Community Broadband Media Roundup - April 8

Colorado

Net neutrality measure moves to Polis' desk by Charles Ashby, The Daily Sentinel

"We have set aside nearly $170 million to support new Internet connections, broadband deployment to every corner of Colorado," Hansen said. "That was an incredibly important step that we took together as a General Assembly, but there was one important problem that we didn't address, and that is, what happens if we get in a situation where one of those new providers decides to offer service that's not net neutral."

Georgia

BRIEF: Georgia lawmakers OK electric co-ops to sell Internet service by Mark Niesse, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“This authorizes one of the main players in rural Georgia to provide a service that they're not legally authorized to provide now,” said House Rules Chairman Jay Powell, a Republican from Camilla. “We're trying to break down the barriers that prevent services from being provided.”

Massachusetts

Holyoke ballot question will gauge interest in city-run Internet service by Dennis Hohenberger, MassLive

Apple Valley set to receive broadband by Grace Bird, The Greenfield Recorder 

Mississippi

CLW looks to fund broadband expansion itself by Amanda Lien, The Dispatch

Missouri 

Voter turnout, broadband Internet updates provided at county commission meeting by Sarah Gray, The Marshall Democrat-News

New York

Mayor Brown discusses call for countywide broadband, WIVB 4

Syracuse’s digital crisis: 1 out of 4 homes doesn’t have Internet by Chris Baker, Syracuse.com

Ohio

Great Lakes Energy exploring Truestream fiber Internet in rural Otsego County by Jeremy Speer, Gaylord Harold Times 

Medina County Fiber is taking high-speed network to residents, Crain’s Cleveland Business

"Fiber broadband networks are the most important underpinning for every future-ready community," Snider said in the release. "We know affordable and accessible high-speed Internet is the key to better educational outcomes, greater economic opportunity and output, and the foundation for all next-generation infrastructure — including 5G technology. We're so excited to be here in Medina County, connecting people and communities to their future."

Oregon

Encouraging rural broadband investment is the key to bridging the digital divide by Tom Gurr, The Observer

General

Telecom lobby suddenly pretends to care about accurate broadband maps by Karl Bode, Techdirt

Broadband affordability report: Nearly half of U.S. population lacks access to a low-price offering by Joan Engebretson, Telecompetitor

Why broadband should be a utility by Susan Crawford, Broadband Communities 

...the electrification of America followed a consistent pattern: municipal buildings and businesses first, wealthy urban dwellers next, then poorer urban dwellers and, last of all, rural homes and farms. This was the demand-driven model in action.

Now, after government intervention in the electricity marketplace and decades of treatment of electricity as a utility subject to public obligations, we take electricity for granted as a service that is available to every home and business at a reasonable cost. 

Dems seek FCC explanation of faulty broadband coverage data by John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable

Pai FCC tours the country promising better rural broadband, but his policies routinely undermine that goal by Karl Bode, Techdirt