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What Constitutes Socialism?
While I was researching recent developments in the BVU OptiNet, I stumbled across a hilarious comment to a news post. I have tried to track down the original source but have not been able to find anything.
Deadline for Network Neutrality Comments Draws Nigh
The FCC asked for comments on its plans to make rules to protect the open Internet [pdf] from companies that may exert more control over the sites you want to visit in order to boost their profits.
Free Press made the video below to encourage people to comment before the deadline.
Ars Technica: Municipal fiber needs more FDR localism, fewer state bans
Ars Technica has published an op-ed I wrote after we published our interactive municipal broadband preemption map.
Community-owned broadband is one way to bring fiber to smaller m
Internet is Infrastructure, Not Nicety
Over the holiday break, I was visiting family in central Minnesota where they rely on dial-up for getting on the Internet. Translation: They are not on the Internet. Though I have previously said this, my experiences reminded me that nothing I do on the Internet on a daily basis is possible to do over dialup.
Free UTOPIA Podcast
Listen to this 1 hour podcast from Free UTOPIA that discusses recent progress in Brigham City, notes that Orem City is saving some $50,000/month from telecom expenses thanks to UTOPIA, and recaps some of the early history of the UTOPIA project.
Schrier Stays in Seattle, Fiber Network to Follow?
After campaigning on building a publicly owned fiber-to-the-home network in Seattle, Mayor McGinn has decided to maintain leadership at the Department of Information Technology.
Highland Illinois - Deliberating a Network
Highland, Illinois, having overwhelmingly approved a referendum in April, 2009 to own and operate a fiber-to-the-premises system, has continued to examine the potential for a publicly owned fiber-to-the-home network.
Jackson, Tennessee, Profiled
The Jackson Energy Authority (JEA) network now has over 16,000 subscribers and offers speeds up to 100 Mbps for local businesses and 25 Mbps for standard residential users.
Jackson is considered one of the most technologically advanced cities in the U.S. We have four competitors in the market with AT&T, Bell South, Charter and JEA.
Rochelle, Illinois - Smart Municipal Investors
I stumbled across an interesting article about a small community in Illinois - Rochelle - that has used smart public investments to ensure a healthy future.
Rules Matter - Burlington Telecom
As someone who has long researched and followed developments in Burlington Telecom (BT), the city-owned triple-play full fiber-to-the-home network in Vermont, recent developments between BT and the Mayor's office have been deeply disappointing.
Santa Monica and South Hadley Expand Networks
TMCNET interviews Jory Wolf - the CIO of Santa Monica's Information Systems Department - about their application for broadband stimulus funds.
Broadband for Libraries and Schools
Following up on my previous post "Institutional Networks and Cherry Picking," I want to briefly note that the U.S.
Rural Folks Need Broadband Too
After reading an impressive article in the South Washington County Bulletin, I am convinced that most Americans now understand that broadband is essential infrastructure for communities.
New from the Carolinas
Salisbury, a community in North Carolina building a city-owned full fiber-to-the-home network, has run into an unexpected difficulty: naming the new network.
Institutional Networks and Cherry Picking
My friend, Geoff Daily at App-Rising.com, has questioned the wisdom of running fiber to all anchor institutions.
There's been a lot of buzz around the benefits and relative viabi
Comcast Trying to Gouge Palo Alto, Lesson for Others
It looks like Palo Alto should move quickly on expanding its publicly owned fiber-based I-NET - as the city renegotiates the cable franchise with Comcast, the private cable company is trying to rip-off taxpayers with exorbitant prices for community anchor tenants.
Comments on Round Two for Broadband Stimulus
I have just submitted comments from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance to both the the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) regarding suggestions for rules in round two (the last round) of the broadband stimulus programs -- the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP - administered by NTIA) and Broadband Initiatives Pro
Competition Does Not Always Keep Prices Low
We are seeing increasing evidence that competition alone is not sufficient to keep prices low. Though some communities (Monticello, MN; Powell, WY) have seen major prices drops as a result of competition from a publicly owned network, other communities have seen only price freezes or more modest increases when compared to non-competitive areas.
News from Communities - Seattle, Clarksville, Chattanooga, and Rutland
Communities around Rutland in Vermont are moving forward with a planned universal full fiber-to-the-home network. Interestingly, this network has been spear-headed by the Rutland Redevelopment Authority, not a local City Hall.