor in everyone’s best interest with help from the members of the task force, who represent the Jacksonville Port Authority, Duval County Public Schools, Public Works Department and Jacksonville Transportation Authority. Members of the Chamber are also on board to represent private business in Jacksonville and Better Jacksonville Plan-related projects such as laying dry conduits underground in conjunction with road infrastructure improvements.
“We consider ourselves integrators,” said Tom Bizal, the project manager for Black & Veatch. “We’re going to gather all we can to determine the way for the future.”
Rick Mullaney, the City’s general counsel and chair of the task force, added that the biggest question is who should be responsible for providing the infrastructure Jacksonville would require on its road to becoming a state-of-the-art technological community.
“We’re trying to figure out the role of local government and municipalities in building this fundamental infrastructure,” said Mullaney.
During the first phase of the study, Black & Veatch will gather data and assess Jacksonville’s needs in regards to available technology through a series of market studies consisting of group sessions and phone surveys with the public and with commercial businesses.
“This will help address the current demographic needs,” said Mullaney, adding that the first phase of the project should take 10-12 weeks.
The next phase of the study will involve analyzing results of the surveys and shaping ideas. At this stage, they plan to look at data gathered from other cities that might serve as technological models for Jacksonville. A staff committee to the task force put together a report on approaches cities across the country have made to technology — what works and what doesn’t.
“We’ll be considering how to fold all of this into making Jacksonville competitive in the field of technology,” said Bizal.
By January, Black & Veatch expects to have the report finished and ready for a formal presentation to the mayor and City Council. In February, the task force committee will hold a public technology summit, focusing on the report and its recommendations.
One of the largest projects facing the task force right now is outfitting the city for wireless communication. Rich Powell, manager of project management at JTA and a staff member of the task force, spoke about unobtrusive antennas that have a range of two miles. To serve Duval County, the City would need to install about 120 of these antennas by affixing them to the sides of buildings, current tower sites or the tops of poles.
“They wouldn’t necessarily require individual towers,” said Powell.
JEA is currently conducting a pilot program for wireless broadband networking with a three-tower site. The study will take about two or three months, and will help the task force decide where to move forward with wireless networking internally and with the public in mind.
Mullaney noted the plan for a wireless network is meant to supplement plans for fiber optic connections, and that Jacksonville is gaining an audience as it works towards technological enhancement.
“The timing of the pilot study is great for the work Black & Veatch is doing to put together a comprehensive approach to a county wide wireless network,” said Mullaney. “People around the country are looking at what we’re doing.”
City Hall is currently a wireless zone, as is the Landing.
Powell said wireless broadband prices have dropped, making the high-speed Internet access cost effective. It will cost $3 million to set up the infrastructure needed for the wireless plan, which does not include any services.
“It’s easily deployable,” said Powell of countywide wireless network. “It would take one or two days to get it up, connected and online. In six to 12 months it could be done.”
As the study continues, Mullaney and members of the task force hope the Duval County School Board will work closely with Black & Veatch to establish its needs for wireless communication. Steve Barrow, supervisor for data communications for Duval County Public Schools, is currently representing the School Board on the task force and said that one Duval County elementary school is completely wireless already. This will most likely be the trend, as more and more public education facilities equip themselves for wireless communication.
Next month’s task force meeting will provide an opportunity for the public to voice its opinion on the latest technological developments.
“I’ve had lots of phone calls from lots of interested people,” said Mullaney. “This will be a chance for us to listen.”