Tag: "media roundup"

Community Broadband Media Roundup- January 22

Posted January 22, 2018 by Kelsey Henquinet

Alaska

Bill to require Alaska Internet companies to practice net neutrality by Leroy Polk, KTUU News

 

California

Palo Alto prepares for massive downtown 'upgrade' by Gennady Sheyner, Palo Alto Weekly News

Dean Batchelor, chief operating officer at City of Palo Alto Utilities, said both the gas and water lines were near the end of their respective life cycles. He pointed to recent water leaks on University Avenue as a sign that it's time to act.

Then, following the same logic, Utilities Department officials agreed to add fiber to the mix. Citing the City Council's recent advocacy for a "dig once" strategy for installing telecommunication infrastructure and its general support for expanding the city's dark-fiber-optic network, officials plan to install 2,750 linear feet of conduit in the same trenches that will contain the new gas and water pipes.

"One of the thoughts was, since we really don't have any fiber conduit going down University Avenue and since we're going to tear up 26 blocks, it made sense to go ahead and put in 2-inch fiber conduits," Batchelor said.

 

Colorado

Colorado Cities Keep Voting To Build Their Own Broadband Networks by Karl Bode, Tech Dirt

Some Cities Aren’t Waiting Around for Trump to Gut Net Neutrality—They Are Building Their Own by Valerie Vande Panne, Alternet

In contrast, according to Christopher Mitchell, director of Community Broadband Networks at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, concerned citizens of Fort Collins organized on social media and coordinated “broadband and brews” events at local...

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Community Broadband Media Roundup- January 15

Posted January 15, 2018 by Kelsey Henquinet

California

Will free internet ever become a reality in Los Angeles? By Elijah Chiland, LA Curbed

Mitchell says wireless service like the kind Shapiro wants to provide could be appealing to residents—if it were free.

“That would be tremendous for low-income folks,” he says. “If it happened, I’d be singing."

Will San Francisco's City-Wide Fiber Optic Network Succeed? 10 Tech Pros Weigh In By Forbes Technology Council, Forbes

 

Colorado

Colorado Cities Move Forward on Municipal Broadband By Steve Dubb, Nonprofit Quarterly

According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, which tracks broadband developments nationwide, voters in the 19 Colorado cities and counties said yes to municipal broadband by a high margin—at an average yes rate of 83 percent.

Fort Collins, Where Net Neutrality Lives On By Zoe Papadakis, NewsMax

 

Kansas

City-run internet service a boon for Chanute By John Green, The Hutchinson News

 

Pennsylvania

'Outraged and disgusted' net neutrality supporters to march in Philly By Andrew Parent, Philly Voice

Organizers plan to call on Congress to preserve the regulations and treat the internet as a public service. Among other demands, they also want the city to install its own municipal broadband network and will call for...

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Community Broadband Media Roundup- January 8

Posted January 8, 2018 by Kelsey Henquinet

Colorado

After beating cable lobby, Colorado city moves ahead with muni broadband By Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica

The city council in Fort Collins, Colorado, last night voted to move ahead with a municipal fiber broadband network providing gigabit speeds, two months after the cable industry failed to stop the project.

Fort Collins, Colorado moves ahead with civic broadband after net neutrality repeal By Anna Hensel, Venture Beat

Fort Collins, Colo., Will Create Broadband Utility, 'Committed' To Net Neutrality By Bill Chappell, NPR

On its webpage devoted to the broadband project, Fort Collins says that the city "is committed to the principles of Net Neutrality," adding, "The City Broadband Plan does not call for any restrictions on access including uploads, downloads, delivery methods or providers (email, Skype, Netflix, etc.)."

The broadband plan is going ahead despite a Colorado law that prohibits local governments from creating broadband networks; Fort Collins voters overrode that law in 2015. In November, 19 more Colorado cities and counties voted to opt out of the law — joining around 100 others in the state, The Denver Post reported.

Fort Collins Votes to Build Its Own Gigabit Broadband Network by Karl Bode, DLS Report

A Colorado Town’s Municipal Broadband Will Ensure Local Net Neutrality By Brad Jones, Futurism

 

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Community Broadband Media Roundup - January 2

Posted January 2, 2018 by Nick

Colorado

City of Longmont Receives Community Broadband Award by Sergio R. Angeles, Longmont Observer

Can Colorado Lawmakers Create State-Level Net Neutrality? Some May Try by Sam Brasch, Colorado Public Radio

Boulder-owned broadband has advantages by Joseph T. Priestley, Boulder Daily Camera

In the case of the proposed city-owned broadband network, the city could give any citizen who wanted to participate the option to make a pre-payment of $1,000 (or some other set amount) toward their eventual monthly internet bills. The incentive for the citizen would be that he/she could influence getting internet service sooner than might otherwise happen. That is, the city would build out the internet infrastructure sooner in those neighborhoods that had the higher pre-payment participation.

The advantage to the city would be to make city-ownership of the network much more feasible by significantly lowering the amount of the bond issuance necessary. Also, it would be a great way to gauge the city's interest in this project.

 

New Jersey

Newark commits to keeping its fiber network net neutral by Kim Hart, Axios

The mayor of Newark, NJ, is taking a stand against the recent FCC decision to overturn net neutrality rules. Ras Baraka will announce today that the city's high-speed fiber optic network will continue to prohibit blocking, throttling and fast lanes on its network even after the FCC rules go away. The city's contracts with third parties that connect its network will also include net neutrality clauses.

 

New York

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Community Broadband Media Roundup - December 25

Posted December 25, 2017 by Kelsey Henquinet

Alaska

Connecting the Last Frontier By Anand Vadapalli, Multichannel News

High-speed internet to bring big change in remote Alaska By Rachel D’Oro, The Seattle Times

 

Colorado

Net neutrality controversy could embolden Colorado efforts to build public internet infrastructure By Jack Queen, Summit Daily News

Mitchell argued that public broadband providers are less likely to throttle access to or jack up prices for certain sites and services because they're directly accountable to voters.

"Because of that accountability, local governments can typically deliver faster internet at a lower cost and with better customer service," he said. "If they were to suddenly raise prices or block off eliminate access to Netflix, voters could make them pay."

Municipal broadband—what Longmont did right By Theresa Rose, North Forty News

 

Hawaii

A Hawaiian Politician Is Introducing a Bill That Would Encourage Creation of Locally Owned Broadband Networks By Jason Koebler, Motherboard

 

Iowa

Group works to start municipal internet in Dubuque following Net Neutrality repeal By Samantha Myers, KCRG News

 

Massachusetts

What does net neutrality...

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Community Broadband Media Roundup - December 18

Posted December 18, 2017 by Kelsey Henquinet

On December 14th, The FCC voted to repeal Net Neutrality Protections. To stay up to date on the issue, we have included a roundup of the media coverage of the vote in our weekly Community Broadband Media Roundup:

What is net neutrality? It protects us from corporate power By Matt Stoller, The Guardian

More than 100 Million Americans Can Only Get Internet Service from Companies That Have Violated Net Neutrality By Kaleigh Rogers, Motherboard

This is a problem faced by millions of Americans, according to a new analysis from the Institute for Local Self Reliance, a nonprofit that advocates for equitable development and local government rule. Based on the Federal Communications Commission’s own data, the ILSR found that 129 million Americans only have one option for broadband internet service in their area, which equals about 40 percent of the country.

Of those who only have one option, roughly 50 million are limited to a company that has violated net neutrality in some way. Of Americans who do have more than one option, 50 million of them are left choosing between two companies that have both got shady behavior on their records, from blocking certain access to actively campaigning against net neutrality.

Net Neutrality Repeal Could Be Bad News for Cities, Mayors Warn  By Natalie Delgadillo, Governing Magazine

The repeal could have huge consequences on the local level, particularly for communities that rely on small businesses for economic growth, says Christopher Mitchell, director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

“If your city has a lot of small companies relying on [net...

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Community Broadband Media Roundup- December 11

Posted December 11, 2017 by Kelsey Henquinet

On December 14th, The FCC will vote on whether or not to repeal Net Neutrality. In anticipation to the vote, we have included a roundup of the media coverage of the vote in our weekly Community Broadband Media Roundup:

Net Neutrality

Preparing for the End of Net Neutrality, City Tech Leaders Warn of Widening Digital Divide By Zack Quaintance, Government Technology News

City gov tech leaders said this week that a repeal is all but certain to make it more difficult for municipal governments to foster digital equity. As Internet access has become essential to modern life — for applying for jobs, helping kids with homework, finding health care, etc. — cities have increasingly dedicated resources toward ensuring that all residents have access to the Internet, as well as to the equipment they need to use it and the skills to efficiently navigate the space.

Comcast deleted net neutrality pledge the same day FCC announced repeal By Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica

Nationwide Protests on Net Neutrality Come to Arizona By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service - AZ

[Christopher] Mitchell notes that in many towns, big Internet service providers have a near monopoly.

"Most Americans only have one choice in high quality Internet access,” he points out. “Beyond that, they have to either take a lower quality service option or move."

In more than 30 states, local authorities have taken the matter into their own hands, organizing municipal telephone companies that compete with the big ISPs but are required to operate in the public interest and seek to offer reasonably priced high speed Internet.

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Community Broadband Media Roundup- December 4

Posted December 4, 2017 by Kelsey Henquinet

California

Gigabit-speed internet in San Jose? Facebook pilot brings high hopes, despite delays by Queenie Wong, Mercury News

“Facebook is a company that will make money if people are on the internet constantly, and so they’re trying to find a way to get around the cable and telecom company monopoly without going directly to war with them,” said Christopher Mitchell, a community broadband expert at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Manhattan Beach contemplates municipal broadband service by Mark McDermott, Easy Reader News

The San Francisco Broadband Experiment by Doug Dawson, Pots and Pans

 

Colorado

In Colorado, do more votes for municipal broadband networks mean instant internet access? Not so fast. by John Aguilar, The Denver Post

With Voter Approval for Municipal Broadband, Colorado City Asks Citizens How to Proceed by Tyler Silvy, Gov Tech

Fort Collins broadband plans start to take shape by Nick Coltrain, The Coloradoan

 

 

New York

North Country broadband is a patchwork quilt by Glynis Hart, Adirondack Daily Enterprise

 

North Carolina

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Community Broadband Media Roundup- November 27

Posted November 27, 2017 by Kelsey Henquinet

 

Kentucky

Lexington, Home to the Kentucky Wired Middle-Mile Project, Seeks Municipal Fiber by Drew Clark, Broadband Breakfast

The power of municipal broadband isn’t going away. While competition benefits everyone, it’s undeniable that as the custodians of their rights of way, local government will play a role in the telecommunications infrastructure developments of the future.

 

Michigan

Ignored By Big Telecom, Detroit's Marginalized Communities Are Building Their Own Internet by Kaleigh Rogers, Motherboard

In a city that is rebuilding after a decade of economic turmoil, the internet can no longer be a luxury for the wealthy. Detroit’s renaissance won’t happen without each of the city’s diverse communities having access to the basic tools of modern work, education, healthcare, and communication. All of Detroit (or, certainly, more than 60 percent) needs access to the internet and the current structure established by Big Telecom hasn’t made this an easy goal.

“Communication is a fundamental human right,” Nucera said. “This is digital justice.”

Poor Detroit neighborhoods, abandoned by telcos and the FCC, are rolling out homebrew, community mesh broadband by Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing

 

Minnesota

AT&T's Fake 5G is Coming to Minneapolis by Karl Bode, DSL Report

Area broadband projects held up as example at statewide conference by Brainerd Dispatch

 

New Hampshire

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Community Broadband Media Roundup- November 20

Posted November 20, 2017 by Kelsey Henquinet

Colorado

Comcast, CenturyLink smacked down in Colo.: Voters approve city-owned broadband network by Bob Fernandez, The Philly Inquirer

Disdain for Comcast, CenturyLink drove Fort Collins broadband support by Kevin Duggan, The Coloradoan

The vote-no campaign, which spent a record $451,000, didn’t succeed for the same reason the push for municipal broadband in Fort Collins began five years ago: disdain for current internet service providers.

Companies such as Comcast and CenturyLink have terrible reputations for delivering the internet speeds and reliability customers pay for each month. And there is little love for their service when it comes to dealing with customer complaints and problems.

Despite 'Misinformation' Campaign by Telecom Industry, Municipal Broadband Wins in Colorado by Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams

Led by Comcast, "cable providers campaigned heavily against the Fort Collins move," the Denver Post reports, "spending more than $256,000 in television and radio ads." The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), however, says that by the time of the election, "that figure had jumped to more than $450,000." In an effort to promote the ballot measure, local residents formed the Fort Collins Citizens Broadband Committee, which raised less than $10,000, but was ultimately victorious.

 

Michigan

Local communities deserve to make their own choices by Christopher Mitchell, The Times Herald

Whether on broadband internet, wages, jobs, or the environment, local communities deserve to make their own...

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