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Fast, affordable Internet access for all.
Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits is a weekly audio show hosted by Community Broadband Networks Initiative Director Christopher Mitchell featuring interviews with people building community networks or otherwise involved with Internet policy. You can listen to episodes below or download via Apple, Google, or Spotify. Alternatively if you know what to do with it, copy the feed here.
We also produce a semi-regular video show called Connect This! that has its own site. Find other podcasts from ILSR here.
We also have an index of all episodes and links to transcripts. Keep up with new developments by subscribing to our one-email-per-week list sharing new stories and resources. We’d love to hear your feedback! Email us.
Understanding the Lifeline Program - Community Broadband Bits Episode #49
The United States has long recognized that everyone should have access to a telephone and has established a variety of government programs to achieve that end.
Exploring Conduit Policies - Community Broadband Bits Episode #48
At any conference dealing with building broadband networks, one hears talk of open trench policies or "dig once" approaches. For today's episode of Community Broadband Bits, City Manager Scott Lazenby of Sandy, Oregon, joins us to talk about how Sandy has proactively placed conduit underground for fiber use.
We discuss the instances where it is practical and where it is not to place conduit when other utility work has open streets. Sandy has an ordinance requiring new developments to have conduit placed with other utilities at no cost to the city.
Unraveling the Public-Private-Partnership in San Leandro - Community Broadband Bits Episode #47
The city of San Leandro has formed a partnership with a local company now named Lit San Leandro to expand business access to the Internet. We talk with San Leandro's Chief Innovation Officer Deborah Acosta and Judi Clark, a consultant with Lit San Leandro, to learn more about their approach.
San Leandro already had conduit assets and Lit San Leandro is pulling fiber through it for the deployment.
North Georgia Network Brings Gig to Schools, Jobs to Region - Community Broadband Bits Episode #46
The North Georgia Network was the first recipient of a BTOP (Broadband Technology Opportunities Program) stimulus grant in the nation and has been an interesting success story. For the latest episode of our Community Broadband Bits podcast, President and CEO Paul Belk of the NGN joins us to discuss the history, present, and future of the project.
The North Georiga Network is comprised of two rural electric cooperatives and local economic development organizations affiliated with eight counties.
Andrew Cohill Explains Common Mistakes in Community Networks - Community Broadband Bits #45
This is a show I have been wanting to do for years - discussing some of the common mistakes that have been make by community owned networks. Offering broadband and other telecommunications services is a difficult business for any entity, public or private and all network owners make mistakes.
Kentucky Coalition Takes Down AT&T Bill to Remove Consumer Phone Protections - Community Broadband Bits #44
Episode #44 of our Community Broadband Bits podcast expands on our story exploring a major victory over bad AT&T-driven legislation in Kentucky.
Carroll County Explains Many Benefits of County Owned Fiber - Community Broadband Bits #43
Chief Information Officer for the Carroll County Public Schools Gary Davis joins me to explain why the Carroll County Government, Public Schools, Public Library, and Community College partnered to build their own fiber optic network. He is also the Chairman of the resulting Carroll County Public Network (CCPN) of Maryland.
The story starts the same as many others - the community anchors were paying too much and did not have access to the connectivity they needed.
Catching Up on UC2B in Illinois - Community Broadband Bits Podcast #42
The home of the first web browser (Mosiac) is now building an exciting open access network - the twin cities of Urbana-Champaign received a stimulus award for UC2B (2B = Big Broadband).
Sascha Meinrath Causes a Commotion on Community Broadband Bits #41
Sascha Meinrath, Director of the Open Technology Institute (OTI) at the New America Foundation, joined me at the National Conference for Media Reform to discuss what OTI does and to discuss the Commotion Wireless project.
Commotion is a project that is making it easier for anyone to build wireless mesh networks that allow for secure, affordable, and resilient communications.
Opelika Builds First Full Fiber Network in Alabama - Community Broadband Bits Episode 40
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller and Jennifer McCain, partner of the Motive Group discuss why this Alabama town is the first to build its own fiber optic network in the state.
In short, Opelika had long been fed up with the services offered by Charter Cable and Charter was not amenable to meeting the community's needs. They decided to build a FTTH network that would meet Smart Grid needs as well as delivering telephone, television, and Internet access.