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Serving the Overlooked: Building Broadband for Manufactured Housing Communities - Episode 674 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this episode of the podcast, Chris and Sean Gonsalves are joined by Brendan Kelly, founder of REVinternet, a new Internet Service Provider focused on bringing better connectivity to manufactured housing communities. 

Brendan shares how years working inside large telecom companies—and later with smaller ISPs—revealed just how consistently these communities are overlooked, locked into aging coaxial networks, and offered little incentive for upgrades.

The conversation explores why manufactured housing parks present unique challenges for broadband deployment, from private land ownership and outdated infrastructure to stigma and lack of competition. 

Brendan explains REVinternet’s service-agnostic approach, combining fiber, fixed wireless, and other technologies to deliver affordable, reliable Internet while working directly with park owners and residents.

Chris, Sean, and Brendan also dig into the role of digital equity, customer support, and trust-building—discussing everything from payment flexibility and digital navigation to partnerships with municipal networks. 

The episode offers a thoughtful look at how targeted, community-centered broadband strategies can succeed where one-size-fits-all policies have failed, and why manufactured housing residents deserve the same quality connectivity as any other neighborhood.

This show is 28 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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Predictions for 2026: CBN Edition - Episode 673 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by CBN colleagues Ry Marcattilio, Sean Gonsalves, and Christine Parker for a lively conversation about what they expect to shape broadband and technology policy in 2026. 

The team shares forecasts on everything from how many new municipal networks may come online to which states will keep building with local funding even as federal programs remain uncertain.

The discussion digs into the ongoing turbulence surrounding BEAD, including shifting rules, state-level roadblocks, and growing concerns that more communities could be left waiting yet another year for funding to arrive. 

They also debate the rise of fixed wireless access, the risks and limits of satellite connectivity, and why long-term infrastructure decisions can’t ignore real-world constraints.

Beyond broadband, the group explores the growing backlash to AI and data centers, questions about trust in government and Big Tech, and why digital skills and media literacy may become even more essential in daily life.

This show is 45 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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Broadband Reality Check: BEAD, Competition, and What Comes Next - Episode 672 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined again by Doug Dawson for a candid conversation about where U.S. broadband policy stands as 2026 begins—and where it’s falling short.

The discussion takes a hard look at BEAD implementation delays, how uncertainty at the federal level is reshaping ISP behavior, and why many communities still struggle to plan amid shifting rules and political pressure. 

Doug explains what he’s hearing directly from providers on the ground, including concerns about overbuilding, affordability gaps, and the long-term sustainability of different network models.

Chris and Doug also explore the limits of satellite and fixed wireless solutions, the continuing importance of fiber infrastructure, and why policy debates often miss the practical realities of deployment and operations. 

The episode offers a grounded, experience-driven perspective on what communities should realistically expect in the coming years—and what questions they should be asking now.

This show is 41 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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2026 Predictions with Blair Levin- Episode 671 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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on

In the first episode of the new year, Chris is joined once again by Blair Levin to unpack what 2025 delivered and what 2026 may hold for broadband, media, and technology policy.

The two revisit last year’s predictions on tariffs, deportations, BEAD implementation delays, and federal broadband investment, assessing where expectations aligned with reality — and where they didn’t. 

The conversation also explores deeper structural issues facing the broadband ecosystem: the growing affordability crisis after the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program, the long-term implications for universal service, and the emerging tension between fiber, fixed wireless, and satellite competition. 

Looking beyond broadband, the episode tackles the rising backlash against Big Tech and AI, the expansion of online gambling, consolidation in media ownership, and what Blair calls the shift from free markets to a “market for political affection.” 

The discussion closes with reflections on what it will take to rebuild trust, competition, and accountability in an era where policy, power, and technology are more intertwined than ever.

This show is 51 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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Cleveland’s DigitalC Gets $500K Google Infusion For Affordable Fixed Wireless

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Innovative digital equity nonprofit DigitalC has been working for years to shore up affordable broadband access in underserved cities like Cleveland, Ohio. 

Now the organization is enjoying new momentum for its plans to expand fixed wireless broadband access in the city thanks to a $500,000 cash infusion from tech giant Google. According to a recent announcement, the donation includes next-generation Fixed Wireless Access (ngFWA) equipment from Tarana, which will allow DigitalC to expand its Canopy home broadband service – which provides symmetrical 100 megabit per second (Mbps) at $18 a month – to even more neighborhoods in Ohio.

The nonprofit just celebrated the connection of its 6,000th household in Cleveland, a city once ranked the worst-connected large city in the U.S. by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA).

Digital C worker on rooftop

“This meaningful investment from GFiber adds bandwidth to our capacity to scale the Cleveland Model,” DigitalC CEO Joshua Edmonds said of the cash infusion. “This community-based blueprint proves that next-generation technology can be deployed quickly, trusted deeply, and scaled effectively to deliver the superior internet experience more communities deserve.”

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Massachusetts To Spend $31.5 Million On Broadband, Modernizing MDUs

A grounds eye view looking up at an old apartment building with old wiring running along the outside of the building
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*This is the first installment of an ongoing series we are calling Connected Complex looks at how states, local communities, and Internet service providers are working to address the often complex challenges involved in bringing high-speed Internet access to multi-dwelling units.

Massachusetts state leaders have announced a new $31.5 million investment to bring reliable, high-speed Internet access to residents in affordable and public housing statewide.

A key part of the major new investment initiative focuses on something that’s particularly challenging in the northeast: updating long outdated wiring in multiple-dwelling-units (MDUs) like apartments, condos, and housing developments, many of which were built before the advent of the Internet.

The funds are being provided by the Massachusetts Broadband Office’s (MBO) Residential Retrofit Program, which aims to deploy state-of-the-art broadband infrastructure to public and affordable housing properties across Massachusetts. MBI’s funding, in turn, was largely made possible by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

In partnership with the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI), Gov. Maura Healey’s office awarded the grant money to four Internet service providers: Aervivo, Archtop Fiber, Comcast, and Community Broadband Networks FLX (CBN-FLX). All told, the funding is poised to deliver broadband access to 13,700 housing units across 60 Massachusetts municipalities.

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Vineland, NJ Nabs $3.7 Million Grant To Begin Municipal Fiber Network

Daytime aerial view of Vineland NJ municipal building
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Vineland, New Jersey officials say they’ve secured a $3.7 million grant from the state that will help expand fiber and wireless broadband access to the city of 62,000. Local officials are hopeful the grant is just the beginning steps toward dramatic expansion of affordable access.

Vineland’s new grant was made possible by the New Jersey Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Equity (NJBIDE) grant program. NJBIDE will be delivering $40 million in broadband grants via the state’s Capital Projects Fund (CPF), made largely possible by the 2021 federal passage of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

NJBIDE grants prioritize fiber optic infrastructure of 100 megabytes per second (Mbps) and mandates the provision of at least one low-cost option (not specifically defined by New Jersey) to serve low income communities – something increasingly important in the wake of the federal government’s retreat from efforts to ensure equitable and affordable broadband. (Still early in the process, the city has not yet determined the exact pricing and service tiers the network will offer once construction is complete).

A map outlining proposed network in Vineland NJ

A 2024 city proposal indicates that city leaders want to spend between $35 and $40 million to create a citywide broadband network, starting with a citywide fiber ring. The city paid for a viability study from Bonfire that found that at least 42 percent of the City does not have access to viable, quality, affordable broadband service.

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T-Mobile Buys USI Fiber, Digital C Goes to Detroit, and the Technology Spread Coming to BEAD | Episode 119 of the Connect This! Show

Connect This! Show
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Catch the latest episode of the Connect This! Show, with co-host Christopher Mitchell (ILSR) joined by regular guests Kim McKinley (TAK Broadband) and Doug Dawson (CCG Consulting) and special guests Gigi Sohn (American Association for Public Broadband) and Josh Etheridge (EPC). Topics include:

Join us live on August 13th at 2pm ET, or listen afterwards wherever you get your podcasts.

Email us at broadband@communitynets.org with feedback and ideas for the show.

Subscribe to the show using this feed or find it on the Connect This! page, and watch on LinkedIn, on YouTube Live, on Facebook live, or below.

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Syracuse, NY Community Broadband Network Steadily Expands

Syracuse Surge Link logo
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Syracuse, NY officials say the city’s community-owned broadband network Surge Link continues to dramatically expand two years after the network first launched, bringing affordable broadband access to the city of 145,000 – with a particular eye on helping the city’s disadvantaged.

A recent update from the city states that the network now serves more than 9,200 households in Syracuse, located in central upstate New York. The latest expansion brought the service into the city’s Valley, Skunk City, Washington Square, Northside, Prospect Hill and Hawley-Green neighborhoods in early July.

The Surge Link initiative is part of a broader $15 million investment into fixed-wireless access broadband infrastructure into a city traditionally left underserved by giant regional telecoms.

A lack of competition between dominant regional monopolies Charter (Spectrum) and Verizon has resulted in spotty access, high prices, and slow speeds.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh speaks at podium in front of community center at Surge Link launch party

The lion’s share of Surge Link’s latest expansion was made possible by a $10.8 million grant from the New York State ConnectALL initiative, a multi-layered billion-dollar project to dramatically boost high speed Internet access across the state leveraging a series of new grant programs, education initiatives, broadband mapping improvements, and digital equity proposals.

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Pennywise, Pound Foolish: Inside the BEAD Program’s Latest Shakeup - Episode 651 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this Monday edition of the podcast, Chris sits down again with Evan Feinman, former BEAD Director at NTIA, to unpack the fallout from the Trump administration’s sweeping changes to the BEAD program.

Feinman calls out the decision to prioritize short-term cost savings over long-term infrastructure, arguing that these policy shifts will slow progress, drive up monthly bills, and ultimately leave rural communities behind.

From satellite subsidies to the sidelining of fiber, they explore why the new guidance undermines state-level planning, threatens broadband quality, and may betray the very voters it claims to help.

This show is 40 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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