In addition, the report recommended the city develop a long-range vision for its telecommunications infrastructure, observing that New York "is the largest municipal buyer of telecommunications goods and services in the United States." Currently, the city's Department of Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) manages franchise agreements for 21 fiber optics companies -- fiber, the study says, that is being underutilized by government. DoITT also has responsibility for more than 2,200 high-rise municipal buildings that could be used for deploying wireless systems.
"The competitiveness is the easiest thing. I would say the focus is on using new technologies like long range and fiber optic technology, "said Nick Noe, a policy analyst for the city who helped to write the report.
The study noted that, under the current leadership of Commissioner Gino Menchini, the city has realized significant cost savings but called for sweeping change in the way New York purchases and deploys its telecom systems. Procurement is clearly targeted in the report with recommendations to unleash the city's purchasing power by centralizing certain activities. It cites the example of the Human Resources Administration, the city Housing Authority and the Department of Transportation launching individual efforts to purchase dedicated fiber services when a collaborative procurement could "prevent duplication and maximize long-term savings."
The Department of Transportation is also cited in the report for dedicating one fiber optic strand to each of 40 traffic cameras that stream images to the city Web site when each strand has capacity to carry far more data. The mechanism to make sharing that cable is not in place, according to the report.
But, according to Noe, what the city can do with new and emerging technologies will have an impact well beyond the halls of government. "Not only can you save money," he said, "but you can affect things outside of government operations -- for example you can do things that affect the digital divide."
Costs for telecom services have risen precipitously in NYC. In 1996, the city forked over $60 million. By FY 2002, the bill shot up almost 50 percent to $91 million. At the same time, demand for broadband increased dramatically from 100 megabits (1 billion bytes) per second in FY 2002 to one gigabit (1 billion bytes) per second.
Based on increased demand and an untapped potential to use wireless technologies to go "the last mile" in the city, the commission also suggested tapping numerous high-rise buildings to increase communications options. Other preliminary recommendations include a thorough analysis of the city's immediate and long term telecom needs; the establishment of a blue ribbon panel consisting of non-vendor related academics, technologists and citizens; a committee to coordinate telecom plans with the state to avoid duplication or incompatibility and making free wireless access available ion city parks. The study also says that DoITT should assume centralized control over all the city's telecom purchases and plans.
The committee suggested the city look to state and federal source for financial support -- particularly at homeland security funds -- for the citywide telecom network. Noe said the committee, led by Council Member Gale Brewer who chairs the telecom group, will be working to get the support of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and key players in the city's executive branch, along with holding public hearings throughout the summer.
