Community Broadband Media Roundup- October 2

Idaho

City of Ammon Announces Launch Date for Fiber Utility Services by East Idaho News Staff, East Idaho News

The City’s fiber network is the first of its kind, and puts the small Idaho town on the front lines of infrastructure and economic development. While the city paid for the installation of the fiber infrastructure, the network is “open access”, which allows multiple private internet service providers to compete for customers on the same dedicated fiber line to the home or business.

Massachusetts

Effort To Close Broadband Connectivity Gap Is On-Going In Western Mass. by JD Allen, WAMC Northeast Public Radio

“We will build a stronger commonwealth of Massachusetts when we build stronger communities,” Polito says.

Polito says communities in western Massachusetts lacking broadband internet share challenges. She says without high-speed internet, businesses, schools, and government services can fall short.

Missouri

Rural broadband roundtable calls for federal intervention to increase access by Andrew Sheeley, The Salem News Online

McCaskill pushed Verizon to Change Course on Dropping Nearly 8,500 Customers by Jasmine Adams, KFVS

Virginia

County Broadband Project Progresses by Amber Galaviz, Orange County Review

Increasing access to broadband internet a goal for candidate in 7th District by Wanda Combs, SWVA Today

General

AT&T hit with second complaint of discrimination against low-income neighborhoods by Harper Neidig, The Hill

Video: Why 23 million Americans don't have fast internet, Vox

Electric Cooperatives Stepping in to Fill the Rural Broadband Gap, Cellular News

It’s Time for Congress to fire the FCC Chairman by Gigi Sohn, The Verge

FCC chairman Ajit Pai is genuinely one of the nicest people in Washington. He’s smart, personable, and the kind of guy you’d want to have a beer with. But nice guys don’t always make good policy (I’ve been bipartisan on this), and Pai’s record means real danger for American consumers and the internet itself. If you believe communications networks should be fast, fair, open, and affordable, you need ask your senator to vote against Pai’s reconfirmation. Now.

Why the FCC’s proposed Internet Rules May Spell Trouble Ahead by David Choffnes, Northeastern University, San Francisco Chronicle

Democrats are pushing a $40 billion plan to bring the best Internet access to rural America by Brian Fung, The Washington Post