[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 3/31

Christopher Mitchell christopher at newrules.org
Tue Mar 31 13:17:48 PDT 2015


*Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the Institute for
Local Self-Reliance. Instructions for unsubscribing appear at bottom.  Send
feedback.  Forward Widely.*


Small Illinois Town Will Vote On Fiber Investment in April
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/small-illinois-town-will-vote-fiber-investment-april>
Tue, March 24, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/small-illinois-town-will-vote-fiber-investment-april>

The Village of Gilberts, Illinois, <http://www.villageofgilberts.com/> will
ask voters in April to authorize up to $5 million in General Obligation
bonds to deploy a FTTH <http://www.muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term13>
 network reports the Daily Herald
<http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150306/news/150309160/>. GO bonds are
rarely used for network deployment but often used for public works projects
and other publicly owned assets. Due to the funding mechanism in Gilberts,
the network would be publicly owned.

"It's something that is not readily available in other communities,"
Village Administrator Ray Keller said. "It would set us apart and put us on
a path to better meet the needs of our residents and businesses as their
demands and needs for technology grows."

The community, home to 6,800 people, has experienced rapid population
growth since 2000. At that time only 1,200 people lived in this northeast
Kane County village.

... Get the Rest of the Details Here ...
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/small-illinois-town-will-vote-fiber-investment-april>

Explaining the FCC Muni Order Removing State Barriers - Community Broadband
Bits Episode 143
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/explaining-fcc-muni-order-removing-state-barriers-community-broadband-bits-episode-143>
Tue, March 24, 2015 | Posted by christopher
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/christopher>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/explaining-fcc-muni-order-removing-state-barriers-community-broadband-bits-episode-143>

After anticipating this moment for many months, we have a ruling from the
FCC that has restored local authority to build and expand networks in North
Carolina and Tennessee. Though we have already pulled out the key passages
<http://muninetworks.org/content/fcc-opinion-and-order-striking-down-local-authority-limits-tn-and-nc-highlights>
for
readers, we wanted to discuss the decision with Jim Baller of Baller,
Herbst, Stokes, & Lide <http://www.baller.com/>.

Jim worked with Wilson and Chattanooga in crafting their petitions and sat
down with me last week at the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities
<http://www.iamu.org/> Broadband Conference in Des Moines last week.

We went over the key issues in the ruling, including why the FCC had
authority to take action, how the state laws limited investment in advanced
Internet networks, the impact of the ruling, and what comes next.

See our other podcasts with Jim as well as articles that we tagged him in
here <http://muninetworks.org/tags/tags/jim-baller>. Read the FCC's
Memorandum and Order here [pdf]
<http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2015/db0312/FCC-15-25A1.pdf>
.

... Listen to the Show Here
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/explaining-fcc-muni-order-removing-state-barriers-community-broadband-bits-episode-143>
... Read the transcript from our conversation here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-143>
 ...

Lafayette Considers Expansion, One Nearby Town Strikes Itself From List
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/lafayette-considers-expansion-one-nearby-town-strikes-itself-list>
Wed, March 25, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/lafayette-considers-expansion-one-nearby-town-strikes-itself-list>

We have long applauded communities that have built their own fiber networks
and then elect to expand them to neighboring communities. In Louisiana for
example, Lafayette could hoard its network, forcing people that want the
best connectivity in the region to move within its borders. But instead, it
is preparing to expand the network.

City-Parish President Joey Durel announced that the municipal network would
begin expanding beyond Lafayette city limits. An article in *The
Advocate* quoted
Durel <http://theadvocate.com/news/11574842-123/durel-lus-fiber-to-offer>:

“As I have traveled this parish, one of the most common things I am asked
is, ‘When will we get fiber?’ That answer depended in large part on making
fiber successful in Lafayette. We’re there,” Durel told the crowd that
filled the Cajundome Convention Center.

... Read Our Full Story Here
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/lafayette-considers-expansion-one-nearby-town-strikes-itself-list>
... Listen to Our Interview with Terry Huval
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/opportunities-and-challenges-lafayette-considers-muni-fiber-expansion-community-broadband>
...

Bristol City Council Passes Resolution Supporting Bill to End Tennessee
Muni Barriers
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/bristol-city-council-passes-resolution-supporting-bill-end-tennessee-muni-barriers>
Mon, March 23, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/bristol-city-council-passes-resolution-supporting-bill-end-tennessee-muni-barriers>

At its March 3rd City Council meeting, elected leaders in Bristol voted 4 -
1 to adopt resolution 15 - 8 reported TriCities.com
<http://www.tricities.com/news/article_660e5dc8-c22b-11e4-b9bf-673b65d2a375.html>.
The resolution officially supports state legislation removing state
barriers that prevent municipal electric utilities from offering Internet
service beyond their electric service footprint. State Senator Janice
Bowling and Representative Kevin Brooks are sponsoring SB 1134 and its
companion
HB 1303 [PDF]. <http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/109/Bill/HB1303.pdf>

Bristol Tennessee Essential Services (BTES)
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/welcome-gigabit-club-btes> is one of
the state's gigabit FTTH
<http://www.muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term13> networks
but like Chattanooga, is limited by state geographic restrictions. The
recent FCC decision to overturn
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/cable-companies-lose-big-fcc-barriers-community-broadband-struck-down>Tennessee
and North Carolina state barriers has removed that legal provision but
Bowling and Brooks want to make sure it happens and that Tennessee is able
to embrace smarter policy without FCC intervention.

... Read the Resolution and More of the Story Here ...
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/bristol-city-council-passes-resolution-supporting-bill-end-tennessee-muni-barriers>

Tennessee Files Appeal to FCC Order Scaling Back State Barriers
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-files-appeal-fcc-order-scaling-back-state-barriers>
Tue, March 24, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-files-appeal-fcc-order-scaling-back-state-barriers>

The State of Tennessee has filed the first appeal to the recent FCC Opinion
and Order [PDF]
<http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2015/db0312/FCC-15-25A1.pdf>
reducing
state barriers to municipal broadband. Governor Bill Haslam appears
determined to keep his constituents in the Internet slow lane.

The state filed the short petition on March 20th arguing [view the petition
on Scribd. <https://www.scribd.com/doc/259783386/Tennessee-vs-Fcc>]:

The State of Tennessee, as a sovereign and a party to the proceeding below,
is aggrieved and seeks relief on the grounds that the Order: (1) is
contrary to the United States Constitution; (2) is in excess of the
Commission’s authority; (3) is arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of
discretion within the meaning of the Administrative Procedure Act; and (4)
is otherwise contrary to law.

Haslam expressed his intention to explore the possibility of filing the
appeal earlier this month reported the Times Free Press
<http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/politics/state/story/2015/mar/03/lawmakers-urge-tn-attorney-general-appeal-fcc-ruling-allows-epb-expand-gig/291266/>.
In February, the Governor and Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery
signed a letter from a number of state officials to the FCC urging them not
to change state law. U.S. Rep from Tennessee Marsha Blackburn and her
Senate counterpart Thom Tillis introduced legislation
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/blackburn-and-tillis-introduce-bill-aimed-undo-fcc-decision-restore-local-authority>to
fight the Order just days after the FCC decision.

... Read Our Full Coverage Here ...
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-files-appeal-fcc-order-scaling-back-state-barriers>

Hudson Developing Plans for Muni Fiber Open Access Network in Ohio
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/hudson-developing-plans-muni-fiber-open-access-network-ohio>
Thu, March 26, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/hudson-developing-plans-muni-fiber-open-access-network-ohio>

Hudson is moving ahead with plans to develop a publicly owned fiber
network,reports
the Hub Times
<http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/news%20local/2015/03/11/city-continues-on-fiber-optic-path-for-communication>.
The City Council recently approved a contract with a consultant to develop
a conceptual design, implement the plan, and recruit service providers
interested in operating over an open access
<http://www.muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625> network.

In January, the town of about 23,000 conducted a residential and business
survey
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/ohio-hudson-offers-broadband-survey> to
determine the overall state of broadband in the community. At a February
meeting, the Council reviewed the survey results. Almost 1,000 residents
and 133 businesses answered the survey which revealed that Internet
services were lacking in coverage, speed, performance, and reliability.
>From a February Hub Times article
<http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/news%20local/2015/02/18/city-takes-next-step-toward-broadband-service>
:

Hudson's small and medium business community reported many issues with
their current broadband services, citing poor reliability and performance
as negatively affecting their ability to do business in the city. Many
businesses wanted to upgrade to a better service but found that they could
not afford to do so.

... Learn More About Their Approach Here ...
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/hudson-developing-plans-muni-fiber-open-access-network-ohio>

Amherst, Massachusetts Exploring Fiber for Economic Development Downtown
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/amherst-massachusetts-exploring-fiber-economic-development-downtown>
Fri, March 27, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/amherst-massachusetts-exploring-fiber-economic-development-downtown>

The Amherst Business Improvement District (BID) recently hired a firm to
prepare an engineering study aimed at bringing fiber connectivity to its
downtown reports MassLive.
<http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/03/amherst_to_study_cost_feasibil.html>


In 2007, the community began offering free Wi-Fi
<http://www.muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term29> downtown after receiving a
grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the
National Science Foundation (NSF) to build a wireless mesh network. The
city worked with UMass Amherst, DARPA, and NSF to deploy the system. In
2013, the city invested in upgrades
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/amherst-ma-upgrades-its-free-wifi> which
increased speeds and extended the network's geographic coverage area.

Community leaders feel Amherst needs fiber to boost economic development
now and in the future.

... Read More About Amherst's Approach Here ...
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/amherst-massachusetts-exploring-fiber-economic-development-downtown>

Orlando Sentinel Op-Ed - Local governments should make broadband choices
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/orlando-sentinel-op-ed-local-governments-should-make-broadband-choices>
Mon, March 23, 2015 | Posted by rebecca
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/orlando-sentinel-op-ed-local-governments-should-make-broadband-choices>

*The Orlando Sentinel
<http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-community-broadband-031215-20150311-story.html>
published
this op-ed about local government action for broadband networks on March
11, 2015. *



*Local governments should make broadband choices By Christopher Mitchell*

*Community broadband must be a local choice, a guest columnist writes.*

When Comcast announced plans last year to invest hundreds of millions in
theme parks in Florida and California, its customers may have wondered why
the cable giant wasn't using those funds to deliver a faster or more
reliable Internet connection. While Comcast's Universal Studios faces
competition from Walt Disney World, most people don't have a real choice in
high-speed Internet access.

... Read the Full Op-ed Here ...
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/orlando-sentinel-op-ed-local-governments-should-make-broadband-choices>

Fiber Forum in Yellow Springs Will Share Info on Munis With Ohio Community
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/fiber-forum-yellow-springs-will-share-info-munis-ohio-community>
Wed, March 25, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/fiber-forum-yellow-springs-will-share-info-munis-ohio-community>

Join Chris and several other experts on municipal networks on April 25th as
they address a crowd in Yellow Springs,  <http://www.yso.com/>Ohio.
Yellow-Springs.Net <http://www.yellow-springs.net/>, a group of residents
who have rallied together to organize a movement to explore broadband as a
utility in their community, will host the Fiber Forum. The event is
titled*"Building
a Municipal Fiber Network in Yellow Springs." *Chris will be joining via
Skype for his presentation.

YSNews described the event
<http://ysnews.com/news/2015/03/talk-municipal-internet-at-fiber-forum>:

The forum will provide community members with insights on the advantages of
having a municipal broadband network that would translate into high-speed,
affordable Internet access in Yellow Springs. Springs-Net posits that, by
optimizing Internet access with fiber, the Village would address strategic,
economic, communication and municipal service goals.

... More Information Here ...
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/fiber-forum-yellow-springs-will-share-info-munis-ohio-community>

Freedom to Connect - Long Term Muni Strategies
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/freedom-connect-long-term-muni-strategies>
Sat, March 28, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/freedom-connect-long-term-muni-strategies>

If you were not able to attend Freedom to Connect in New York on March 2 - 3
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/still-time-register-f2c-2015%E2%80%A6-hurry>,
you can now view archived video of presentations from Chris and others.

Now that the FCC has made a determination that may change the landscape of
Internet access, it is time to consider the future of municipal networks.
In this discussion, Chris discusses passive infrastructure, including dark
fiber and open access <http://www.muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625> models
as a way to encourage competition on the local level. Chris also looks at
financing municipal networks in a fashion that takes into account public
benefits created by fiber. He suggests steps elected officials can take now
that will contribute to long term ubiquitous access in their communities.

You can also watch videos from other presenters including Joanne Hovis,
Hannah Sassaman, and Jim Baller at the F2C: Freedom to Connect 2015
Livestream page <http://new.livestream.com/internetsociety/F2C2015/videos>.

... Watch the Video of Christopher's Presentation Here ...
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/freedom-connect-long-term-muni-strategies>

Community Broadband Media Roundup - March 27
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-march-27>
Sun, March 29, 2015 | Posted by rebecca
<http://www.muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-march-27>

This article is so good, it was hard not to quote the whole thing. Do
yourself a favor and check out the article for yourself-- this is exactly
why we can’t trust big cable and telephone companies to serve our
communities.

New Homeowner Has To Sell House Because Of Comcast’s Incompetence, Lack Of
Competition
<http://consumerist.com/2015/03/25/new-homeowner-has-to-sell-house-because-of-comcasts-incompetence-lack-of-competition/>
by
Chris Morran at the Consumerist:

Only months after moving into his new home in Washington state, Consumerist
reader Seth is already looking to sell his house. He didn’t lose his job or
discover that the property is haunted. No, Seth can’t stay much longer
because no one can provide broadband service to his address; even though
Comcast and CenturyLink both misled him into thinking he’d be connected to
their networks and in spite of the fact that his county runs a high-speed
fiberoptic network that goes very near to his property.

New homeowner selling house because he can’t get Comcast Internet:
<http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/03/new-homeowner-selling-house-because-he-cant-get-comcast-internet/>


... Read the Full Community Broadband Roundup Here ...
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-march-27>

-- 
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