Fast, affordable Internet access for all.
iProvo Decision Spurs Civic Discussion
Jesse Harris, of the excellent Free UTOPIA blog, gave a presentation explaining broadband network concepts and definitions without technical jargon. He also offered a history and recent events update about iProvo in a special meeting. If you want to learn more about the group sponsoring the event, this is apparently the best place to check in.
iProvo was a muni fiber network that was hobbled by the Comcast and Qwest-controlled Utah Legislature. After years of struggling in the face of unique barriers only aimed at publicly owned networks, the local government decided to privatize the network. Unfortunately, the private partner has not succeeded either, leaving Provo with a difficult decision ahead.
Jesse explains some of the history in this short presentation and then takes some excellent questions from the audience. Those of us familiar with different types of broadband technology may skip ahead to the part specifically about iProvo.
Well done, Jesse.
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Despite the release of the first draft of the new national broadband maps at the end of last year (and the first round of location-level and service availability corrections completed a couple of weeks ago), we're not holding our breath that 2023 will spell the end of the technology news cycle story trope of the family that buys a new house and learns that the monopoly ISPs don't