This is the transcript for episode 414 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. In this episode, Christopher talks to Scott Rasmussen, an organizer with the nonprofit, volunteer-run community network NYC Mesh about why NYC Mesh is a good model to serve low income people in NYC. Listen to the episode, or read the transcript below.

Scott Rasmussen: I think at a fundamental level it's about community control, community self determination, and our ability to own our own means of communication.

Jess Del Fiacco: Welcome to Episode 414 at the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. This is Jess Del Fiacco, communications manager here at the Institute for Local Self Reliance. Today, Christopher talks with Scott Rasmussen of NYC Mesh. NYC Mesh is a volunteer driven, high quality, wireless network that stretches across three boroughs of New York City. Scott explains that much of New York doesn't have a good Internet access and talks about why NYC Mesh is a good model for expanding Internet access to low income populations. Scott also notes how excited people are to finally have an affordable community option and how inspired people get about these issues when they realize they can build their own network. Now, here's Christopher talking with Scott Rasmussen of NYC Mesh.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. I'm Chris Mitchell with the Institute for Local Self Reliance and I'm here talking with Scott Rasmussen, an organizer with NYC Mesh. Welcome to the show, Scott.

Scott Rasmussen: Thanks so much for having me, Chris.

Christopher Mitchell: I'm excited to learn more about what's going on in New York City with this Mesh project, but the first thing I wanted to ask you is, you're an interesting guy, you got a lot of opportunities to do different things, why are you such a fan of breathable fabric?

Scott Rasmussen: It dates back to my early work in the fashion industry and it really took off from there. No, my interest in NYC Mesh really, I think stems from years of working on Capitol Hill. I worked for five years doing telecommunications policy as an advisor to members of Congress, and really...

This is the transcript for episode 8 of our special podcast series, "Why NC Broadband Matters," on the Community Broadband Bits podcast. This episode is a continuation of a conversation between Chris, Catharine, and Jack about the history of North Carolina's HB 129. Listen to the episode, or read the transcript below.

Jack Cozort: We gave the big cable companies ten years under House Bill 129. They promised that they were going to put fiber out in these communities, and they haven't done it. And so we need to be asking all of our candidates for the legislature, "Are you going to stand up to those cable companies? And are you going to allow local government the options it needs to bring Internet to people who need it?"

Jess Del Fiacco: We're bringing you another episode in our special Community Broadband Bits Podcast series, Why NC Broadband Matters. I'm Jess Del Fiacco with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NC Broadband Matters is a North Carolina nonprofit. Their mission is to attract, support, and champion the universal availability of affordable, reliable, high-capacity Internet access. The group has created the North Carolina Chapter of CLIC, the Coalition for Local Internet Choice. ILSR is working with NC Broadband Matters to produce this series focusing on issues affecting people in North Carolina that also impact folks in other regions. We're joined today by Catharine Rice, the project manager for the Coalition for Local Internet Choice, and co-founder of NC Broadband Matters. As well as Jack Cozort, a government relations consultant who is involved with broadband in the North Carolina state legislature.

Jess Del Fiacco: This episode is part two of a conversation about the history of North Carolina's HB 129. The law that preempted local telecommunications authority in the state. Reflecting on their first-hand experience, Catharine and Jack tell Christopher about the unfair games that cable companies play to prevent local governments in North Carolina from being able to invest in broadband networks. Now here's Christopher talking with...

This is the transcript for episode 411 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. In this episode, Christopher talks with Steven Bandy from OzarksGo at Ozarks Electric Cooperative about bringing Fiber-to-the-Schoolbus to get students and families connected during the pandemic. Listen to the episode, or read the transcript below.

Steven Bandy: One of my employees reached out and said, "Hey, is there something we could possibly do here?" And I said, "Yeah." He started reaching out and got ahold of the superintendent. And the next thing we knew, we were out there hand digging in lines to school buses and building mobile hotspots for the school district.

Jess Del Fiacco: Welcome to episode 411 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. This is Jess Del Fiacco, Communications Manager here at the Institute for Local Self Reliance. Today, Christopher is joined by Steven Bandy General Manager of OzarksGo at Ozarks Electric Cooperative, one of the largest cooperatives in the United States. Steven gives us a short history of how the co-op first got into the broadband business and how they've been growing and managing the increased demand for fiber optic networks since then. Steven also talks about new challenges introduced by the pandemic and how OzarksGo is working to serve their local community during this difficult time. They found ways to work with community partners to build mobile hotspots for local school districts, enabling students to get their homework done well outside of the classroom. Here's Christopher talking with Steven Bandy, General Manager of OzarksGo.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. I'm Christopher Mitchell at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Today I'm talking to Steve Bandy, the General Manager of OzarksGo at Ozarks Electric Cooperative. Welcome to the show.

Steven Bandy: How are you doing today, Chris?

Christopher Mitchell: I'm doing well. And it's great to talk to you. We've been tracking your progress quietly from afar and are enthusiastic about your fiber network. So I'm looking to learn more about that. I guess the first thing I'd just like to get a sense...

This is the transcript for episode 409 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. In this episode Christopher speaks with Ernesto Falcon, Senior Legislative Counsel at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) about EFF's history, it's involvement in repealing California's municipal broadband preemption, and California advanced services fund program. Listen to the episode, or read the transcript below.

Ernesto Falcon: My hope is we can get SB 1130 done this year on an expedited basis, free up the agency to really remedy these harms, and as well as free up the capacity of local governments that are kind of in a war room footing right now to explore their options to build out their own networks.

Jess Del Fiacco: Welcome to episode 409 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. This is Jess Del Fiacco, Communications Manager here at the Institute for Local Self Reliance. In today's episode, Christopher talks with Ernesto Falcon, Senior Legislative Counsel at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Ernesto gives Christopher a brief history of the organization and the two discussed the Electronic Frontier Foundation's involvement in repealing California's municipal broadband preemption. Ernesto also talks about the California advanced services fund program, why so many people have been left without internet access during the pandemic, and what the future of connectivity looks like. Here's Christopher talking with Ernesto Falcon, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. This is Christopher Mitchell from the Institute for Local Self Reliance in Saint Paul, Minnesota, talking with someone who's a bit warmer, a bit sunnier, Ernesto Falcon, welcome to the show.

Ernesto Falcon: Hey, thanks for having me.

Christopher Mitchell: So Ernesto, you're not only in the California area, you just have a very bright disposition, I've noticed over the years. You are the senior legislative counsel for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which most people know is EFF. Just a little bit of background. What's EFF?

Ernesto Falcon: Yeah, so the Electronic Frontier Foundation, we're a nonprofit public...