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Collaboration Alive and Well In Wisconsin Broadband Expansion
Wise people say that collaboration often leads to a better result than individual efforts. Recently, I was reminded of the benefits of different levels of collaboration, as they relate to community networks, in two separate articles about fiber-optic expansion in Wisconsin.
New Funny LUS Fiber HDTV Commercial
LUS Fiber has released a new ad promoting its HDTV services - probably the best ad I have seen from a community broadband network promoting its services.
Clallam County, Washington, Connects Anchor Institutions
Washington's Olympic Peninsula is one step closer to being laced in a new fiber-optic network.
Leverett, Massachusetts, Ponders Community-Owned Network
Leverett, Massachusetts, is one step closer to a community owned FTTH network. The town of 2,000 will have weekly public information meetings until the Annual Town Meeting scheduled for April 28, 2012.
Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services' Construction Moves Forward
Good news for folks in Jackson, Wilder, and Bingham Lake in Southwest Minnesota! Your local broadband options are about to get much better. Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services (SMBS) just announced that construction is advancing on the new network. The 125-mile fiber ring is expected to be completed by September, 2012.
Digital Divide Event in St Paul on April 18
For people in St Paul and the surrounding communities, I will be presenting at an event about the digital divide sponsored by the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability.
Lafayette Says "Hi" to 1 Gig
LUS Fiber now offers its business subscribers the current ultimate in broadband speeds. An April 5th press release from LUS Fiber reports that business customers of the state's only community-owned ftth network now have access to 1 gig symmetrical internet connections.
Arkansas Town Targeted by Cox Prior to Community Broadband Referendum
Siloam Springs, sporting 15,000 people in the northwestern corner of Arkansas, could be the next community to build its own community fiber network. But first they have to pass a referendum in May in the face of stiff opposition from Cox Cable, which would prefer not to face real competition.
For over 100 years, the city has provided its own electricity via its electrical department.
Prometheus Radio Project Offering Webinar April 9th
Here at MuniNetworks.org, we encourage the idea of local communication, via broadband or any other medium. Naturally, we are fans of low power radio, owned and operated by independent groups, rather than more stations owned by a few communications giants, seemingly located all over the radio dial.
Tornado Destroys Homes, Cable Companies Charge Homeowners
When a tornado rips your town apart and destroys your home, should you have to pay extra fees to your cable provider? Of course not.
Chattanooga Sees Rewards, Benefits From Community Fiber Enabled Smart Grid
The Chattanooga Times Free Press, reports that the City's last IntelliRuptor, or "smart switch," will be installed on April 24th.
New Minnesota Networks Face Tough Challenges
MPR News recently ran two stories on the trials and tribulations of new and prospective broadband networks.
States Scream at Feds for Preempting, Then Preempt Cities
Here at muninetworks.org, we continually see instances of state government preempting rights of local government to make their own decisions on broadband.
Chattanooga Video: Living in a Smart City
Alcatel-Lucent, one of the key vendors behind the Chattanooga community fiber network, has produced a video highlighting life in a "smart" city.
Explaining Arkansas' Changed Barriers to Community Broadband
A little less than a year ago, the 88th Arkansas General Assembly created HB 2033, later known as Act 1050 [pdf].
OTI Helps Build a Wireless Network in DC Neighborhood
The Open Technology Initiative's Dispatches from the Digital Frontier blog originally published this story by Preston Rhea about his experience working with some neighbors to build their own wireless network in Mount Pleasant in Washington, DC.
War for the Web: Let's Get it Made
Given the high profile network neutrality and even higher profile SOPA/PIPA fights, we are starting to see more interest from filmmakers and documentarians to explore the Internet, access to the Internet, and the policy battles around it.
I just learned of a project that impressed me, War for the Web.
San Jose Hopes 3rd Time is the Charm for Muni Wi-Fi
In an attempt to regain some of its Silicon Valley shine, San Jose, California is taking another run at municipal Wi-Fi. The city hopes that by covering a 1.5 square mile block of downtown with fast, robust wireless Internet access, it will become more attractive to the technology entrepreneurs who have, in recent years, been more likely to set up shop in other parts of the valley.
In Washington, Pend Orielle Commissioner Makes Case for Retail Authority
In past reporting, we have briefly discussed Pend Orielle PUD’s efforts at filling the broadband service gap in rural areas. People living in rural areas, while possibly needing connectivity more than urbanites, are often left to fend for themselves.
Big Bucks: Why North Carolina Outlawed Community Networks
Less than a year after North Carolina became the 19th state to create barriers to community networks, effectively outlawing them, the non-partisan organization Follow the Money has crunched the numbers and found that