[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 3/17

Christopher Mitchell christopher at newrules.org
Tue Mar 17 08:43:15 PDT 2015


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Tennessee Farm Bureau Association Backs State Legislation to End Barriers
<http://muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-farm-bureau-association-backs-state-legislation-end-barriers>
Mon, March 09, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-farm-bureau-association-backs-state-legislation-end-barriers>

The Tennessee Farm Bureau Association <http://www.tnfarmbureau.org/> recently
put its support behind state legislation from Senator Janice Bowling and
Rep. Kevin Brooks reports the Times Free Press
<http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/mar/08/farm-bureau-backs-epb-expansions/292148/>
.

The Bureau told the Times Free Press:

"Our members are hungry to have broadband," said Rhedonna Rose, executive
vice president of the 600,000-member Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. "We
represent a lot of Tennesseans in very rural areas of the state who are
frustrated that they don't have high-speed Internet."

SB 1134 and its companion HB 1303
<http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1134&ga=109>
are
brief and direct, allowing municipal power distributors the right to extend
Internet access beyond current geographic boundaries established by state
barriers. Bradley County, one of EPB's neighbors, would like to have EPB
expand service to them but state laws, backed by large corporate incumbents
not interested in serving Bradley, forbid expansion.

... Read Our Full Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-farm-bureau-association-backs-state-legislation-end-barriers>

Reaction to the FCC Decisions, Dissent, and Next Steps - Community
Broadband Bits Episode 141
<http://muninetworks.org/content/reaction-fcc-decisions-dissent-and-next-steps-community-broadband-bits-episode-141>
Tue, March 10, 2015 | Posted by christopher
<http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/reaction-fcc-decisions-dissent-and-next-steps-community-broadband-bits-episode-141>

After the FCC decisions to remove barriers to community networks
<http://muninetworks.org/content/cable-companies-lose-big-fcc-barriers-community-broadband-struck-down>
and
to reclassify Internet access as a Title II service to enforce network
neutrality rules, Lisa and I spend some time discussing the decision and
reactions to it.

We also discuss my presentation at Freedom to Connect
<http://new.livestream.com/internetsociety/F2C2015/videos/79084685>, where
I offer some thoughts on what communities can do in the long term to ensure
we end scarcity and the corporate monopoly model of Internet access.

Though we will continue to fight against barriers to local choice and work
to ensure every community has the authority to choose the model that best
fits it, we plan to spend more time examining how Internet access can be
built as infrastructure rather than as for a specific service from a single
provider.

... Listen to the Show Here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/reaction-fcc-decisions-dissent-and-next-steps-community-broadband-bits-episode-141>
... Read the transcript from this show here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-141>
 ...

Dakota County Considering Expanding to Open Access for Businesses, Residents
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dakota-county-considering-expanding-open-access-businesses-residents>
Mon, March 09, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dakota-county-considering-expanding-open-access-businesses-residents>

In a recent meeting of the Dakota County Administration, Finance and Policy
Committee, Dakota County's Network Collaboration Engineer David Asp
provided an update to Commissioners on the status of their broadband plan.
Dakota has saved millions of dollars with their network through
collaborative efforts, innovative dig-once approaches, and specially
deveoped software.

As part of its long term strategy, the county is now considering ways to
offer connectivity to local businesses and residents via open access
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625> infrastructure. Blandin on
Broadband's Ann Treacy attended
<http://blandinonbroadband.org/2015/02/04/dakota-county-moves-forward-with-plans-to-expand-broadband-to-reach-local-businesses-and-residents/>
the
February 3rd meeting and, thanks to Asp, posted the PPT from his
presentation.

... See the Powerpoint Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dakota-county-considering-expanding-open-access-businesses-residents>

iTV-3 Increases Speeds for Free on UC2B Network
<http://muninetworks.org/content/itv-3-increases-speeds-free-uc2b-network>
Tue, March 10, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/itv-3-increases-speeds-free-uc2b-network>

As the FCC works to update current policy to encourage ubiquitous Internet
access and adoption, community networks are also taking an active role.
Earlier this month, customers of iTV-3 received a boost in speed with no
increase in price. iTV-3, a community minded local provider, chose to make
the change in order to ensure all its customers were well within the new
broadband speeds asredefined by the FCC in January 2015
<http://www.fcc.gov/article/doc-331760a2>.

Early last year, UC2B and iTV-3 announced their new partnership
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/uc2b-and-partner-bringing-fiber-more-urbana-champaign-communities-illinois>.
The company, which has provided services to residents and businesses to
Illinois communities since 2009, is leasing UC2B infrastructure and
equipment and will own any infrastructure it builds as part of expansion.

... More Coverage and Speed Increase Information Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/itv-3-increases-speeds-free-uc2b-network>

Dark Fiber Option Coming to Arlington Businesses
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-option-coming-arlington-businesses>
Wed, March 11, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-option-coming-arlington-businesses>

Arlington is finally ready to open up its network to local businesses
seeking better connectivity, reports local news WJLA
<http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/02/arlington-county-to-become-first-in-d-c-area-to-grant-private-companies-access-to-fiber-optic-networ.html>.
The county board recently voted unanimously to allow providers to lease
dark fiber from approximately 10 miles of the 59-mile network. They hope to
spur economic development and entice ISPs to provide better connectivity
for residents via the network.

"The dark fiber, in the most simplest terms, is like a super highway.
You're the only car on that highway and you can go as fast as the vehicle
you've chosen can go," explained Jack Belcher, chief information officer of
Arlington County.

We first reported
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/fiber-optic-connectarlington-moving-forward-virginia>
on
Arlington's network in 2012, after the community had dedicated about 2
years to the project. They took advantage of investments in the local
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) upgrades, improvements to the
emergency communications system, and an electric power upgrade by a local
electrical provider to deploy a next generation network.

... See Local Coverage (Video) Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-option-coming-arlington-businesses>

International Media Covering NextLight Strides in Longmont
<http://muninetworks.org/content/international-media-covering-nextlight-strides-longmont>
Wed, March 11, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/international-media-covering-nextlight-strides-longmont>

Longmont's NextLight
<http://longmontcolorado.gov/departments/departments-e-m/longmont-power-communications/broadband-service>
is
well known in the municipal networks space; now other media markets are
starting to notice the most recent network in the Centennial State. CCTV
America profiled the network
<http://www.cctv-america.com/2015/02/11/longmont-colorado-leads-way-to-high-speed-internet-in-us-for-all>
recently,
highlighting its importance to local businesses.

CCTV spoke with a local tech business owner who had recently connected to
the municipal network:

Jon Rice is a web developer for whom a reliable computer connection is
critical.

“Our entire business is basically predicated on having fast, easy access to
the Internet,” Rice said.

Like many other modern households, Rice describes how their home hosts
multiple devices.NextLight's $50 per month gigabit tier
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/sign-early-gig-longmont-colorado> is a
necessity for both his residential and business needs.

... Read the Rest of the Story and See Video Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/international-media-covering-nextlight-strides-longmont>

Monica Webb Talks WiredWest on The Take Away
<http://muninetworks.org/content/monica-webb-talks-wiredwest-take-away>
Thu, March 12, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/monica-webb-talks-wiredwest-take-away>

Monica Webb, long-time spokesperson and current chairman for Massachusetts'
WiredWest <http://wiredwest.net/>, recently spoke with John Hockenberry on The
Take Away <http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/digital-dead-zone/>. Monica
briefly described why the coalition of local communities chose to take
control of their own connectivity with a regional municipal effort.

Fittingly enough, Monica describes how she had to drive 20 minutes in order
to access a connection that was reliable enough for the interview.

As we reported in January
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/massachusetts-towns-consider-wiredwest-opportunity>,
WiredWest is currently working with specific communities to determine
detailed cost estimates so they can assess their ability to deploy
infrastructure with as much information as possible. As you will hear in
the interview, funding is one of the primary hurdles facing smaller rural
communities in western Massachusetts.

... Listen to the Segment Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/monica-webb-talks-wiredwest-take-away>

Yolo County, California Ready for Better Broadband
<http://muninetworks.org/content/yolo-county-california-ready-better-broadband>
Fri, March 13, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/yolo-county-california-ready-better-broadband>

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors in California voted unanimously
recently to accept consultants' recommendations to take steps improve
broadband in the county. Some of those recommendations included investing
in infrastructure to improve both urban and rural areas in the northern
county.

The Davis Enterprise reported
<http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/supervisors-focus-on-countys-broadband-issues/>
on
the meeting from February 24th:

With its diverse mix <http://yolocountyca.swagit.com/play/02242015-618/#0> of
rural and urban areas, the county has communities where little or no
broadband service is available. And even in urban areas with greater access
to service and providers, many residents complain of slow and unreliable
connections, according to the Yolo Broadband Strategic Plan, which also
provided direction for county officials on closing the divide in the coming
years.

... More on Yolo's Situation Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/yolo-county-california-ready-better-broadband>

Community Broadband Media Roundup - March 14
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-march-14>
Mon, March 16, 2015 | Posted by rebecca
<http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-march-14>

Whether You’re Red or Blue, You Should Love the FCC’s Internet Plan
<https://medium.com/backchannel/the-red-and-blue-politics-of-the-fcc-s-internet-ruling-dd56e3373b0a>:
This Tea Party guy gets it. Why don’t DC Republicans? by Susan Crawford,
BackChannel

He said (paraphrasing), “I want my freedom and I can’t stand the idea of
government messing with our lives, and that’s why I like the Tea Party. But
I also can’t stand that there’s a company that can tell me what kind of
Internet access I can get — I can’t run my business from my home because I
can’t buy the connection I need here.”


*FCC Ruling*

FCC order allows EPB to expand Gig service to outlying areas
<http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2015/mar/13/fcc-order-allows-epb-expand-gig-service-outly/293064/>
Dave Flessner, Times Free Press

"We're glad that a growing number of state lawmakers are supporting
proposed legislation that would remove the territorial restrictions that
currently prevent municipal utilities from extending fiber services to
neighboring areas," he said. "This Tennessee-driven approach is the best
near-term option for serving more of the people across our state who are
currently underserved or poorly served with broadband connectivity."

... See the Full Community Broadband Media Roundup Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-march-14>

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