[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 2/10

Christopher Mitchell christopher at newrules.org
Tue Feb 10 09:19:30 PST 2015


 *Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the Institute for
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Supporters Rally Behind Wheeler, Chattanooga, and Wilson: "I Recommend
Approval"
<http://muninetworks.org/content/supporters-rally-behind-wheeler-chattanooga-and-wilson-i-recommend-approval>
Tue, February 03, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/supporters-rally-behind-wheeler-chattanooga-and-wilson-i-recommend-approval>

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler released a statement
<http://www.fcc.gov/document/chairman-wheelers-statement-community-broadband-proposal>
yesterday
supporting the concept of local authority for community broadband
infrastructure. Chattanooga and Wilson filed petitions
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/fcc-our-best-shot-restore-local-authority>
to
scale back state restrictions last summer. In his statement, Wheeler
officially recommended the Commission approve the petitions. If approved,
the petitions have the potential to liberate local communities from state
restrictions.

Along with a number of other organizations that advocate local authority,
theInstitute for Local Self-Reliance <http://www.ilsr.org/> supports
Chairman Wheeler who said:

Communities across the nation know that access to robust broadband is key
to their economic future – and the future of their citizens. Many
communities have found that existing private-sector broadband deployment or
investment fails to meet their needs. They should be able to make their own
decisions about building the networks they need to thrive. After looking
carefully at petitions by two community broadband providers asking the FCC
to pre-empt provisions of state laws preventing expansion of their very
successful networks, I recommend approval by the Commission so that these
two forward-thinking cities can serve the many citizens clamoring for a
better broadband future.

... Read Many Statements in Support Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/supporters-rally-behind-wheeler-chattanooga-and-wilson-i-recommend-approval>

Greater Minnesota Partnership Focuses on Non-Metro Need - Community
Broadband Bits Podcast 136
<http://muninetworks.org/content/partnership-greater-minnesota-focuses-non-metro-need-community-broadband-bits-podcast-136>
Tue, February 03, 2015 | Posted by christopher
<http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/partnership-greater-minnesota-focuses-non-metro-need-community-broadband-bits-podcast-136>

Like many states, Minnesota has a major metro area that generally has
higher quality Internet access than non-metro communities. The Greater
Minnesota Partnership <http://gmnp.org/>, a coalition of businesses,
chambers, nonprofits, and cities from across the state, have made improving
Internet access a major priority in their efforts to influence the state
legislature.

This week, we talk with Dan Dorman, Executive Director of the Greater
Minnesota Partnership. He is also a former Minnesota state Rep and remains
a small business owner. We discuss the need to improve access even as major
cable lobbyists fight in the capital to preserve the status quo. The
Partnership believes state barriers to community networks should be removed.

Dorman offers a unique perspective as a former member of the Minnesota
Legislature. He knows what it is like to be lobbied constantly by one side
of the issue but rarely hear from the other. Fortunately, the Greater
Minnesota Partnership is working to provide that other side as best it can.

... Listen to the Show Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/partnership-greater-minnesota-focuses-non-metro-need-community-broadband-bits-podcast-136>

Broward County Saves with Fiber Network in Florida
<http://muninetworks.org/content/broward-county-saves-fiber-network-florida>
Wed, February 04, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/broward-county-saves-fiber-network-florida>

In 2014, Broward County <http://www.broward.org/Pages/Welcome.aspx> completed
its transition from an expensive leased data, video, and voice
communications system to its own fiber network. The southern Florida county *is
now saving $780,000* per year with plenty of room to grow. With the
transition to an IP-based telephony system, the County also saves
and*additional
$28,000* per year.

Pat Simes, Assistant CIO of the county, recently contributed a profile
<http://www.networkworld.com/article/2875123/lan-wan/broward-county-rolls-out-its-own-fiber-ring-shifts-to-voip.html?phint=newt%3Dnetworkworld_daily_news_alert&phint=idg_eid%3D0fc58ee929160d965af51ac9e6bb0955#tk.NWWNLE_nlt_daily_pm_2015-01-26&siteid=&phint=tpcs%3D&phint=idg_eid%3D0fc58ee929160d965af51ac9e6bb0955>
on
the project to Network World.

In 2009 when the network was too slow to be effective, county staff knew
they had to act. Costs were increasing 15% each year as the number of lines
grew and the demand for bandwidth
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term2>increased.
The County also had to provide funding to reach locations that the
carrier's network did not serve. The situation made it difficult to budget;
there was always a need to fund unexpected expansions and increasing
service.

... Read More on These Great Savings Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/broward-county-saves-fiber-network-florida>

Time Warner Cable Takes Maine Lawmakers to Exclusive Hotel for Lobbying
Tryst
<http://muninetworks.org/content/time-warner-cable-takes-maine-lawmakers-exclusive-hotel-lobbying-tryst>
Fri, February 06, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/time-warner-cable-takes-maine-lawmakers-exclusive-hotel-lobbying-tryst>

Time Warner Cable began lobbying Maine legislators at the dawn of the
legislative session, reports the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting
<http://pinetreewatchdog.org/time-warner-made-its-case-to-legislators-at-luxury-resort/>.
In January, the cable gargantuan hosted a "Winter Policy Conference" for
state lawmakers at the exclusive Inn by the Sea
<http://www.innbythesea.com/> resort. As Maine state leaders contemplate
how they can boost connectivity, the incumbents are fueling up the
anti-muni misinformation machine.

The Center did not have exact numbers of legislators who chose to accept
the invitation to stay overnight, attend the opening dinner, or sit in on
the "information sessions" which were all paid for by TWC. Reports range
from "about a dozen" attendees at the evening dinner to "30 or 35"
attending the information sessions the next day.

... Read More About Time Warner Cable's Lobbying here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/time-warner-cable-takes-maine-lawmakers-exclusive-hotel-lobbying-tryst>

An Update on Utah's UTOPIA Open Access Network
<http://muninetworks.org/content/update-utahs-utopia-open-access-network>
Mon, February 02, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/update-utahs-utopia-open-access-network>

For the facts on all things UTOPIA, we turn to Jesse Harris at
FreeUTOPIA.org <http://www.freeutopia.org/>. In his latest post, he
provides an excellent bullet list of the key factors in Macquarie's
Milestone 2 proposal. An excerpt From his post
<http://www.freeutopia.org/2015/01/28/macquarie-milestone-2-what-you-need-to-know/>
:

   - The final cost per address is estimated at $22.60 per month. Macquarie
   estimates that re-working the deal to account for five cities bowing out
   trimmed the cost by $8.57 per month.
   - The revenue split is much more generous than I expected, allowing the
   cities to keep 75% of wholesale revenue after the first $2M per year. It’s
   expected to completely cover the debt service by 2021 with just a 24% take
   rate <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term25> for premium services.


... For More Details, Click Me! ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/update-utahs-utopia-open-access-network>

Voters Resoundingly Approve Broadband Measure in Estes Park, Colorado
<http://muninetworks.org/content/voters-resoundingly-approve-broadband-measure-estes-park-colorado>
Thu, February 05, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/voters-resoundingly-approve-broadband-measure-estes-park-colorado>

On February 3rd, voters in Estes Park voted 92 percent to reclaim local
authority to establish a telecommunications utility. The result follows a
greater trend in Colorado where eight communities
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/republicans-and-democrats-alike-restore-local-authority-colorado>
made
similar decisions last fall. Each of these elections has happened during
Comcast's merger review, which may have discouraged them from their usual
tactics to oppose competition.

The Estes Park Trail Gazette reports
<http://www.eptrail.com/estes-park-news/ci_27454248/estes-park-voters-overwhelmingly-approve-broadband-measure>
that
a series of meetings will be scheduled to inform residents and businesses
and to obtain feedback for planning. The community is working with a
consultant to determine the next step.

... Read More from Estes Park ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/voters-resoundingly-approve-broadband-measure-estes-park-colorado>

Community Broadband Media Roundup - February 1
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-february-1>
Sun, February 08, 2015 | Posted by rebecca
<http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-february-1>

The mayors of 38 US cities came out this week to let the FCC know they want
the authority to build high speed Internet networks. Jon Gold with Network
World
<http://www.networkworld.com/article/2877268/lan-wan/mayors-of-boston-seattle-kc-others-no-more-muni-broadband-restrictions-please.html>
covered
the story and reminded readers of the more heavy-handed tactics of our
Comcast and TWC.

Three U.S. senators introduced a Community Broadband Act this week. Mario
Trujillo with The Hill
<http://thehill.com/policy/technology/230442-markey-mccaskill-join-bookers-municipal-internet-bill>reported
that the bill would forbid state and local governments from “creating a
‘statute, regulation, or other legal requirement’ that bars communities
from creating their own municipal broadband network.”

Kate Cox with the Consumerist
<http://consumerist.com/2015/01/23/senators-introduce-bill-to-block-states-from-blocking-public-broadband/>broke
it down:

“In other words, the Community Broadband Act makes it legal for a town to
start a network and illegal for the state to stop them, but doesn’t provide
any assistance for towns who want to build networks. It simply gives them
the opportunity to pursue their own funding. To that end, the bill
specifically encourages public-private partnerships.”

Henry Grabar with Salon
<http://www.salon.com/2015/01/25/the_battle_for_americas_broadband_the_internet_debate_taking_the_country_by_storm/>
wrote
about the ideological debate that is “taking the country by storm.”

... Read the Full Roundup Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-february-1>

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