[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 3/24

[Christopher Mitchell]

*Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the Institute for
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feedback.  Forward Widely.*


FCC Opinion and Order Striking Down Local Authority Limits in TN and NC:
Highlights
<http://muninetworks.org/content/fcc-opinion-and-order-striking-down-local-authority-limits-tn-and-nc-highlights>
Mon, March 16, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/fcc-opinion-and-order-striking-down-local-authority-limits-tn-and-nc-highlights>

The FCC has found that it has the authority to remove aspects of Tennessee
and North Carolina law that limit local authority to build or expand
Internet networks. In short, states seem to retain the authority to
restrict municipalities from offering service at all. However, if states
allow local governments to offer services, then the FCC has the power to
determine whether any limitations on how they do it are a barrier to the
deployment of advanced telecommunications services per its authority in
section 706 of the Telecommunications Act.

The FCC has removed a restriction in Tennessee law that prevented
municipalities with fiber networks from expanding to serve their neighbors,
per a petition from Chattanooga.

In North Carolina, the FCC has removed multiple aspects of a 2011 law, HB
129, that effectively outlawed municipal networks by presenting local
governments with a thicket of red tape, including territorial restrictions
on existing networks. The city of Wilson had petitioned the FCC for this
intervention.

Listen to our podcast with Jim Baller
<http://muninetworks.org/content/explaining-fcc-muni-order-removing-state-barriers-community-broadband-bits-episode-143>
about
this decision.

... We Pulled out Key Paragraphs from the Decision Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/fcc-opinion-and-order-striking-down-local-authority-limits-tn-and-nc-highlights>

Missouri Anti-Muni Bill Advances Out of Committee
<http://muninetworks.org/content/missouri-anti-muni-bill-advances-out-committee>
Thu, March 19, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/missouri-anti-muni-bill-advances-out-committee>

The Missouri Senate Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government
Committee voted to pass anti-local choice SB 266
<http://www.senate.mo.gov/15info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=1518337>
on
March 18th. This bill, sponsored by Senator Kurt Schaefer, will increase
barriers for municipal networks and damage the possibility of
highly-effective partnerships with the private sector. *Call your Missouri
State Senator <http://www.senate.mo.gov/15info/SenateRoster.htm> and let
them know you consider this bill anti-competitive, hostile to local
interests, and that you will remember their vote at the next election.*

The bill was discussed in the same committee earlier this month
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/missouri-senate-committee-hears-anti-muni-bill-private-companies-and-groups-ask-no-vote>when
a number of private tech firms, industry associations, and utilities groups
wrote to members to express their concern with the bill. A dozen entities,
including Google, NATOA <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term261>, and
APPA wrote that the provisions in the bill would prevent public private
partnerships that improve connectivity at the local level. [See a PDF of
the letter here
<http://www.baller.com/wp-content/uploads/JointOppMissouriSB2662-18-15.pdf>
.]

... Don't Let Missouri Go Backward! ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/missouri-anti-muni-bill-advances-out-committee>

Mount Vernon Mayor: Local Authority Has Been Good For Our City
<http://muninetworks.org/content/mount-vernon-mayor-local-authority-has-been-good-our-city>
Mon, March 16, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/mount-vernon-mayor-local-authority-has-been-good-our-city>

As the time approached for FCC Commissioners to choose
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/cable-companies-lose-big-fcc-barriers-community-broadband-struck-down>
to
allow Wilson and Chattanooga to serve surrounding communities, leaders from
municipalities with publicly owned networks shared their experiences. Jill
Boudreau, Mayor of Mount Vernon, Washington, published her community's
experience with their muni in GoSkagit.com.
<http://www.goskagit.com/opinion/editorials_and_columns/the-podium-high-speed-internet-and-the-next-entrepreneur/article_e65c0e0f-7f4b-5150-904f-4d5ed1d5304f.html>


As in the recent testimonial from Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/opelika-speaks-experience-support-local-authority>,
Mayor Boudreau described how Mount Vernon's network has created a quality
of life where high-tech has enhanced local medicine, encouraged new
businesses, and created and environment rich with competition.

... Get the Rest of the Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/mount-vernon-mayor-local-authority-has-been-good-our-city>

Bozeman's Public-Private Approach In-Depth - Community Broadband Bits
Podcast 142
<http://muninetworks.org/content/bozemans-public-private-approach-depth-community-broadband-bits-podcast-142>
Tue, March 17, 2015 | Posted by christopher
<http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/bozemans-public-private-approach-depth-community-broadband-bits-podcast-142>

In Montana, local businesses and the city of Bozeman have been working on a
public-private partnership approach to expanding Internet access that is
likely to involve the city building an open access
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625> fiber network. We discuss
their approach this week with Brit Fontenot, Economic Development Director
for the city of Bozeman; David Fine, Bozeman Economic Development
Specialist; and the President of Hoplite Industries, Anthony Cochenour.

Bozeman has long been known as a city with opportunities for outdoor
activities but it also has a significant tech presence though like nearly
every other community in the United States, many recognize the need for
more investment in better options for connectivity.

A group of citizens, local businesses, and city staff have been examining
their options, how they might finance it, and how to encourage the existing
providers to work with them in improving Internet access.

... Listen to the Show Here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/bozemans-public-private-approach-depth-community-broadband-bits-podcast-142>
... Read the transcript from this episode here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-142>
 ...

Center for Public Integrity and Reveal Radio Get Into the Trenches of Local
Choice
<http://muninetworks.org/content/center-public-integrity-and-reveal-radio-get-trenches-local-choice>
Wed, March 18, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/center-public-integrity-and-reveal-radio-get-trenches-local-choice>

The Center for Public Integrity has followed the local choice debate
closely. Their team has travelled to Tennessee and North Carolina to talk
to lawmakers, visited communities seeking high-speed networks, and dug deep
into the source of influential campaign funds. Allan Holmes and his team
have assembled a collection of articles and audio that offers the right
amount of history, backstory, and anecdotes to properly understand these
issues.

Holmes published an article last August
<http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/08/28/15404/how-big-telecom-smothers-city-run-broadband>that
took a deep look at telecommunications laws at the state level. Along the
way, he spoke with State Senator Janice Bowling from Tullahoma
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/republican-tennessee-leader-endorses-local-authority>.
MuniNetworks.org readers know that the community is known for LightTUBe
<http://www.tub.net/>, the fiber network offering an oasis of high quality
connectivity in an otherwise broadband desert. At the time, the Wilson and
Chattanooga petitions were still fresh but Tennessee communities had long
dealt with the problem of poor connectivity from incumbents.

... This is Such a Great, In-Depth Effort - More Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/center-public-integrity-and-reveal-radio-get-trenches-local-choice>

The Other Half of Network Neutrality - Content Neutrality
<http://muninetworks.org/content/other-side-network-neutrality-content-neutrality>
Fri, March 20, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/other-side-network-neutrality-content-neutrality>

*We are pleased to bring you a guest post from Levi C. Maaia, president
of Full Channel Labs <https://www.fullchannel.com/contact/labs/> and a
graduate research fellow at the Center for Education Research on
Literacies, Learning & Inquiry in Networking Communities (LINC) at the
University of California, Santa Barbara. Levi is a strong advocate for
local, family owned businesses and an open Internet without government or
corporate gatekeepers.*

*The Other Half of Net Neutrality Regulation*

The Internet was originally founded on principles of public service and
education. In the past two decades, tremendous commercial potential has
also been realized and the Internet is now the engine behind our new global
economy. This potential, however, is predicated on the network’s original
open and neutral methods of communication.

... This is Very Important for Small ISPs! ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/other-side-network-neutrality-content-neutrality>

Waverly: The Next Gigabit Community in Iowa
<http://muninetworks.org/content/waverly-next-gigabit-community-iowa>
Tue, March 17, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/waverly-next-gigabit-community-iowa>

Remember Waverly, Iowa? We introduced you
<http://www.muninetworks.org/tags/tags/waverly> to the town of 10,000 back
in 2013 when they revived the community choice to develop a
telecommunications utility. Recently in February, the Waverly Light and
Power Board of Trustees approved a long awaited gigabit project reported
American Public Power
<http://www.publicpower.org/Media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=43173>.

According to a WLP press release
<http://waverlylp.com/News/lets-get-wired-up.aspx>, the $12 million project
will be financed with revenue bonds which have already been secured. As we
note in our Financing Municipal Networks fact sheet [PDF]
<http://www.ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/financing-munis-fact-sheet.pdf>,
this is one of the most common ways of funding deployment. Revenue from
subscribers pays the private investors that buy the bonds used to finance
the deployment.

... More Coverage from Waverly Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/waverly-next-gigabit-community-iowa>

Community Broadband Media Roundup - March 20
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-march-20>
Sun, March 22, 2015 | Posted by rebecca
<http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-march-20>

FCC Outlines Plan To Crush Awful State Protectionist Broadband Laws
<https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/20150313/05200530309/fcc-outlines-plan-to-crush-awful-state-protectionist-broadband-laws.shtml>:
from
the it's-about-time dept by Karl Bode, Tech Dirt

While net neutrality rules are designed to protect consumers from a lack of
last-mile competition, the agency's moves on municipal broadband are
intended to actually strike at the issue of limited competition at the
root. As we've noted a few times, ISPs (with ALEC's help) have passed laws
in twenty states preventing those towns and cities from deciding their own
infrastructure needs for themselves.

It's pure, unabashed protectionism: the bills do little more than protect
regional duopolies from change while hamstringing local communities
desperate for better service. Usually the laws are passed under the
auspices of protecting taxpayers from themselves, ignoring that the bills'
sole purpose is to protectduopoly
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term606> revenues.

TV and Internet Service Providers Deliver the Worst Customer Experience
<http://internet.itbusinessnet.com/article/TV-and-Internet-Service-Providers-Deliver-the-Worst-Customer-Experience-According-to-Temkin-Group-Research-3804643>:
Fifth
Annual Temkin Experience Ratings Evaluates 293 Companies Across 20
Industries.

... Read the Full Roundup Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-march-20>

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