I have stepped down from my role as Policy Advisor at Next Century Cities, an organization that I helped to found and one that I believe is very important to ensuring everyone can use fast, affordable, and reliable Internet access. Nothing is changing for me at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance — I just wanted to reflect on how wonderful my experience was at Next Century Cities.

Next Century Cities members are incredibly innovative and at the forefront of efforts to expand this amazing human enterprise — the Internet — to everyone on terms that make it truly available to them. I am honored to have helped highlight their efforts and share the lessons they have learned to others that have iterated on the models and practices.

Working alongside Deb Socia in establishing and nurturing Next Century Cities has been a highlight of my career. The people I worked with at Next Century Cities taught me important lessons and I treasure all the time we spent advancing the interests of our innovative members. I cannot count the times I reflect on what I learned from Deb, who models intelligence, balance, grace under fire, grit, wit, and loyalty.

Almost all of the work I get credit for is a product of teamwork, informed by people I respect and trust. But I want to single out Cat Blake, who is also leaving Next Century Cities, as one of the most remarkable people with whom I have worked. I recently received a text from someone saying they often forget how young Cat is due to her impressive command and confidence on the issues tackled. I had just sent a note to someone making the same point. Cat came to us the same way her predecessor did — Kate Watson Jordan (now at Internet Society) — from Christopher Ali's tutelage at the University of Virginia (quite the pipeline). I was dubious about putting her on stage at one of our events, but she nailed it and I started to realize I was seriously underestimating her capacity. Then she created the Becoming Broadband Ready Toolkit and I started to wonder what she couldn't do — I haven't seen a limit yet. It was a pleasure working with you, Cat.

Though I am no longer with Next Century Cities, I am fully committed to its mission and I am rooting for it to flourish. I hope anyone that cares about these issues will help support Next Century Cities continue to find its way — we need it to...

When local communities apply for funding to improve local Internet infrastructure, grants and loans are often predicated on the need to deploy to unserved and underserved premises. Whether it's federal, state, or local sources, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) data determining whether or not a region has access to broadband is often the data that funding entities rely on. In recent years, it’s become apparent that FCC data grossly understates the lack of accessibility to broadband. Finally in August 2019, the FCC called for comments as they reconsider how to collect fixed broadband data. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance teamed up with Next Century Cities and several other organizations with whom we often collaborate, submitted both Comments and Reply Comments.

Fixing the Bad Data

We’ve covered this before, and the Commission has now decided to make changes. Traditionally, FCC data on broadband Internet access has been collected from Internet service providers (ISPs) that self-report on the areas they serve via Form 477. If a company has the ability to serve one premise in a census block they report to the Commission that they serve the entire block. Reality, however, often does not reflect such a high level of connectivity in one area.

When FCC data incorrectly determines that locations have the ability to subscribe to one or more Internet access companies, those areas lose eligibility for grants and loans for Internet network infrastructure. Sadly, these places are often caught in a strange purgatory between faulty FCC data and reality in which they can’t obtain funding to build out high-quality Internet access, and yet large Internet access companies don’t consider their areas a good investment due to low population densities.

For years now, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and other organizations have worked to bring attention to the problem. A few lawmakers have pushed for change and several states, including Georgia and...

We recently shared the news that dynamo Deb Socia was leaving her post as Executive Director of Next Century Cities (NCC) to pursue a new position as CEO and President of the Enterprise Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her departure leaves a gap that Next Century Cities and all its 200+ members now need to fill.

While taking up the mantle at NCC will be a heavy lift due to the high bar that Deb established, we’re all confident that the right person is out there. In order to reach that perfect candidate, we want to share the posting for the position of Executive Director and encourage interested people to apply.

Cover letters and resumes need to be submitted to Cat Blake by May 15, 2019 at cblake(at)nextcenturycities.org. If you have questions, you should contact Cat. We’re reposting the call for applications here to reach as many potential, but you can also see the original story at theNext Century Cities blog.

Position Summary


The Executive Director’s primary responsibility will be the development and strategic leadership of the Next-Century Cities project, with a key focus on building and coordinating the project’s 21st Century Leadership Forum of elected officials and other city leaders.

Essential Responsibilities and Tasks

• 
Set and execute the overall strategy for the project

• Recruit mayors and other elected officials to become members of Next Century Cities

• Help conceptualize and coordinate key projects, including city-to-city learning, policymaker education, resource creation and curation, and demonstration projects

• Lead the media strategy, including identifying and executing press opportunities

• Liaise with and continue the conversation among elected leaders

• Lead day-to-day operations of the project

• Lead fundraising

Required Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability


• Bachelor’s Degree

• Working knowledge of the following: Broadband infrastructure builds (types, methods, challenges), spectrum, tech policy

• Creating and managing organizational budgets
• ...

In an evening filled with art and broadband policy, folks gathered in Washington D.C. to attend a screening of the film Do Not Pass Go, a documentary that examines the efforts of Wilson, North Carolina, to expand high-quality connectivity to rural neighbor Pinetops, and how big monopoly providers and the state legislature blocked their attempts.

Next Century Cities, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, the Coalition for Local Internet Choice, the National Association of Regional Councils, and the National League of Cities hosted the event, which included a panel discussion on relevant state laws, the value of local authority, and possible solutions at the federal and local levels to bring everyone high-quality Internet access. In addition to our own Christopher Mitchell, Terry Huval, Former Director of Lafayette Utilities System and Suzanne Coker Craig, Managing Director of CuriosiTees in Pinetops LLC and former Pinetops Commissioner spoke on the panel moderated by Deb Socia, Executive Director of Next Century Cities.

Attorney Jim Baller, President of Baller Stokes & Lide and President and Co-founder of the Coalition for Local Internet Choice also took some time to discuss specific state barriers that interfere with local authority for Internet network investment.

After the panel discussion, attendees and panelists mingled and enjoyed music supplied by Terry Huval and his fiddle:

It’s just like I’ve always said, broadband policy and Cajun fiddle music are a match made in heaven. Thank you to Terry - former manager of Lafayette, LA’s utilities system - for sharing your talents! #LocalChoice pic.twitter.com/AZZd0wNtoU

— Cat Blake (@cat_hannah_b) March 26, 2019

Host A Screening in Your Community

Holding a screening in...