After passage of a new state law in 1999 permitting Public Utility Districts (PUDs) to provide wholesale telecommunications services to citizens, Kitsap PUD initiated a county-wide fiber optic network building plan. The initial goal to build to all anchor institution buildings in Kitsap County has virtually been met, and Kitsap PUD is now focusing on those within the community that are without service or underserved by their current Internet service providers (ISPs). Kitsap PUD is a public agency, meaning that the broadband services that are provided to the citizens are a community owned network. Through a variety of mechanisms residences are able to connect to the technology that surrounds them. This creates a network of connections that relies heavily on the use of GIS. Whether through the use of Crescent Link to manage our current infrastructure, or data analysis to evaluate where to build next, the use of GIS is critical in developing a fiber optic network that can reach the underserved citizens of Kitsap County. Through the use of public surveys distributed by KPUD, current FCC underserved regulations, and existing ISP providers, KPUD is mapping how it will expand to close the digital divide.
