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Debunking Municipal Broadband Myths - Episode 596 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
In this latest episode of the podcast, Chris is joined again by Sean Gonsalves to delve into the arguments against municipal broadband that have surfaced in the recent weeks.
Chris and Sean dissect claims made by opponents of municipal broadband, providing insights and rebuttals to counter these arguments. They offer a balanced perspective on the challenges and opportunities associated with community-owned broadband networks.
While addressing the criticisms, they also highlight the success stories of municipal networks across the country. By showcasing examples of thriving community broadband initiatives, they illustrate the potential benefits and positive impacts of local broadband ownership.
The conversation concludes with them emphasizing the importance of local communities having the autonomy to make decisions about their broadband infrastructure. They advocate for empowering communities to pursue broadband solutions that best serve their unique needs and interests.
This show is 31 minutes long and can be played on this page or using the podcast app of your choice with 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 here or see other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance here.
Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Bridging Bytes: Empowering Communities Through Local Broadband Growth - Episode 586 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
In this latest episode of the podcast, Christopher is joined once again by Sean Gonsalves to delve into the expanding landscape of municipal broadband networks in the U.S. They emphasize the noteworthy surge in municipal networks, citing the establishment of 47 new networks since 2021, which has brought the total to over 400!
This discussion explores the various models and approaches taken by these networks while touching on the challenges faced by these municipal networks, such as opposition from large ISPs and the importance of community support and engagement.
Additionally, Chris and Sean emphasize the significance of data from schools and organizations in comprehending the current state of broadband access and advancing digital equity.
This show is 38 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.
Trailblazing Ashland Fiber Network (AFN) Faces Its Fiber Future
Ashland, Oregon has long been a trailblazer in terms of meeting community demand for faster, more affordable broadband access.
The city-owned network has also had a bumpy road—at times being branded as an example of municipal broadband failure. But the network continues to grow as it faces down an urgently-needed pivot toward a fiber-based future.
Despite the current economic healthiness of the network and the clear benefits it’s brought to the community over the last 20 years, local officials are talking about divesting instead of making the financial commitment to continue the investment the city has already made.
The community-owned Ashland Fiber Network (AFN) was first developed in the late 1990s by locals angry at the high prices and historically terrible customer service by the local cable company. Like so many community broadband alternatives, it was a network built from grassroots frustration at consolidated market failure.
Benefits of the community networks were on stark display during the telecommuting and home education boom of the Covid-19 crisis, when the city announced it would be providing free 30 Mbps broadband to all city residents without access to the Internet.
AFN is an open access network, meaning that numerous companies are allowed shared access to the core city network, delivering a variety of broadband, phone, and TV services. As a result, the network’s no-contract broadband pricing tends to be simpler and less expensive than options found in cities dominated by one or two private sector telecom monopolies.
Muni Broadband Makes Longmont Among Nation’s Best Work-From-Home Cities
Last month, PCMag released its ranking of the best work-from-home (WFH) cities in the United States. On this year’s list, two of the cities in the Top 20 are Chattanooga, Tennessee and Longmont, Colorado – both of whom have municipal broadband networks that make those communities among the friendliest remote work locales in the nation.
As a remote-first media outlet itself, PCMag explains what should be obvious to anyone who hasn’t swallowed whole the propaganda of the Big Telecom lobby, which among other falsehoods claims that municipal broadband is simply too complicated for municipalities to build and operate, and is ultimately a financial boondoggle for taxpayers.
“The number-one requirement for a good work-from-home location is fast, reliable Internet access,” PCMag explains.
NextLight Catapults Longmont as Top WFH City
Launched in 2010, Chattanooga’s EPB Fiber network is a well-known and documented municipal broadband success story with independent analysis having shown that in its first 10 years of operation it has brought the city a $2.7 billion return-on-investment.
However, Longmont’s rising star on the municipal broadband stage (coming in at No. 17 on PCMag’s Best WFH list) is because, as aptly described by PCMag, the city is a “more affordable alternative to expensive Boulder, with 300 days of sunshine each year, a municipal fiber provider, and an easy drive to both Boulder and Denver.”