Community Broadband Media Roundup - November 14

Colorado

Dozens more Colorado communities rejected SB 152, clearing the way for municipal broadband by Andrew Kenney, Denverite

Another set of Colorado counties vote to toss restrictive law, permit municipal broadband by Kate Cox, Consumerist

Part of the reason broadband competition is so dang hard to come by for millions of us? Protectionist, industry-backed laws that make it either obscenely difficult or outright illegal to start a public network. Colorado is one of the states with such a law on the books, but voters in the Centennial State are once again saying they’d rather municipal networks had a chance.

MuniNetworks, which supports and advocates for communities to be able to build networks when they choose, reports that every single one of the 26 local municipal broadband networks on ballots in Colorado Tuesday passed with flying colors.

Golden, Lafayette and 24 Colorado communities vote yes on broadband Internet alternatives by Tamara Chuang, The Denver Post & True Viral News

Colorado communities preempt state muni broadband limits by John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable

Colorado voters oppose Comcast-written protectionist state law by Karl Bode, DSL Reports

Colorado voters continue to shoot down awful Comcast-written protectionist state law by Karl Bode, TechDirt

Minnesota

Otter Tail County's broadband speeds rank fourth-worst in MN by Maria Johnson, Wadena Pioneer Journal

North Carolina

Gig East panelists: Broadband key to future growth by Brie Handgraaf, The Wilson Times

What's standing between rural North Carolina and reliable Internet service? by David Hudnall, IndyWeek

Former FCC exec: NC needs to loosen rules on local broadband by Jane Albright, WRAL - TechWire

Vermont

Lame broadband a direct hit on Vermont's livelihood by Bryan Alexander, Vermont Digger

Grant will help expand broadband access by Rolf Parker, Deerfield Valley News

General

Trump could spell big trouble for broadband, net neutrality by Karl Bode, DSL Reports

How election day can shape states' community broadband laws by Craig Settles, CJ Speaks

The time for community broadband champions to engage their newly and re-elected state senators and representatives is from November 9 until January 3. Chris Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance says, “Concerned citizens need to organize and speak out. This is a great time for meeting your state representatives by phone, email, or in-person because the big industry lobbyists work them constantly. Let legislators know this is an important issue and you are watching them.”

Communities are finally taking back their broadband destiny from big telecom by Jason Koebler, Motherboard Vice

More cities, towns, counties, and municipalities are building, or are considering building, their own high speed broadband networks. And many of these networks have been hugely successful, even though they’ve been faced with legal hurdles and public relations campaigns from incumbent providers.

Photo of the Colt courtesy of logesdo via Pixaby.