Community Broadband Media Roundup - June 10

California

Council votes to pursue study of municipal broadband by Anne Ternus-Bellamy, Davis Enterprise

 

Colorado 

Loveland council approves agreements, contracts for municipal broadband by Julia Rentsch, Loveland Reporter-Herald

 

Idaho

If your broadband bill is too high consider moving to Idaho, they get the Internet for free by Kieren McCarthy, The Register

In short, the value of municipal networks has been reflected, yet again, in the real world with real services. In Ammon, Idaho fast Internet access comes at half the price, with no restrictions and no lock-in to cable giants. 

 

Kentucky

"Without that you can't thrive and you can't succeed"; Broadband key to Appalachian growth, WYMT 

 

Maine

Minot board OKs study on broadband service by Eriks Petersons, Sun Journal 

 

Michigan

City hires new director to help close Detroit’s digital divide by Patreice A. Massey, Michigan Chronicle

 

Minnesota

How Klobuchar, Stearns County and the Legislature want to improve Internet access by Nora G. Hertel, Saint Cloud Times

 

New York

Municipal Internet? Dryden could be the first in New York by Matt Butler, Ithaca Times

 

Pennsylvania

ISPs tell FCC Pennsylvania is covered; Researchers disagree by Beth Brelje, Reading Eagle 

 

Texas

Best Internet service in Texas? It might be in tiny Mont Belvieu by Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle

Watkins said MB Link has “blown out of the water” the city’s original projections. They expected to have 400 households signed up in the first year, but as the 1-year mark in June nears there are more than 1,200. They anticipated 60 percent penetration in three years, and MB Link is already at that point.

 

Vermont

A new strategy for rural broadband by Laura Sibilia, The Commons

 

Virginia

Broadband expansion of $7.9M in rural Virginia includes Bedford, Campbell, Appomattox counties by Rachael Smith, The News and Advance

 

Wyoming

A good broadband network is key to Wyoming's economy. So why is it taking so long to build? By Nick Reynolds, Casper Star Tribune 

 

General

FCC proposes capping fund used to close the digital divide, Benton Foundation 

Summary conclusions for designing an FCC broadband grant by Doug Dawson, POTs and PANs

Digital gap between rural and nonrural America persists by Andrew Perrin, PEW Research Center

FCC broadband report: What broadband competition problem? By Karl Bode, Techdirt

FCC under fire for considering major change to federal funding for school technology by Sara Friedman, The Journal 

State’s role in broadband grants by Doug Dawson, POTs and PANs

New study explores cost of fiber deployment in rural areas, Fiber Broadband Association 

Study: Broadband reduces unemployment, especially in rural areas by Carl Weinschenk, Telecompetitor

Apartment renter broadband study: Almost half would pay higher rent to get fiber by Phil Britt, Telecompetitor

Ripping Huawei out of US networks could be a nightmare for rural providers by Colin Lecher, The Verge

Rural Telecommunications Congress launches webcast series focusing on rural broadband innovation by Drew Clark, Broadband Breakfast 

Better broadband lowers unemployment rates, study says by Karl Bode, VICE 

Electric cooperatives and precision agriculture: Addressing the digital divide in the U.S. by Eric Oeth, PrecisionAg