EntryPoint Networks
Solutions

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Consulting Services
Strategy, Feasibility, Planning, Implementation

EntryPoint began its first consulting project in Ammon, Idaho in 2010 and has continued providing services to date.  Currently, EntryPoint is providing consulting services to cities, towns, and counties from California to Maine, with populations ranging from 3,000 people – 700,000 people.  EntryPoint is focused on planning and deploying the most innovative and advanced fiber networks nationwide.

Tailor-made
Solutions

The scope of work for EntryPoint consulting engagements is tailored to the specific needs of each client – but often includes these elements:

Broadband Strategy

SWOT Analysis
Assessment of Existing Broadband Infrastructure
Market Assessment
Community Engagement and Customer Acquisition
Business Model Development
High-level Fiber Optic Network Design
Materials Cost Analysis
Governance Structure
Legal Authority
Financial Analysis
Financial Feasibility

Risk Analysis

Preparation of RFP Content for Engineering & Construction
Digital Infrastructure Master Plan
Digital Infrastructure Training for City & County Leaders
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Implementation & Project Management
Finance, Design, Deploy, Grow, Stabilize

EntryPoint focuses on providing clients an end-to-end solution with sophisticated planning, consulting, and project management. These steps are important but still a means toward the larger goal of building successful networks.

Automated Open Access Technologies

The goal of an Open Access system is to lower costs and improve services by enabling choice and competition

EntryPoint’s Automated Open Access model divides the infrastructure and services into two separate systems, with the infrastructure being shared by multiple service providers like road systems and airports. Many Open Access systems enable choice but are not organized to drive down costs down through dynamic competition. It is important to promote choice and competition.

EntryPoint pioneered the concept of integrating the Open Access model with software defined networking and can now demonstrate that this model delivers lower costs and greater reliability to consumers.

Automated Network and Service Provisioning

  • Creates a marketplace of ISP’s
  • Creates a marketplace of private networks for any service
  • Enables self-service (subscribers can switch service providers in less than 40 seconds)
  • Lowers the barriers to entry for service providers
  • Makes it easy to deploy new services
  • Incentivizes service providers to use automation to lower operating costs and service fees
  • Simplifies the task of being a network operator

In legacy hardware-defined networks, the network is siloed, and you must build a new physical network segment for every problem you want to solve or service you want to deploy. With a Software Defined Network, solutions are less expensive, faster to implement, and more efficient.

Network Management and Operations

The work required for network operations includes network monitoring, network management, network maintenance, outside physical network repairs, and new customer installations.  Network operations can be provided by municipal  personnel or by a third-party partner.  Many municipalities will outsource operations to third-party partners until the network is stabilized with an established and sustainable take-rate.  At that time, community leaders can evaluate whether it makes financial and operational sense to move network management inside a municipal department. Because EntryPoint has detailed knowledge of logical network responsibilities (customer support, NOC, monitoring, and troubleshooting), it provides these services in its suite of product offerings.

NEXT GENERATION NETWORKS

In the next 10 – 15 years, the technologies that are in their infancy now will move from science projects to mainstream society. These are things like self-driving cars, the blockchain, a grid that is dominated by renewable energy, education and healthcare automation and virtualization, and virtual reality technologies. The construct that is “the internet” is going to look very different in 10 years than it looks today. Many of the large technology companies (Tesla, Apple, Facebook, and Google) are focused on a different set of fundamental technologies than we have today. An important question every municipality should be asking is what kind of network will be needed to support these emerging technologies and how can the community anticipate these emerging technologies?

The technologies and models used in municipal networks today have seen very modest changes in the past 20 years. Most networks built today still follow the model established decades ago of shared infrastructure (neighbors share a network connection), asymmetrical (much slower upload than download speed), using very little network automation and virtualization, suffering from vendor lock-in, and are hardware defined rather than software defined. These networks are organized for profitability rather than utility and the lack of a competitive threat has allowed incumbents to preserve the status quo.

Further, in legacy hardware-defined networks, the network is siloed, and you must build a new physical silo for every problem you want to solve. With a Software Defined Network, problems get solved in software at a much lower cost and much faster speed.

A key economic development value differentiator for networks going forward will be resilience to future technology. Networks that are software defined, open to any service or innovation, organized as utility infrastructure, and designed with a data center architecture will likely offer distinct economic development advantages over static networks missing these attributes.

A municipally (publicly) owned fiber network provides the resilience, flexibility, and cost savings needed to attract and foster businesses dependent on advanced digital infrastructure. This also allows municipal leader to put in place long term solutions to lower costs and connect all residents and businesses. The key enabler to connect everyone is for municipalities to own and control its digital infrastructure. Setting policies and utilizing powerful technological tools gives community leader the ability to drive desired outcomes.

Municipal utilities exist to provide services that are critical for societal success. Like water, sewer, and electricity, internet access is crucial in today’s modern economy. Providing digital access as a public utility will result in the maximum level of service at the lowest possible price. The need for a utility-based approach stems from the fact that ISP-controlled internet access has led to gaps in affordability, availability, and quality of service at the lowest possible price. The need for a utility-based approach stems from the fact that ISP-controlled internet access has led to gaps in affordability, availability, and quality.

MODELS THAT WILL NOT SOLVE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

  1. Rent Seeking
    • Monopoly / Duopoly Control
    • Cartel Pricing
    • Treated as an Amenity
    • Unreliable Legacy Infrastructure
    • Vertically Integrated Systems and Services

    MODELS THAT CAN SOLVE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

    1. Seeks Highest Value at Lowest Cost
    2. True Competition Among Service Providers
    3. Competitive Market Pricing
    4. Treated as am Essential Service
    5. Dedicated Fiber Optic Connections (not shared)
    6. Infrastructure and Services are Separated
    7. Infrastructure Managed as a Utility