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Community Broadband Media Roundup - May 7
California
SF expanding pilot program that gets public housing residents on Internet by San Francisco Chronicle Staff
Together the locations contain 313 housing units, and both locations were selected based on a needs assessment. And now, citing the success of the pilot program, city officials are working on a plan to expand similar services to five additional public housing sites by the end of the year. The specific locations are still being worked out.
“We need to make sure those individuals that need a leg up in our city and in our society are on a level playing field with everybody else. Internet access is just table stakes,” said Mayor Mark Farrell, who has long emphasized the need to expand access to Internet services for those who might not be able to afford it. An estimated 100,000 San Franciscans lack reliable Internet access at home.
Colorado
New method examined to bring fiber optics to homes by Patrick Armijo, Durango Herald
Delaware
How Delaware is Promoting Better Broadband State-wide, Including in Rural Areas by Broadband and Breakfast Staff
Iowa
City of Pella Utility Special Election to be Held Tuesday by Andrew Schneider, KNIA-KRLS
Maine
Congress can preserve an open Internet by Hector Barreto, Lewiston Sun Journal
Four-town plan to expand broadband takes shape by Matt Junker, Keep Me Current
Massachusetts
MA Lt. Governor Reviews Broadband Progress In Berkshires by Josh Landes, WAMC
Alford and Egremont are among the 44 communities targeted by the Last Mile program, the remaining municipalities in the commonwealth without residential broadband service.
Concord Fights for Net Neutrality — With Its Own ISP by Doug Irwin, Radio Mag Online
Mark Howell is the chief information officer for the town of Concord, Massachusetts, and he writes: “I’ve overseen the creation of a successful municipal broadband system by treating Internet service like what it really is — a public utility, like water and electricity. We’re providing residents with broadband Internet service that is inexpensive and reliable and respects net neutrality and privacy principles.”
So just how was this accomplished? Concord has had a municipal electric utility since the early 1900s.
Mississippi
‘White space’ the solution for rural broadband? Maybe. by Bill Crawford, Sun Herald
Missouri
Rural broadband legislation will be heading to Missouri governor’s desk by Brian Hauswirth, MissouriNet
The House voted 138-4 on Thursday to approve legislation from State Rep. Curtis Trent, R-Springfield, declaring the intent of the Legislature to encourage development of fiber optic infrastructure by Missouri’s rural electric cooperatives.
Trent’s bill declares that the expansion of broadband service is in the best interests of Missourians.
New York
Volunteer Group NYC Mesh Delivers 1 Gbps Wireless to NYC by Karl Bode, DSL Reports
North Carolina
How communities across North Carolina are trying to bridge 'the homework gap' by Colin Campbell, Charlotte News & Observer
The N.C. League of Municipalities is backing a House bill that stalled in the Senate and would allow local governments to build broadband infrastructure and lease it to private internet providers.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Eyes the Internet Business by Borys Krawczeniuk, The Times-Tribune (Government Technology)
Texas
There is a major digital divide on the Texas-Mexico border, one of least connected parts of the country by Paul Flahive, Marketplace
Virginia
Portsmouth will build 55-mile fiber-optic network, part of an effort to link the region by Ana Ley, Virginian Pilot-Online
Washington
Broadband provider eyes Astoria and Warrenton market by Edward Stratton, Daily Astorian
General
Broadband Advocates by POTs and PANs Blog CCG Consultants
T-Mobile says it has seven major competitors, which is complete nonsense by Jacob Kastrenakes, The Verge
Telemedicine: Different Types of Care Require Different Kinds of Broadband by Craig Settles, The Daily Yonder
Comcast won’t give new speed boost to Internet users who don’t buy TV service by Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica
More Than 100 Mayors Sign Open Internet Pledge as FCC's Net Neutrality Repeal Set to Take Effect by Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams
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Community Broadband Media Roundup - June 8
Iowa
Iowa receives $26.2 million in emergency education relief to expand broadband access, Discover Muscatine
Minnesota
Community Broadband Media Roundup - May 25
Colorado
Little-known Internet network plans Western Colorado expansion to link students, nonprofits to supercomputers by Tamara Chuang, Colorado Sun
Louisiana
Community Broadband Media Roundup - May 18
California
Partnerships can close the digital divide by Apoorva Pasricha & Kevin Frazier, GovTech
Colorado
Community Broadband Media Roundup - May 4
Arizona
Mohave Electric Cooperative moves forward to build fiber optic network in partnership with TWN Communications, Cision PR Newswire
Arkansas