BROADBAND NETWORK DESIGN FOR GOVERNMENT INNOVATION

As the region continues to flourish, leaders in Chesapeake, VA noticed a lack of resilient accessible fiber infrastructure to continue to propel the region towards future economic development, prosperity and government innovation. In late 2019, the City engaged Magellan Advisors to lead the development of Chesapeake’s Next Generation Network (C-NGN) Master Plan in an effort to provide world-class fiber connectivity to the City’s enterprises, its partners, and across the greater Hampton Roads region. This network vision was to enhance municipal government, promote economic development, support education, and create a catalyst for future private investment in broadband services.

Magellan worked with the City to design the 170+ mile C-NGN fiber-optic network with a complementary Smart City wireless overlay, branded Chesapeake Connects, to interconnect over 200 community facilities (city facilities, schools, libraries, healthcare, public utilities, public safety, and traffic) while passing key economic development areas with backbone fiber connectivity.

Chesapeake Connects was also developed with a regional focus in mind in order to play a core role in the greater Hampton Roads Regional Network initiative, ensuring Chesapeake’s access to the substantial next generation infrastructure investments taking place throughout the region. Magellan Advisors’ fiber engineering team provided comprehensive high-level design and is currently in the process of delivering low-level design for the fiber-optic network. Magellan also advised the City on the most achievable approach for construction of the network to meet the City’s goals and objectives.

Recently, Magellan was reengaged to determine how Chesapeake Connects could support organizations during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on telehealth and remote education. The City of Chesapeake is eager to see the developments of the Chesapeake Connects network and how this network will further support Smart City initiatives and increase the citizens’ quality of life in Chesapeake.

Magellan Advisors delivered the City a full set of signed/sealed construction drawings for the project, and submited all initial permit applications at the end of 2020, In addition, Magellan delivered a City approved RFP for OSP Construction, accompanied by construction plan sets, bills of material and engineers estimates, so that the City can begin the procurement solicitation process beginning in 2021.

The City of Chesapeake plans to begin construction by July 2021 and is working through options to accelerate the constructing timeline, targeting no more than 18-24 months for completion of major construction related activities.