Rene M. Agredano

The following technology-themed article appeared as part of my regular guest column contribution to the Eureka Times Standard Newspaper. In this 4/30/09 column, I discuss the trend of bandwidth limitations imposed upon users by broadband companies.

Coming soon: Pay-to-Play Internet Plans

It’s hard to believe we’ve been on the road for two years now. What started out as a one-year road trip has morphed into a lifestyle, mostly because of our ability to stay connected with the world through our satellite internet connection.

But it’s not perfect. We’ve had a few gripes, especially lately, when something on our network was calling out to the Internet, and we couldn’t diagnose the problem. We had a mystery virus eating up our bandwidth, and subjecting us to a “Fair Access Policy”, that our ISP, HugesNet, inflicts on subscribers.

For satellite users, the HughesNet Fair Access Policy (FAP) states that:

Hughes has established a download threshold for each of the HughesNet service plans that is well above the typical usage rates. Subscribers who exceed that threshold will experience reduced download speeds for approximately 24 hours.

In the satellite internet world, this situation is known as “getting FAPed.” Lots of things can set it off. Watch a movie online? FAP! Videoconference on Skype for too long? FAP! You don’t get charged a fee, but it’s a horribly painful affliction, giving you speeds akin to dial-up for 24 hours from the time you exceeded your limit.

Until now, FAP policies and bandwidth limitations like this have only been the problem of satellite users and others who rely on connectivity through wireless internet “air cards” provided by their cell phone company. But now, DSL and cable subscribers will start to feel the pain of “bandwidth caps” too.

The San Antonio Express-News reported on April 2, 2009, that Time Warner cable has tapped San Antonio (TX) as one of its first markets to charge varying rates depending on how much data you use, instead of a flat fee.

Time Warner claims that 5 percent of its customers use up to 50 percent of their total bandwidth. They claim they are looking out for the Honest Joes and Janes who don’t hog up the pipeline by frivolously using it for downloading movies or gaming. The company plans to implement this new pricing structure in Austin, Greensboro, North Carolina, and Rochester, New York.

AT&T isn’t far behind. Subscribers in Humboldt should also be on the lookout for the same kind of new pay-to-play system. Late last year, the company began testing bandwidth caps of 60 – 150 gigabytes per month in Reno, Nevada. Other providers following suit include Comcast and Charter Communications.

Users do get a warning if they approach their limit. But once they do, are charged anywhere from $1 per gigabyte over the cap, up to an extra $20 a month on their bills.

The implications of bandwidth caps are profound, and in this economic climate, will have far reaching consequences on businesses as well as individual users.

This pay-to-play scheme by communications giants is nothing new. Other providers have attempted policies like this before. Back in 1986, Ma Bell tried to get rid of its longstanding flat rate charge. They began charging users in Rochester, New York, fees based on how many phone calls they made or how far they were located from the exchange box.

But guess what? Consumers revolted, some even forming their own cooperatives to provide alternative services. Ma Bell eventually threw in the towel when enough of its users switched to the newly formed Rochester phone company.

Over 100 years later, it’s happening again, and we still can’t afford to let our access to the world be at the mercy of these companies. I encourage you to help the Humboldt tech community spread the word about this issue, by bringing it up for discussion with the Redwood Technology Consortium membership base. You can also read about the actions that consumers are taking, by visiting StopTheCap.com, or UsageCaps.com.

As for my satellite internet connection, next time we get FAPed, I guess that as long as we aren’t being charged extra, I won’t scream as loudly as I used to.

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Copyright 2009, Eureka Times Standard Newspaper.The print edition of this article first appeared in the 4/30/09 edition of the Times Standard.

My company was selected for a major rebranding project of the Eureka Redevelopment Agency in Eureka, CA. The scope of the project included designing a new logo and writing and designing new marketing/program materials and their website.

My copywriting skills were utilized to create an informational brochure to promote the Agency’s Facade Grant Program targeted at downtown small businesses. To see the brochure in its entirety, click here.

Website Copy for
Eureka Redevelopment Agency:

Facade Grant Program

An attractive, clean environment is essential for a thriving business district. Eureka’s “Old Town” is once again alive with unique shops, friendly local merchants and year-round events. The Facade Grant program is available to ensure that our storefronts and historic structures are restored and properly maintained in the downtown shopping districts.

Revitalizing Eureka – one building at a time

Implemented in conjunction with Eureka Main Street, the Facade Grant program helps commercial property owners and business tenants in targeted downtown areas to improve the exterior of their buildings. The program helps to improve storefronts and offices, revitalizes neighborhood commercial areas, eliminates blight and enhances the livability of surrounding neighborhoods.

Eligible improvements include:

• Facade renovation
• Sign renovation, replacement and repainting
• Exterior wall repair and painting
• Window replacement or modification
• Door replacement
• Handicap accessibility modifications
• Planter box installation and permanent landscaping (specifications and maintenance agreement required)
• Decorative lighting
• Other improvements that will increase the attractiveness of the building

Buildings must have at least one wall facing the main street. Vacant buildings are eligible if there is a contracted, incoming tenant. Business tenants may apply if the building owner agrees to the repayment clause of the program.

Does your project have impact?

If you would like to apply for a Facade Grant, here are a few things to keep in mind …

Grants will be judged and awarded according to:

• Impact for the dollars invested
• Affect of the project on the neighborhood
• Enhancement of the historic character of the building or neighborhood
• Physical protection of a deteriorating building

Applicants with approved projects can receive up to 50% of the cost of eligible improvements, with a maximum grant of $7,500. Bonus grants are available for appropriate and tasteful signage, historic restoration and more. The final award amount is an amount agreed upon by the Eureka Redevelopment Agency and Eureka Main Street.

Beautify your building today!
There are no application fees, but fees for the City of Eureka design review process and other permits may apply. Simply contact Eureka Main Street for an application, and submit your design concept to them.

The Review Committee will provide a decision about your project and/or potential grant amount. Throughout the project you’ll keep associated project receipts, which will be submitted to Main Street at the conclusion of the project. Finally, Eureka Main Street will submit your receipts to the Redevelopment Agency for reimbursement to the building owner.
Please contact Eureka Main Street for more details about revitalizing your building:

Eureka Main Street Program
525 Second Street, Suite 105
Eureka, CA 95501
Tel: 707-442-9054
Fax: 707-442-9054
www.eurekamainstreet.com

My company was selected for a major rebranding project of the Eureka Redevelopment Agency in Eureka, CA. The scope of the project included designing a new logo and writing and designing new marketing/program materials and their website.

My copywriting skills were utilized to create an informational brochure to promote the Agency’s Owner Participation Program targeted at small businesses.

Website Copy for Eureka Redevelopment Agency

Owner Participation Program

The Eureka Redevelopment Agency plays a major role in facilitating the expansion of local businesses by working with local entrepreneurs as a gap financing lender.

Our Owner Participation agreement program leverages public funds to assist with a variety of small business needs, while improving commercial buildings and public facilities.

Assisting businesses through gap financing

Starting a business is the easy part – making it flourish is where the real work lies. The Owner Participation agreement assists businesses with commercial or industrial/manufacturing projects through gap financing. “Gap financing” means that once a business has exhausted all other debt financing methods that will allow it to move forward with a project, the Agency can fill in the gap needed for completion. This allows us to leverage limited government money against private and commercial lending sources.

Businesses helped by the Owner Participation agreement range from “Mom and Pop” retail shops and high tech enterprises, to commercial real estate owners with industrial manufacturing projects.

Scope of assistance

Projects addressed through this program include rehabilitation of existing structures, capital equipment and off-site improvements (if the off-site improvements are to be owned by the City/Agency upon completion, such as public parking lots, sewer/water lines, street improvements, etc.).

Contact us today to find out if your project fits within the program guidelines.

If a project is approved and funds are available, the Eureka Redevelopment Agency may reimburse the developer for project costs – from 10 to 20% of the increase in assessed value upon completion – in the form of a 15 year low interest loan at 3% per annum.

For example:

• Current assessed value of a property is $150,000
• Projected assessment upon completion is $300,000 (increase of $150,000)
• Max. loan amount = $30,000 ($150,000 x .20)

Please contact the Redevelopment Agency staff to learn more about this program.

My company was selected for a major rebranding project of the Eureka Redevelopment Agency in Eureka, CA. The scope of the project included designing a new logo and writing and designing new marketing/program materials and their website.

My copywriting skills were utilized to create an informational brochure to promote the Agency’s Foreign Trade Zone targeted at small businesses.

Website Copy for
Eureka Redevelopment Agency:
Foreign Trade Zone

Businesses within a U.S. designated Foreign Trade Zone can avoid customs duties on qualifying imported materials. Benefits ranging from inverted tariffs for manufacturers and duty deferral for high volume importers are also available.

Eureka’s Foreign Trade Zone

Our region is part of an elite class of manufacturing and industrial areas located throughout the United States. Within our boundaries we hold various U.S. designated “Foreign Trade Zones.” These are areas that are physically within the U.S., but considered outside of U.S. Customs jurisdiction.

In many circumstances, businesses located within a Foreign Trade Zone can save money by avoiding payment of customs duties on imported material. The Eureka Redevelopment Agency partners with the Port of Humboldt Bay to create cost-benefit analyses for businesses, to illuminate how they can apply all of the different Foreign Trade Zone benefits available.

To qualify, manufacturers and distribution businesses need to be located in one of the four designated sites in and around Eureka. Boundaries, however, are somewhat flexible and can be modified for specific projects.

Manufacturers enjoy inverted tariffs

The Eureka Redevelopment Agency’s Foreign Trade Zone program helps manufacturers reduce tariff exposures.

For example, if the manufacturer is producing a final product, which, if imported, would be subject to a lower duty rate than the rate(s) currently being paid on the imported components, then the imported component rates can be reduced to the final product rate, upon making entry of the final product from the zone into the U.S. If other components are assessed rates lower than that of the final product, the importer has the option of fixing those rates at their lower levels.

High-volume importers can defer duties payments

Duties payments can be deferred almost up to the time of actual sale. If a distribution facility within a Foreign Trade Zone is importing in large quantities, holding inventory for long periods of time, or is facing high duty rates, that facility can improve its cash-flow, by deferring payment of duties until the time finished goods leave the zone – much closer to the time of actual sale.

Our staff will assist you in navigating the Foreign Trade Zone business processes and application procedures. Contact us today to find out how your business can benefit.