This is the transcript for episode 355 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. In this episode, Christopher interviews Christopher Ali, assistant professor at the University of Virginia. They discuss how the federal government could develop a better rural broadband plan, whether people believe Internet access is a utility, and how cable news and Facebook impact the way people get information. Listen to the episode, or read the transcript below.

Christohper Ali: There's a role for the federal government in streamlining and democratizing this process. There's a role for states acting as the go between, and I really think that the solution to rural broadband are the local and municipal and cooperative ISPs that are coming up. They are the unsung heroes.

Lisa Gonzalez: Welcome to episode 355 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. I'm Lisa Gonzalez. In April, Christopher went to Austin, Texas, to attend the Broadband Communities Summit, and while he was there, he had the chance to interview several guests for the podcast. He's back now, but we're still sharing his conversations, including this important talk with Christopher Ali, an assistant professor from the University of Virginia. If you read the New York Times, you may have read his piece from February 2019 titled, "We Need a Rural Broadband Plan." In that opinion piece, professor Ali shares his experiences traveling and researching in rural areas to discover what federal efforts have accomplished up to now. He also offers suggestions on ways to improve the current system that include better coordination rather than passing federal dollars to the large incumbent ISPs hand over fist. Christopher and professor Ali carry on that conversation, and since media studies is his area, they talk also about the way the Internet impacts media and the effect it's having on democracy. From the analysis of the influence of behemoth Facebook to the importance of smaller local media outlets, this is an important and interesting conversation. Here's Christopher talking with assistant professor Christopher Ali.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another edition of the Community Broadand Bits podcast. I'm Chris Mitchell here speaking with...

This is the transcript for episode 353 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. In this episode, Christopher speaks with Doug Dawson of CCG Consulting about what's going on in the telecom world. They cover the 5G hype, public-private partnerships, the growth of electric co-op broadband, and much more. Listen to the episode, or read the transcript below. 

Doug Dawson: And these communities are going to wither and die if they don't get broadband, and they all are realizing that now.

Lisa Gonzalez: Welcome to episode 353 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. I'm Lisa Gonzalez. Our series of interviews that Christopher conducted at the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas, continues this week. Doug Dawson, president of CCG Consulting, who also writes the popular POTs and PANs blog, sat down and talked about important happenings for this week's podcast. Christopher and Doug get into 5G and all the hype that surrounded it. They also talk about electric cooperatives and how their involvement in broadband deployment has continued to rapidly expand, and they get into public-private partnerships. Doug and Christopher talk about the fact that more communities now than ever are interested in developing publicly owned networks. They also talk about recent projects and events that have surprised them and make a few predictions. To stay up to date with events in telecom, municipal networks, and broadband, check out Doug's blog, POTs and PANs by ccg.com. Now here's Christopher with Doug Dawson of CCG consulting.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. I'm Chris Mitchell with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, doing another interview from Austin, Texas at the Broadband Communities Summit. I'm here with Doug Dawson, a fan favorite from last year, president of CCG Consulting. Welcome back, Doug.

Doug Dawson: Thanks Chris.

Christopher Mitchell: You asked as we were sitting down what we were going to talk about, and I was just thinking "whatever." There's a lot of things happening. What does CCG consulting do, for people who didn't listen last year?

Doug Dawson: We're a full...

This is the transcript for episode 351 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. In this episode, Chris is at the Broadband Communities Summit in Austin speaking with Isfandiyar Shaheen, who also goes by Asfi. They discuss how Asfi wants to finance fiber deployment in unconnected communities worldwide by reducing waste in agriculture, energy, and other fields. They also touch on the importance of connectivity and what it enables. Listen to the episode, or read the transcript below.

Isfandiyar Shaheen: We want to level the playing field for all human aspiration. Bridging the digital divide is step one to achieve that. And of all the things that we could make abundant in our life, I think making connectivity abundant is the easiest of the problems.

Lisa Gonzalez: Welcome to episode 351 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. I'm Lisa Gonzalez. It's that time of year again, spring, and Chris is off at the Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas. In addition to heading up panel discussions and sharing information about publicly owned broadband, he's interviewing people like this week's guest, entrepreneur Isfandiyar Shaheen, also known as Asfi. The title of the summit this year is "Fiber: Putting Your Gigs to Work," and Asfi is an expert on how fiber in a community perpetuates spillover benefits. One of his goals is to step out of the box to use those benefits as a method to bring affordable connectivity to people all over the globe. Asfi discusses some of the ways he plans to do that, which include, in his words, putting fiber to better use. Asfi has become a wiz at discovering and documenting methods in which communities use fiber and finding a way to focus on those unexpected benefits for expanded use. His visionary outlook to connectivity is the type of approach that we need to get everyone online, regardless of income level. We want to thank Asfi for using his birthday to promote ILSR and hold a Facebook fundraiser. We'll have a link in the show notes. Happy Birthday, Asfi! Now on with the interview.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. I'm Christopher Mitchell with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. This time of year, I...

This is the transcript for episode 349 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. In this episode, Christopher speaks with Jonathan Chambers about the FCC's Connect America Fund phase II reverse auction and satellite Internet access provider Viasat's attempts to retroactively change program testing requirements. Read the transcript below, or listen to the episode.

Jonathan Chambers: Ask the people in those areas. Ask them to make the judgement. Run tests where they test the quality of the service. Listen to people. Put first the people that you're supposed to serve. You'll get your decisions right more times than wrong.

Lisa Gonzalez: Welcome to episode 349 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. I'm Lisa Gonzalez. Jonathan Chambers from Conexon is becoming somewhat of a regular on our show. He's back again, and this time he's here to discuss an issue that's arisen regarding last year's Connect America Fund Phase II auction. Christopher and Jonathan talk about the award that went to satellite Internet access provider Viasat. There are questions surrounding the company's request to retroactively change some of the project eligibility requirements. It appears as though the FCC is considering honoring Viasat's request. In addition to the effect on other Internet access providers who bid but did not receive federal funding, the issue questions the integrity of the process and the commission. Jonathan, who used to work for the FCC, talks about the importance of including local perspective and experience when making these types of decisions. Jonathan and Christopher also discuss possibilities for how people at the local level can let government agencies, such as the FCC, know their thoughts about these kinds of decisions. Now here's Christopher with Jonathan Chambers.

Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. I'm Chris Mitchell with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance talking to an old favorite guest, Jon Chambers, a partner with Conexon. Welcome back to the show, Jon.

Jonathan Chambers: Thanks Chris. Thanks for asking me

Christopher Mitchell: When...