Thanks to Joeff Hoel for providing the transcript for the Episode 85 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast with Jesse Harris on the UTOPIA network in Utah. Listen to this episode here.
00:06:
Jesse Harris: And so we could end up in a situation where CenturyLink or Comcast say, hey, you know what, we've got some lawyers who've come up with a really good argument. We're going to sue to shut down every inch of fiber that's outside of a member city.
00:18:
Lisa Gonzalez: Hello there. You are listening to the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. And I'm Lisa Gonzalez.
People familiar with happenings on publicly-owned networks are probably already aware of the long drama in Utah with UTOPIA. The publicly-owned network has faced years of adversity. Utah is one of the states with barriers that make it extremely difficult for municipal networks to function. The telecommunications lobbyists have been active in the state capitals across the country again this year. Once again, legislation has been introduced that targets UTOPIA. House Bill 60, if passed, will prevent UTOPIA from expanding, and can eventually contribute to its demise.
This week, Chris talks with Jesse Harris, writer and editor for the FreeUTOPIA blog, and then he speaks with Pete Ashdown, Founder and President of XMission. Jesse and Pete each offer details on HB 60, what it may mean for the network, the providers that use UTOPIA, and for the local community. We see bills like HB 60 introduced every year in some form or another. They claim to encourage free enterprise and competition, but under closer examination, those bills do just the opposite. They propagate the current telecommunications environment, in which a few large providers call the shots, in the field and at the legislature. Here are Chris, Jesse, and Pete.
01:37:
Chris Mitchell: Welcome to another edition of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. I'm Chris Mitchell, and today I'm speaking with Jesse Harris, the founder of FreeUTOPIA, a website with a lot of information about the UTOPIA network. Welcome to the show.
01:51:
Jesse Harris: Thanks for having me.
01:52:
Chris: You and I have...
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