[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks ... Week of 5/19

Tue May 19 05:50:20 PDT 2015

*Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the **Institute for
Local Self-Reliance. Instructions for unsubscribing appear at bottom.  Send
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 North Carolina Files Petition Opposing FCC Ruling to End Anti-Muni Laws
<http://muninetworks.org/content/north-carolina-files-petition-opposing-fcc-ruling-end-anti-muni-laws>
Fri, May 15, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/north-carolina-files-petition-opposing-fcc-ruling-end-anti-muni-laws>

It took a while, but the State of North Carolina finally decided to take
its turn at the throat of the FCC. Attorneys filed a Petition for Review in
the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals similar to the one filed by the State of
Tennessee
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/tennessee-files-appeal-fcc-order-scaling-back-state-barriers>
in
March. The Petition is available for download
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term8> below.

Our official comment:

"Attorney General Cooper must not realize the irony of using state taxpayer
dollars to ensure less money is invested in rural broadband, but we
certainly do," says Christopher Mitchell with the Institute for Local
Self-Reliance. "State leaders should stand up for their citizens' interests
and demand good broadband for them, rather than fighting alongside paid
lobbyists to take away those opportunities."

Like Tennessee, North Carolina makes an attempt to stop the FCC's
well-considered Opinion and Order by arguing that the FCC overstepped its
authority in violation of the Consitution. The FCC addressed this argument
in its Opinion and Order along with a myriad of other potential arguments.
For detailed coverage of the FCC's well-considered decision, we provided
information on highlights
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/fcc-opinion-and-order-striking-down-local-authority-limits-tn-and-nc-highlights>
of
the decision back in March.

... More on This Disappointing Development Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/north-carolina-files-petition-opposing-fcc-ruling-end-anti-muni-laws>

Huntington Determined to Bring Fiber to Town
<http://muninetworks.org/content/huntington-determined-bring-fiber-town>
Mon, May 11, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/huntington-determined-bring-fiber-town>

Community leaders from Huntington, West Virginia
<http://www.cityofhuntington.com/>, are the latest to announce they are
determined to bring publicly owned infrastructure to town. TheCharleston
Daily Mail reported
<http://www.charlestondailymail.com/article/20150429/DM01/150429026/1280> in
April that Mayor Steve Williams described fiber as a "game-changer" for the
city and is determined to find a way to bring it to Huntington.

>From the article:

“This is something we need to have to compete at the level we expect to
compete at in the city,” Williams said. “This is necessary for us to have
Huntington transformed and frankly, to show that this can transform the
region for the next 25 years. We intend to do this. What we have to
determine is how do we use this study to define how we can get there.
That’s what we’re in the midst of assessing right now.”

... Read the Rest of this Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/huntington-determined-bring-fiber-town>

Ensuring Security on Community Networks - Community Broadband Bits Episode
150
<http://muninetworks.org/content/ensuring-security-community-networks-community-broadband-bits-episode-150>
Tue, May 12, 2015 | Posted by christopher
<http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/ensuring-security-community-networks-community-broadband-bits-episode-150>

This week, we are focusing on security concerns for community networks.
Community networks tend to be small, with limited staff to keep track of
the many challenges of running a network. Our guest this week on Community
Broadband Bits is Weston Hecker, Senior Systems Security Analyst and Pen
Tester for KLJ <http://kljeng.com/>.

After defining what penetration testing is, we discuss why small ISPs need
to be concerned with security and some of the options available to them.

You can also see Weston talking at DEFCON about burner phones and DDOS
attacks <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1VttfQFTWE>.

... Listen to the Podcast Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/ensuring-security-community-networks-community-broadband-bits-episode-150>

Longmont's NextLight Offers Businesses, Residents Third Fastest Internet In
the U.S.
<http://muninetworks.org/content/longmonts-nextlight-offers-businesses-residents-third-fastest-internet-us>
Wed, May 13, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/longmonts-nextlight-offers-businesses-residents-third-fastest-internet-us>

Ookla finds the third fastest Internet access in the U.S. is located in
Longmont, Colorado, reports the Times Call
<http://www.timescall.com/longmont-local-news/ci_28030675/longmonts-nextlight-internet-ranked-third-fastest-u-s>.
NextLight, Longmont's gigabit municipal fiber network, is the source of the
increase in speeds, driving Longmont's Internet access speeds far beyond
any other service in the state.

Ookla clocks average download <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term8> speed
in Longmont as 105 Mbps <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term18>, which
includes all providers in the community. Incumbents Comcast and CenturyLink
are dragging down NextLight's average download speed of 221 Mbps.
Statewide, Colorado's average is 40 Mbps.

According to the article:

Ookla shows Internet speeds in Longmont shooting up in January and
February, when LPC crews began hooking up customers to NextLight in
earnest.

... Many More Details About Longmont's Muni Fiber Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/longmonts-nextlight-offers-businesses-residents-third-fastest-internet-us>

Decorah, Iowa, Considers the Future of MetroNet
<http://muninetworks.org/content/decorah-iowa-considers-future-metronet>
Fri, May 15, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/decorah-iowa-considers-future-metronet>

Decorah, named an "All-Star Community"
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/decorah-fiber-network-wins-civic-award> in
part due to benefits from their internal fiber network, is now exploring
new ways to utilize MetroNet. According to a recent Decorah Newspapers
article
<http://www.decorahnewspapers.com/Content/Home/Home/Article/Future-of-powerful-MetroNet-explored/-2/-2/37469>,
the six community anchor institutions (CAIs) that collaborated to deploy
the network recently met with the city council to discuss the future.

The 11-mile network began serving CAIs and an additional 18 facilities in
2013. After a 2008 flood that knocked out communications, the city, county,
and school district began planning for the network. Eventually, the project
grew to include Luther College, the Upper Explorerland Regional Planning
Commission, and the Winneshiek Medical Center. BTOP
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term610> funds paid for much of the
approximate $1 million deployment but contributions from participants
supplied an additional $450,000.

... More on the Future of MetroNet Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/decorah-iowa-considers-future-metronet>

Yet Another Homeowner Led Astray By Giant ISP; Responds with Muni Fiber
Initiative
<http://muninetworks.org/content/yet-another-homeowner-led-astray-giant-isp-responds-muni-fiber-initiative>
Wed, May 13, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/yet-another-homeowner-led-astray-giant-isp-responds-muni-fiber-initiative>

Last month, we highlighted the story of Seth
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/seths-tale-comcast-woe-perfectly-illustrates-many-internet-policy-problems>,
a Washington state homeowner forced to put his home up for sale due to a
perfect storm of sloppy customer service, corporate bureaucracy, and
terrible Internet policy. Now meet Dave Mortimer from Michigan.

Dave in another person in a similar situation, reports Ars Technica
<http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/04/28/when-att-promises-broadband-but-delivers-only-300kbps/>.
In 2013 incumbent AT&T told Dave three separate times that the house he had
his eye on in rural Lowell had U-verse fiber network capabilities. Their
website verified what customer service represenatives told him. Dave is an
IT professional and wanted the opportunity to work from home. He must be on
call while not in the office and so requires a fast residential Internet
connection.

After buying the home and moving in, AT&T backpedaled. Actually his best
option was DSL <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term9> offering 768
Kbps. Oops!

... Get the Rest of This Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/yet-another-homeowner-led-astray-giant-isp-responds-muni-fiber-initiative>

Princeton, Mass, Setback in Muni Fiber Quest
<http://muninetworks.org/content/princeton-mass-setback-muni-fiber-quest>
Thu, May 14, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/princeton-mass-setback-muni-fiber-quest>

Folks in Princeton, Massachusetts have anxiously awaited better broadband
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/princeton-massachusetts-considering-building-own-fiber-network>
for
about two years as community leaders explored ways to deploy fiber in the
community. According to the Telegram
<http://www.telegram.com/article/20150428/NEWS/304289636/101116>, the wait
will be even longer than expected. The tentative deal between Princeton and
Matrix Design Group for a public private partnership is over.

As we reported last December
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/princeton-voters-authorize-ftth-make-ready-funds-record-turn-out>,
90 percent of voters attending a special town meeting approved a measure to
borrow funds to get deployment started. Princeton planned to use $1.2
million for make-ready measures to pave the way for Matrix to install its
FTTH network. The town would not have to pay any more to construct the
network, but they would be sacrificing control over the infrastructure.

... Read the Rest of this Update from Princeton Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/princeton-mass-setback-muni-fiber-quest>

Happy Friday! New Funny or Die Video Spoofs Cable TV Bundles
<http://muninetworks.org/content/happy-friday-new-funny-or-die-video-spoofs-cable-tv-bundles>
Fri, May 15, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>

Funny or Die offers up a new video, *If Everything Was Bundled Like Cable*,
starring David Koechner. None of us like paying for stuff we don't use, and
television channels are no exception. Here are some examples of that same
model as it applies to other everyday activities.

"I don't like your way! Fix it!"

... Watch the Video Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/happy-friday-new-funny-or-die-video-spoofs-cable-tv-bundles>

Indiana County Saving With Fiber in Pennsylvania
<http://muninetworks.org/content/indiana-county-saving-fiber-pennsylvania>
Tue, May 12, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/indiana-county-saving-fiber-pennsylvania>

Indiana County, Pennsylvania's <http://www.countyofindiana.org/> County
Commission recently voted to use its fiber optic network for telephone
service reports the Indiana Gazette
<https://www.indianagazette.com/news/indiana-news/indiana-county-phone-upgrade-expected-to-improve-county-government-communications,21905124/>.
The change will allow the county to save $67,000 over the first five years.
Indiana County is located on the west side of the state and is home to
approximately 89,000 people.

The upgrade will allow the county to eliminate two-thirds of its phone
lines by taking advantage of the network that was installed as part of
Indiana County's public safety radio system. Phones in the courthouse,
jail, district justices’ offices, a convalescent facility, the Indiana
County Airport, the county parks and the departments of Children and Youth
Services and Human Services will all be on the new system.

>From the Gazette article:

“This is just the beginning of the savings we’ll see from the fiber optic
network,” Baker said. Coming soon will be lower costs for county
government’s Internet service.

... Link to this Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/indiana-county-saving-fiber-pennsylvania>

Community Broadband Media Roundup - May 15
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-may-15>
Mon, May 18, 2015 | Posted by rebecca
<http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-may-15>

*Community Broadband Stories, by State:*

*California*

A Disconnected Valley
<http://www.signalscv.com/section/24/article/136766/>: SCV's
high-speed technology crawls by Jana Adkins, Signal Santa Clarita Valley

Why Santa Monica Built its Own Internet Service
<http://www.signalscv.com/section/24/article/136767/>: It all comes down to
how well you connect, and when you do - word travels quickly by Jana
Adkins, Signal Santa Clarita Valley

*Massachussetts*

Hyper-fast Internet coming to parts of Westfield, but it's not from a
company you'd guess
<http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/05/hyper-fast_internet_coming_to.html>
by
Dan Glaun, MassLive.com

... The Full Roundup is Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-may-15>

-- 
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