[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 11/24

Tue Nov 24 09:35:13 PST 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.*

*Have a Wonderful and Thankful Thanksgiving! *

Self-Financed EC Fiber Continues to Grow - Community Broadband Bits Podcast
177
<http://muninetworks.org/content/self-financed-ec-fiber-continues-grow-community-broadband-bits-podcast-177>
Tue, November 17, 2015 | Posted by christopher
<http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/self-financed-ec-fiber-continues-grow-community-broadband-bits-podcast-177>

Carole Monroe is back on Community Broadband Bits for Episode 177 this
week, to discuss the East Central Vermont Fiber network
<http://ecfiber.net/> and its unique financing model. Carole is now the
General Manager for EC Fiber. She previously joined us for episode 36 to
discuss Fast Roads in New Hampshire
<http://muninetworks.org/content/carole-monroe-explains-new-hampshires-fast-roads-initiative-community-broadband-bits-36>.
And we previously discussed EC Fiber with Leslie Nulty in episode 9
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-bits-9-leslie-nulty-ecfiber-vermont>
.

Years later, EC Fiber is approaching 1,200 subscribers in rural Vermont and
is growing much more rapidly with some open access
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625> dark fiber connections created
by the state in a specific effort to enable last mile
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term17> connectivity.

We discuss the impact on the community, how much people in rural regions
desire high quality Internet access rather than slow DSL
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term9>, and also a brief mention of
some progress in New Hampshire to expand the Fast Roads network.

... Listen to the Show Here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/self-financed-ec-fiber-continues-grow-community-broadband-bits-podcast-177>...
Transcript Here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-177>
...

Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority Moving Forward
<http://muninetworks.org/content/roanoke-valley-broadband-authority-moving-forward>
Mon, November 16, 2015 | Posted by hannah
<http://muninetworks.org/users/hannah>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/roanoke-valley-broadband-authority-moving-forward>

After multiple delays, the much anticipated Roanoke-Salem fiber network in
Virginia has its feet on the ground. The network has secured an executive
director
<http://www.roanoke.com/news/local/roanoke/broadband-authority-selects-first-executive-director/article_8e2bd520-ed8f-57d1-9826-f2aa48863e3e.html>
who
will provide greater project oversight and find Internet service providers
(ISPs) to operate on the open access
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625> network.

Now that the project is under way, it is moving at a rapid pace. The
Broadband Authority already secured a contract for $2.9 million to lay the
conduit
<http://www.roanoke.com/business/news/roanoke/roanoke-gives-access%E2%80%A6tion-to-proceed/article_07539583-496c-5295-8684-945b3e7367c7.html>
for
the fiber optic cable, and crews are already at work. By year’s end
<http://www.roanoke.com/news/local/roanoke/broadband-authority-selects-first-executive-director/article_8e2bd520-ed8f-57d1-9826-f2aa48863e3e.html>,
the project should finally be complete.

... Read Our Full Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/roanoke-valley-broadband-authority-moving-forward>

Lake Oswego Seeks Out Expert Advice: Video
<http://muninetworks.org/content/lake-oswego-seeks-out-expert-advice-video>
Tue, November 17, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/lake-oswego-seeks-out-expert-advice-video>

Lake Oswego, Oregon <http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/>, was pegged as a
potential target for Google Fiber in 2014 but this town of 35,000 may not
wait for the tech giant to bring fast, affordable, reliable connectivity.
They may just do it themselves.

In order to get more information about municipal fiber networks, our Chris
Mitchell visited during an October City Council meeting at the request of
community leaders. The Lake Oswego Review covered the meeting
<http://www.pamplinmedia.com/lor/48-news/277994-154083-should-lo-create-its-own-internet-service-network>
.

According to the Review, the northwest community issued an RFP in June
<http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/citymanager/webpage/22859/lake_oswego_broadband_rfp.pdf?t=1447360983056>
and
received two responses. City leaders are still pondering the responses and
feelings are mixed over whether or not to make the investment.

... Read our Story and Watch Video of Christopher Mitchell Presenting Here
...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/lake-oswego-seeks-out-expert-advice-video>

Doing a Thoreau Job on Broadband - Concord, MA
<http://muninetworks.org/content/doing-thoreau-job-broadband-concord-ma>
Thu, November 19, 2015 | Posted by hannah
<http://muninetworks.org/users/hannah>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/doing-thoreau-job-broadband-concord-ma>

Concord, Massachusetts, has a strong literary history with famous authors
like Thoreau, Emerson, and the Alcott sisters, but all puns aside, the town
also has a long-standing community broadband network, Concord Light
Broadband <http://www.concordnet.org/pages/ConcordMA_LightPlant/Broadband>.

Years ago, the community voted to build its own network from their electric
utility, and they have just now transitioned to high-speed fiber optics.

*From Electric to Broadband*

Concord is one of only forty Massachusetts municipalities with an electric
utility and in the early 2000s, their electric thermal storage system
needed an overhaul. The technology, based on the phone system’s network,
was becoming obsolete. The electric utility chose to overbuild
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term629> the existing system with fiber
optics in order to create a smart-grid to automatically read electric
meters. Concord recognized the opportunity presented by a fiber network
backbone spread throughout town.

... There is More than a Great Title to this Article - Finish it here! ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/doing-thoreau-job-broadband-concord-ma>

Upper Arlington, Ohio Forges Ahead with Public Partners on City-wide
Fiber-Optic Network
<http://muninetworks.org/content/upper-arlington-ohio-forges-ahead-public-partners-city-wide-fiber-optic-network>
Wed, November 18, 2015 | Posted by Scott
<http://muninetworks.org/users/scott>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/upper-arlington-ohio-forges-ahead-public-partners-city-wide-fiber-optic-network>

The City Council of Upper Arlington, Ohio <http://www.uaoh.net/> on Oct. 26
approved several contracts that will enable the community to build a
municipal fiber-optic network
<http://muninetworks.org/content/fiber-optic-network> to key anchor
institutions for an estimated $2.5 million.

Upper Arlington’s project will provide high-speed Internet service for the
city’s buildings, the Public Library, Upper Arlington city schools, and
most city parks according to a news report from the Upper Arlington News
<http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/upperarlington/news/2015/10/27/council-oks-citywide-fiber-optic-network.html>.
The 30-mile fiber network will serve about 40 locations around the
boundaries of the city (population 34,000).

Besides establishing better connectivity between the three public partners’
buildings, the network is expected to provide opportunities for commercial
companies to lease telecommunications services. The network would allow the
city to lease some of the 288 fiber strands to commercial companies, such
as other Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

... Read Our Full Coverage of Upper Arlington Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/upper-arlington-ohio-forges-ahead-public-partners-city-wide-fiber-optic-network>

Wally Bowen, Rural Broadband Advocate, Passes
<http://muninetworks.org/content/wally-bowen-rural-broadband-advocate-passes>
Wed, November 18, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/wally-bowen-rural-broadband-advocate-passes>

We received the sad news today that Wally Bowen, one of the leading
advocates fighting to bring affordable broadband to rural communities,
especially in Appalachia, recently passed away.

In addition to many other contributions, Wally served as founder and
executive director of the nonprofit Mountain Area Information Network
<http://main.nc.us/> in Asheville, North Carolina. He spoke on media reform
at a number of venues, including the Aspen Institute, the New America
Foundation, and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and
Advisors (NATOA <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term261>).

... Read our Tribute and See what Others have Said about Wally Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/wally-bowen-rural-broadband-advocate-passes>

Resource Central: TN and NC Appeal FCC Decision to Restore Local Authority
<http://muninetworks.org/content/resource-central-tn-and-nc-appeal-fcc-decision-restore-local-authority>
Wed, November 18, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/resource-central-tn-and-nc-appeal-fcc-decision-restore-local-authority>

Nine months ago, the FCC voted to peel back laws in Tennessee and North
Carolina that eliminate local authority and discourage expansion of
broadband investment. As was expected, both states filed appeals and those
appeals were consolidated for review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Sixth Circuit <http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/internet/default.html> covering
Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

It has been a long and arduous journey for the parties, their attorneys,
and local authority advocates. In order to help MuniNetworks.org readers
stay informed of the parties and their arguments, we gathered together a
collection of resources related to the original Order and the Appeal.

... Read All the Documents Here - I am! ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/resource-central-tn-and-nc-appeal-fcc-decision-restore-local-authority>

While 6th Circuit Reviews Appeal, Organized Attack Begins In House
<http://muninetworks.org/content/while-6th-circuit-reviews-appeal-organized-attack-begins-house>
Fri, November 20, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/while-6th-circuit-reviews-appeal-organized-attack-begins-house>

As the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals considers the
<http://www.openinternetlaw.com/2015/08/sixth-circuit-consolidates-cases-sets-new-briefing-schedule-in-appeals-involving-municipal-broadband-laws/>
FCC's
decision to roll back Tennessee and North Carolina anti-muni laws, elected
officials opposed to local authority are mounting an assault to head off
possible enabling legislation. Their first target is the House of
Representatives.

*Poison Pens*

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, North Carolina Attorney General Roy
Cooper, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, and Alabama Attorney General Luther
Strange all sent letters to the Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce
Committee, Fred Upton (R-MI). Their letters express derision at the thought
of allowing local communities the ability to make decisions for themselves
when it comes to ensuring local businesses and residents have the Internet
access they need.

... The Forces of Incumbent Monopolies are on the Move! ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/while-6th-circuit-reviews-appeal-organized-attack-begins-house>

Member Owned Networks Collaborate for Rural Georgia Libraries
<http://muninetworks.org/content/member-owned-networks-collaborate-rural-georgia-libraries>
Sat, November 21, 2015 | Posted by ternste
<http://muninetworks.org/users/ternste>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/member-owned-networks-collaborate-rural-georgia-libraries>

A member-owned nonprofit network and a telecommunications cooperative
are helping
seven regional libraries
<http://ngn.coop/2015/ngn-provides-100-mb-symmetrical-internet-connections-to-northeast-georgia-library-system/>
in
mountainous northeast Georgia improve services for patrons with fast,
affordable, reliable connectivity.

*Collaboration for Community*

The North Georgia Network Cooperative (NGN) <http://ngn.coop/>, in
partnership with member-owned Georgia Public Web (GPW)
<http://www.gapublicweb.net/>, recently launched 100 Megabit per second (
Mbps <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term18>) symmetrical broadband
access speeds in seven library facilities in the Northeast Georgia Regional
Library system (NEGRLS). Upgrades in some of the locations were
significant. At the Helen library campus, the facility switched from a 6
Mbps download <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term8> DSL
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term9> connection to the new service.

The new initiative also enables the complementary “NGN Connect
<http://ngnconnect.coop/>” service which includes hosted Wi-Fi
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term29> service and a VoIP telephone
system at each location. The upgrade extends from the cooperative's role in the
Education Exchange
<http://www.muninetworks.org/content/rural-cooperative-launches-educational-network-northern-georgia>,
Georgia's only regional 10 Gigabit per second (Gbps
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term14>) private cloud
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term6> for exclusive use by school
systems launched last September.

... Read the Rest About this Great Development for Underserved Communities
...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/member-owned-networks-collaborate-rural-georgia-libraries>

-- 
You can always find our most recent stories and other resources at http://MuniNetworks.org
--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Community Networks Weekly Updates" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to communitynetworks-weekly+unsubscribe at ilsr.org.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/a/ilsr.org/d/optout.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.omsoft.com/pipermail/davisgig/attachments/20151124/8e63632b/attachment.html>