Community Broadband Media Roundup - December 5

Kansas

Kansas launches initiative to boost high-speed Internet access in schools by Jonathan Shorman, The Topeka Capital Journal

 

Massachusetts

State seeks 'last-mile' broadband providers by Diane Broncaccio, The Greenfield Recorder

 

New Mexico

Project creates 'digital backbone' along Central by Kevin Robinson-Avila, Albuquerque Journal

 

New York

Ambitious plan would connect city to fiber Internet by Justin Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

"I think this model Rochester is considering will (eventually) become the most popular," Mitchell said. "It's not unprecedented, but it's new-ish, and it's exciting to be considering it."

The rub, of course, is how to pay for it. While operating a fiber network is not particularly expensive, building one can be.

High-speed broadband coming to Alleghany County by Mike Desmond, WBFO 88.7

 

Ohio

cattle-sunset.jpg

FairlawnGig challenges AT&T, Frontier hold with 1 Gbps plans by Sean Buckley, FierceTelecom

FairPoint establishes 'customized treatment' in its municipal broadband program by Sean Buckley, FierceTelecom

FairlawnGig municipal FTTP network connects customers by Lightwave

 

Virginia

County seeking state funds in bid to improve Internet by Gabe Cavallaro, Augusta News Leader

 

General

10 ways being online saves you money by Internet Innovation Alliance

Comcast loses just $5.50 per month when you cut the cord thanks to its growing broadband monopoly by Karl Bode, TechDirt

As this cable monopoly grows, these cable companies have less incentive than ever to compete on price across more than half of their footprint. And with ISPs literally writing state laws preventing public/private or community broadband, no market forces exist to prevent them from expanding the application of entirely unnecessary usage caps and overage fees. Most analyses overlook this, instead focusing on the scattered rise of Google Fiber and other gigabit deployments in highly-select areas.

Community broadband strategies in the Trump era by Craig Settles, American City and County

Google's accelerating broadband agenda by Gary Arlen, MultiChannel

Gigabit broadand improves ISP revenues and subscriber growth by Karl Bode, DSL Reports

While it might be true that nobody yet needs a gigabit connection, that doesn't mean there's not some significant benefits in deploying such services. Every so often we'll see a news outlet pooh pooh gigabit deployments; like this recent Vox report proclaiming that after many cities deployed gigabit connections, "nobody is sure what they're good for." But time and time again we've shown how gigabit broadband helps drive demand for lower speeds, and lowers the price of all service in a market for consumers.

How the FCC & Trump's transition team leader, Jeff Eisenach, helped to kill competition in America. by Bruce Kushnick, Huffington Post

Jared Kushner might now be our best hope for world-class Internet by Susan Crawford, BackChannel

Picture of the cows at sunset courtesy of sneeze via pxaby.