Community Broadband Media Roundup - March 27

California

San Francisco ponders the largest community broadband network ever built by Karl Bode, TechDirt

Missouri

After years waiting for Google Fiber, KC residents get cancellation e-mails by Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica

Community Broadband ban bill ties the hands of MO communities by Phillip Dampier, Benton Foundation

North Carolina

Bill would allow Pinetops to keep Greenlight service by Corey Friedman, The Wilson Times

Muni broadband customers could lose service unless a new bill becomes law by Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica

Greenlight came close to shutting off Internet service to those new customers after the state ban on municipal broadband expansion was upheld by a federal appeals court. But in October 2016, the Wilson City Council voted to provide free Internet serviceto Pinetops and Vick Family Farms for six months. Wilson's wholesale providers agreed to waive their fees for six months, making this decision possible. Wilson's Greenlight ISP was technically in compliance with the state law as long as it didn't charge its new customers for service, but Wilson community leaders hoped the state legislature would eliminate or change the state law before the six months were up.

That might be on the verge of happening. Reps. Susan Martin, R-Wilson and Jean Farmer-Butterfield, D-Wilson last week "introduced a bipartisan bill that would allow Greenlight Community Broadband to keep its existing customers outside the Wilson County lines," The Wilson Times wrote.

Washington

More of Auburn to get broadband Internet access by Robert Whale, Auburn-Reporter

West Virginia

WV House tries to raise broadband competition, Internet speeds by Eric Eyre, West Virginia Gazette Mail

Broadband bill would empower rural WV communities, delegate says by Brad McElhinny, West Virginia Metro News

Frontier, cable industry oppose WV lawmakers' broadband plan by Eric Eyre, West Virginia Gazette Mail

At a public hearing Friday, lobbyists for Frontier and the cable industry skewered parts of a bill (HB3093) that would authorize a pilot project in which three cities or counties would band together to build a broadband network and offer internet service to customers.

The industry lobbyists said legislation should target areas without high-speed internet — not places that already have service.

House bill creates broadband 'co-opts' in W.Va. communities by Liz McCormick, West Virginia Public Broadcasting

House Bill 3093, which was taken up in the chamber’s Judiciary Committee Friday morning, seeks to expand access to underserved areas in the state.

The bill itself is 33 pages long. It allows communities to form “internet co-opts,” which lead sponsor of the bill Delegate Roger Hanshaw explains are groups of citizens who live in certain geographic areas. The groups can work together to become their own internet service provider.

Legislation to expand broadband is at least a start by Herald-Dispatch Editorial Board

West Virginia broadband bill aims to spark competition, encouraging community broadband co-ops by Joan Engebretson, Telecompetitor

Sen. Smith supports new rural broadband bill, legislation as written would promote more competition by Theresa Marthey, The Preston County News & Journal

Making the case for broadband expansion in W.Va. by Ashton Marra, West Virginia Public Broadcasting

General

Report suggests AT&T is blocking quality Internet access in poor neighborhoods by Lauren C. Williams, ThinkProgress

Telecom policy tilts in favor of industry under Trump's FCC by Tali Arbel, The Seattle Times

"Dig once" bill could bring fiber Internet to much of the U.S. by Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica

The idea is an old one. US Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) has been proposing dig once legislation since 2009, and it has widespread support from broadband-focused consumer advocacy groups. It has never made it all the way through Congress, but it has bipartisan backing from lawmakers who often disagree on the most controversial broadband policy questions, such as net neutrality and municipal broadband.

Image of the Highlander bull courtesy of FrankWinkler via pixaby.