Community Broadband Media Roundup - August 26

Colorado

City of Boulder to construct new fiber backbone infrastructure, Broadband Communities Magazine

City to hold informative webinar for vendors regarding fiber broadband backbone project Aug. 29, City of Boulder 

 

Florida

Lakeland wants more time to study broadband by Sara-Megan Walsh, The Ledger 

 

Indiana

Broadband initiative extends into Southern Indiana, News and Tribune

 

Minnesota

County offers support for broadband expansion by Craig Moorhead, The Caledonia Argus

 

 

New York

Internet for all in New York City: The case for municipal broadband in the five boroughs by Chris Erikson, New York Daily News 

It’s time to shake up the system. Charter Spectrum’s franchise agreement that allows the company to operate in New York City is set to expire next year. And fortunately, there is an innovative alternative that could be a game changer for union members, businesses and consumers alike — Internet for All, a public option for broadband service.

 

North Carolina 

Broadband expansion bill clears North Carolina House panel FIBER Act would allow government investment by Kirk Ross, Carolina Public Press 

 

South Carolina

On America's backroads, an information superhighway is being built by Adam Benson, Index Journal 

 

Virginia

Franklin County Broadband Authority adopts master plan to give access by Casey Fabris, The Roanoke Times

Spanberger hosts 2019 Rural Broadband Summit, Augusta Free Press 

 

Washington

What’s new in civic tech: Seattle invests in digital equity by Zack Quaintance, GovTech 

 

General 

Can cheap Internet close the digital divide? by Zow Sullivan, NextCity

Mitchell believes that publicly owned Internet infrastructure is one possible strategy to address the larger digital divide. “Historically,” Mitchell says, “most municipal networks have been built to create high-tech jobs or a better business climate, often for middle-class jobs.” Yet he says that cities are increasingly looking at creating their own networks to provide connections for low-income residents.

Unreliable Internet makes life difficult for rural businesses by Bill Wellock, The Citizens’ Voice 

“It’s hard to do business,” said Banta, co-owner of Rowlands Pennsylvania Produce in Falls Twp. “I can’t send emails, I can’t receive emails. I can’t get online. When you have a business, it’s really critical when you’re sitting there and you’re trying to send an email and there’s someone waiting on the other end for an invoice or something. I’m trying to send an invoice, and I can’t send it.”

Survey says: Telehealth + community broadband = Local economic success by Craig Settles, Benton Foundation 

No one knows how many US homes, businesses lack broadband access by Joel Hruska, ExtremeTech 

Running for office? You should have a plan for broadband access by Cat Blake, The Hill