[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 4/14

Tue Apr 14 08:59:13 PDT 2015

*Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the Institute for
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*This is a BIG Newsletter. Lots of Interesting things to read!!*

Gigabit Cities Live in Atlanta on May 13th and 14th
<http://muninetworks.org/content/gigabit-cities-live-atlanta-may-13th-and-14th>
Tue, April 14, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/gigabit-cities-live-atlanta-may-13th-and-14th>

On May 13th and 14th get y'allselves to Altanta to attend Gigabit Cities
Live 2015
<http://www.gigabitcitieslive.com/events/gigabit-cities-live-2015/event-summary-6f90ed9d349047b88e9bc43b99fbf4dc.aspx>.
The event will bring together members from the public, private, and
non-profit sectors to explore how gigabit networks are changing local
communities.

>From the event summary:

Gigabit Cities Live 2015 will deliver a highly ‘immersive’ experience for
attendees, exploring everything from the infrastructure required to deploy
ultra-high-speed networks to the applications these networks are enabling
to how gigabit networks will transform communities.

... Meet decision-makers from all aspects of the Gigabit Cities ecosystem –
from service providers to urban leaders to technology vendors to
applications developers and more – to learn about different approaches and
business models for gigabit network success.

Hear thought leaders, see new products and services and learn from peers
and solutions providers, all under one roof.

Chris will participate in a panel discussion, *Open Access* *and the Future*
, on the morning of Thursday the 14th, time to be determined.

... Use our Code and Pay Nothing to Register - Details Here at Bottom ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/gigabit-cities-live-atlanta-may-13th-and-14th>

Seeking Internet Policy Intern at ILSR
<http://muninetworks.org/content/seeking-internet-policy-intern-ilsr>
Fri, April 10, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/seeking-internet-policy-intern-ilsr>

*Municipal network news and policy are hot topics; we need help spreading
the word. The Community Broadband Networks Initiative at the Institute for
Local Self-Reliance is hiring an Internet Policy Intern.*

*Here is our official job posting, which is also on Idealist.org
<http://www.idealist.org/view/internship/sMfxwZCgzNH4/>:*

Interested in Internet policy issues? Want to work in an exciting field to
build more resilient economies and encourage more vibrant democracy? Want
to have fun doing meaningful work?

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance seeks a part-time or full-time paid
intern for its Community Broadband Networks program.

... More Information here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/seeking-internet-policy-intern-ilsr>

Grand Junction Will Vote to Reclaim Municipal Telecommunications Authority
<http://muninetworks.org/content/grand-junction-will-vote-reclaim-municipal-telecommunications-authority>
Mon, April 06, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/grand-junction-will-vote-reclaim-municipal-telecommunications-authority>

Grand Junction will join a number of other Colorado communities who asked
voters for an exemption to SB 152 reports KKCO 11 News
<http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/A-look-inside-municipal-ballot-measure-2A-297725711.html>.
Ballot measure 2A, asking voters to approve the city's right to provide
Internet access and cable TV service will be decided in the April 7th
election.

Measure 2A asks for a yes or no on the following question:

RESTORING AUTHORITY TO THE CITY TO PROVIDE EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY
WITH PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS HIGH-SPEED INTERNET AND CABLE
TELEVISION SERVICE SHALL THE CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION, WITHOUT INCREASING
TAXES BY THIS MEASURE, BE AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE, EITHER DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY WITH PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNER(S),  HIGH-SPEED INTERNET
SERVICES (ADVANCED SERVICE), TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES AND/OR CABLE
TELEVISION SERVICES AS DEFINED BY §§29-27-101 TO 304 OF THE COLORADO
REVISED STATUTES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY NEW AND IMPROVED HIGH
BANDWIDTH <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term2> SERVICE(S) BASED ON
FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES, TO RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES,
NONPROFIT ENTITIES AND OTHER USERS OF SUCH SERVICES, WITHOUT LIMITING ITS
HOME RULE AUTHORITY?

... Read the Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/grand-junction-will-vote-reclaim-municipal-telecommunications-authority>

Grand Junction Voters: "We Want Local Authority!"
<http://muninetworks.org/content/grand-junction-voters-we-want-local-authority>
Wed, April 08, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/grand-junction-voters-we-want-local-authority>

Grand Junction is the latest Colorado community to vote to restore local
telecommunications authority.

Much like the eight communities that decided last fall
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/republicans-and-democrats-alike-restore-local-authority-colorado>
to
reclaim that right, andEstes Park in February
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/voters-resoundingly-approve-broadband-measure-estes-park-colorado>,
Grand Junction voters spoke loudly through the ballot
<http://www.kjct8.com/home/headlines/2015-Grand-Junction-Municipal-Election-Results-298980321.html>
. *Seventy-five percent of those casting ballots chose to restore
authority.*

Grand Junction community leaders have expressed a desire to work with
providers to improve poor connectivity but have feared repercussions from
state laws put in place a decade ago. They now plan to explore partnerships
as well as municipal initiatives reports KKCO 11 News
<http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/The-Grand-Junction-community-and-candidates-react-to-municipal-election-results-299002071.html>
.

... Get the Rest of the Details Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/grand-junction-voters-we-want-local-authority>

Minnesota House Proposal to Kill Broadband is the Wrong Move for Economic
Development
<http://muninetworks.org/content/minnesota-house-proposal-kill-broadband-wrong-move-economic-development>
Fri, April 10, 2015 | Posted by rebecca
<http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/minnesota-house-proposal-kill-broadband-wrong-move-economic-development>

Representative Pat Garofalo
<http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=12262>’s (R-53B)
proposal to cut funding for broadband grants is the wrong move for
Minnesota. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) <http://ilsr.org/> is
absolutely opposed to any suggestion Minnesota should have two-tiered
Internet access - a fast standard in urban areas and slower, less reliable
access in Greater Minnesota.

Wireless technology and satellite Internet are not sufficient for homes and
businesses in the modern economy. They certainly won’t lead to the kind of
job creation or retention that Greater Minnesota needs. Modern jobs require
modern connections.

... Ugh ugh ugh. This is So Frustrating ... MN House Turns Back on Rural
Areas Despite Big Surplus ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/minnesota-house-proposal-kill-broadband-wrong-move-economic-development>

Tennessee Bill to Strike Anti-Muni Laws Tabled Until Next Session
<http://muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-bill-strike-anti-muni-laws-tabled-until-next-session>
Fri, April 10, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-bill-strike-anti-muni-laws-tabled-until-next-session>

Senator Janice Bowling and Representative Kevin Brooks have decided to
table their legislative efforts to remove state restrictions in Tennessee.
While backing for SB 1134 and HB 1303 was growing beyond the walls of the
state Capitol, the sponsors decided to shore up stronger legislative
support rather than risk derailing the bill entirely.

Brooks told the Tennessean
<http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/tech/2015/03/31/broadband-bill-deferred-session/70746862/>
:

"We have had a lot of good progress, and we don't want to throw it all
away," Brooks said. The votes were not there in the Senate, and he and
co-sponsor state Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, have asked to roll the
bill to the beginning of the 2016 calendar, giving them more time to garner
support from their colleagues.

"We have pressed the pause button to keep it alive," Brooks said.

... More On This Disappointed Development Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-bill-strike-anti-muni-laws-tabled-until-next-session>

Gilberts Voters Say No to Tax Increase for Muni
<http://muninetworks.org/content/gilberts-voters-say-no-tax-increase-muni>
Thu, April 09, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/gilberts-voters-say-no-tax-increase-muni>

On April 7th, voters in Glberts, Illinois, chose not to raise taxes to
deploy a municipal fiber network, reports the Daily Herald
<http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150407/news/150408912/>. According to
the article, 81 percent of ballots cast voted against the proposal. Voter
turnout was low, with only 682 ballots cast out of 4,002 registered voters
in town.

As we reported last month
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/small-illinois-town-will-vote-fiber-investment-april>,
local developer Troy Mertz plans to deploy fiber to each structure in a new
housing development, The Conservancy. His fiber company will also install
fiber to nearby municipal and public safety buildings and the Gilberts
Elementary School. The plan was to issue General Obligation (GO) bonds to
finance a publicly owned network throughout the rest of the community. The
proposal would have raised taxes approximately 1.8 percent or $150 per year
on properties with a market value of $250,000.

... Read our Story on This Development ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/gilberts-voters-say-no-tax-increase-muni>

Seth's Tale of Comcast Woe Perfectly Illustrates Many Internet Policy
Problems
<http://muninetworks.org/content/seths-tale-comcast-woe-perfectly-illustrates-many-internet-policy-problems>
Tue, April 07, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/seths-tale-comcast-woe-perfectly-illustrates-many-internet-policy-problems>

Ideally, working from home allows one to choose the environment where he or
she can be most productive. In the case of Seth that was Kitsap County in
Washington State. Unfortunately, incompetence on the part of Comcast,
CenturyLink, and official broadband maps led Seth down a road of
frustration that will ultimately require him to sell his house in order to
work from home.

The Consumerist recently reported
<http://consumerist.com/2015/03/25/new-homeowner-has-to-sell-house-because-of-comcasts-incompetence-lack-of-competition/>
on
Seth's story, the details of which ring true to many readers who have ever
dealt with the cable behemoth. This incident is another example of how the
cable giant has managed to retain its spotless record as one of the most
hated companies in America
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/comcast-named-worst-company-america-gets-yummy-cake>
.

... This Story if Friggin Insane. But Not an Anomaly ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/seths-tale-comcast-woe-perfectly-illustrates-many-internet-policy-problems>

Longmonters Loving NextLight in Colorado
<http://muninetworks.org/content/longmonters-loving-nextlight-colorado>
Wed, April 08, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/longmonters-loving-nextlight-colorado>

Longmont's NextLight municipal broadband service is surpassing projected take
rate <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term25>s, reports the Longmont
Compass <http://longmontcompass.com/nextlight-crushes-sales-projections/>.
The business plan called for 34 percent but as LPC builds out the FTTH
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term13> network, the first phase of the
project has achieved 45 percent.

In response to the positive response, LPC will speed up completion of the
project. From the Compass:

“Our schedule was already aggressive, but we’ve heard repeatedly that our
community is eager to receive high-quality, high-speed broadband,” LPC
general manager Tom Roiniotis said. “So we’re accelerating the deployment.”

LPC now plans to “close the circle” from two directions at once as it
completes its citywide buildout, rather than move around Longmont in one
counterclockwise sweep. That means the final phase of the build is now
scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2016 instead of the first
quarter of 2017.

As we reported last fall
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/lpc-residential-gig-service-longmont-has-new-name-available-november-3rd>,
gigabit symmetrical <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term24> service for
$50 is available for customers who sign up within three months of service
availability in their area. That rate follows customers who move within
Longmont and transferable to to the next home owner.

... Link to this Post Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/longmonters-loving-nextlight-colorado>

Comcast's Contradictory Conundrum: Title II Tightrope
<http://muninetworks.org/content/comcasts-contradictory-conundrum-title-ii-tightrope>
Sat, April 11, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/comcasts-contradictory-conundrum-title-ii-tightrope>

Comcast must continue to prove growth is a breeze to satisfy stockholders
while simultaneously arguing that, gadzooks FCC! how do you expect us to
grow under Title II?! As DSL Reports points out
<http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-2-Gig-Plans-Contradict-Claims-Title-II-Kills-Investment-133217>,
contradicting itself just doesn't work:

At the time [of the FCC's proposal to implement Title II regulations],
Comcast CFO Michael Angelakis proclaimed the switch to Title II introduced
"higher uncertainty" into the company's broadband investment strategy.
Meanwhile, top lobbyist David Cohen was quick to insist in a blog post that
we'd see an immediate investment hit should the FCC proceed with its plans:

quote:

"To attempt to impose a full-blown Title II regime now, when the
classification of cable broadband has always been as an information
service, would reverse nearly a decade of precedent, including findings by
the Supreme Court that this classification was proper. This would be a
radical reversal that would*harm investment and innovation*, as today's
immediate stock market reaction demonstrates."

... More here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/comcasts-contradictory-conundrum-title-ii-tightrope>

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