Broadband Initiative

Broadband Initiative

NODC’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) 2016-2020 for the North Olympic Peninsula identified expansion of broadband access as critical to economic development in the region. 


While urban areas of the United States enjoy broadband speeds of up to 1 GB, geographically isolated and economically disadvantaged rural areas like the North Olympic Peninsula are being left behind. Large areas of the North Olympic Peninsula lack access to even minimum broadband speeds of 25 mbps. This makes it nearly impossible for students to use the internet for schoolwork, for employees to telework, or for farmers and small businesses to use new technologies and develop online marketing. 


Lack of access is particularly common in the sparsely populated, geographically rugged west end of the Olympic Peninsula. Surprisingly, though, even areas near or within the city limits of the Peninsula’s major towns can lack access. Attempts to address the situation have been challenged by the high costs of infrastructure in our rugged rural terrain and the need for a coordinated, collaborative and sustained effort. In March 2019, NODC worked with partners to present a two day regional broadband symposium that brought together local governments, tribes, Public Utility Districts, ports, internet service providers, funders, industry experts and the general public. Attended by 120 people, the symposium resulted in the formation of Broadband Action Teams in Jefferson County, Sequim, Port Angeles and greater Clallam County. 

In September 2022, NODC and partners hosted a 1-day follow up to the 2019 Broadband Symposium. There were more than 50 attendees, including PUDs from Clallam, Jefferson, Whatcom, Kitsap, and Mason counties, and representatives from Lincoln, Asotin, and Adams counties. Also among those represented were the Lower Elwha Klallam and Nisqually Tribes, Washington State Department of Commerce, USDA Rural Development, North Olympic Library System, Senator Maria Cantwell’s office, and a number of internet service providers.


Representative Derek Kilmer was the featured speaker, and the agenda included a facilitated round table for regional service providers, a broadband update from Senator Cantwell’s office, state and federal funder presentations, and a digital equity and inclusion discussion.

Projects

Clallam County Community Broadband Team

Clallam County Community Broadband Team

By Pam Wennerberg • 03 Feb, 2021
Our Vision: The Clallam County Broadband Team will build on local and regional broadband expansion efforts to ensure that the entire Olympic Peninsula has high capacity broadband infrastructure and services.
Broadband Symposium

Broadband Symposium

By Pam Wennerberg • 01 Jan, 2020
The NODC was thrilled that the North Olympic Peninsula Broadband Symposium on March 18-19, 2019, was attended by more than 130 people from across Clallam and Jefferson Counties, with participants from local governments including Clallam and Jefferson Counties and the cities of Port Townsend, Sequim, Port Angeles and Forks; the Makah, Hoh, Jamestown S’Klallam and Lower Elwha Klallam tribes; the Ports of Port Angeles and Port Townsend; Clallam and Jefferson PUDs; as well as providers of fiber backbone such as CenturyLink, Wave and NoaNet, local ISPs and many area citizens interested in improved access to affordable high-speed internet. NODC and its partners would like to host a follow-up symposium in late summer or early fall of 2020, COVID-19 permitting.
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