In this episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Scott Goff of Gibson Connect, a subsidiary of Gibson Electric in Tennessee. 

They explore how the electric co-op’s long-standing community trust helped launch a successful fiber network, bringing reliable, affordable Internet to areas that had long been unserved or underserved. 

Scott shares stories of rural residents experiencing broadband for the first time, the challenges of state restrictions, and how Gibson Connect balances growth with a cooperative, member-first philosophy.

This show is 26 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

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by Harold Feld (Public Knowledge) and Michael Calabrese (New America’s Open Technology Institute) to unpack the growing threat to Wi-Fi and shared spectrum like CBRS. 

As Congress debates how to raise revenue through spectrum auctions, a Senate proposal could force the FCC to auction off the very spectrum Wi-Fi 7 needs to thrive—jeopardizing billions in economic value and the connected future we’ve come to depend on. 

They break down what’s at stake, how we got here, and what you can do to help protect this vital public resource.

This show is 43 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

Catch the latest episode of the Connect This! Show, with co-hosts Christopher Mitchell (ILSR) and Travis Carter (USI Fiber) joined by regular guests Kim McKinley (TAK Broadband), Doug Dawson (CCG Consulting) and special guest Shayna Englin (California Community Foundation) to talk about all the recent broadband news that's fit to print. Topics include:

• California's attempt to enshrine affordable broadband access principles for qualifying families into law
• The recent national DNS outage, and what it tells us about lack of investment by monopoly ISPs
• Wi-Fi under threat from lobby interests looking to cash in
• Technical questions from readers

Join us live on June 20th 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.

In this episode of the podcast, Chris speaks with PJ Armstrong, General Manager of MINET, about the innovative ways this municipal network is expanding connectivity in Monmouth, Independence, and Dallas, Oregon. 

They discuss MINET’s remarkable 75% market penetration, their unique partnership with investors for rural expansion, and their efforts to provide free Wi-Fi in local parks and public trolleys. Learn how MINET’s in-house team is taking on new challenges, such as underground infrastructure work, and how they’re navigating opportunities with federal programs like ARPA and BEAD.

Armstrong also shares insights into the community’s appreciation for reliable, locally operated Internet service and the complexities of extending broadband to unserved and underserved areas.

This show is 22 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

In this episode of the podcast, Chris Mitchell speaks with Andy Schwartzman, Senior Counselor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, about pressing legal issues affecting telecommunications policy in the U.S. Schwartzman, with decades of experience in media and telecom law, discusses the shifting landscape following recent Supreme Court decisions that limit regulatory agency powers. 

They explain the implications of the Major Questions Doctrine and the end of the Chevron Doctrine for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), particularly how these changes impact the agency’s authority to support broadband access through the Universal Service Fund (USF) and Title II regulations.

The conversation also covers the FCC's policy on Wi-Fi for school buses, facing legal challenges due to the narrowed definition of "classroom." Schwartzman provides insights into the FCC's efforts to classify broadband under Title II, emphasizing how critical this designation is for public safety, cybersecurity, and broadband deployment through infrastructure like utility pole attachments. 

As Schwartzman explains, these legal battles highlight the complex intersections of telecommunications law, regulatory authority, and the broader challenges of fostering universal Internet access in a polarized political environment.

This show is 44 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

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Claudia Tarbell, Senior Engagement Manager for Tribal, Indigenous and First Nation Communities and Michael Weening, President and CEO, both from Calix. Claudia shares what it was like to transition from working at Mohawk Networks to becoming a part of Calix' community engagement team, and how she talks with Tribes about what it means to have ownership of and control over the network infrastructure in their communities. Michael joins the conversation to talk about Calix' philosophy of defining success in relation to the small providers and communities its platforms supports, including everything from democratizing high-quality advertising to pushing the frontiers of managed Wi-Fi.

This show is 23 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 here or view all episodes in our index. 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.