[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 10/20

[Christopher Mitchell]

*Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the **Institute for
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*This was supposed to go out yesterday but apparently didn't?  Sorry for
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EPB Turns Up The Speed To 10 Gigs
<http://muninetworks.org/content/epb-turns-speed-10-gigs>
Thu, October 15, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/epb-turns-speed-10-gigs>

Chattanooga's EPB Fiber Optics now offers 10 gigabit Internet service to
all households and businesses in its service area. The ultra-fast service
is available for $299 per month with free installation, no contracts, and
no cancellation fees, announced community leaders at a press conference on
October 15th.

In addition to 10 gig service, EPB is also offering "Professional" products
available in 3 gig, 5 gig, and 10 gig for large businesses. Smaller
businesses have the option of choosing 5 gig or 10 gig Internet products.
According to the press release, prices on all the new products vary.

Since the network was launched in 2010, Chattanooga has transformed from
one of the "dirtiest cities in America" to a haven for the entrepreneurial
culture
<http://muninetworks.org/content/chattanooga-best-place-startups-and-outdoor-play>.
Chattanooga experienced explosive economic development leading to thousands
of new jobs, substantial public savings
<http://muninetworks.org/content/epb-fiber-keeps-electric-rates-check> due
to the network's smart grid capabilities, and new educational opportunities
<http://muninetworks.org/content/epb-and-chattanooga-will-lower-price-internet-low-income-students>
for
students and workforce development.

... Why? Because They Can Do Whatever They Want. They Are in Charge, not
Comcast ... <http://muninetworks.org/content/epb-turns-speed-10-gigs>

School District Will Cut Connectivity Costs 85% With Public Fiber in Iowa
<http://muninetworks.org/content/school-district-will-cut-connectivity-costs-85-public-fiber-iowa>
Wed, October 14, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/school-district-will-cut-connectivity-costs-85-public-fiber-iowa>

Plans for a fiber network collaboration between the city, school district,
and county will save hundreds of thousands of dollars in Stormlake, Iowa.
The school district recently voted to take advantage of significant savings
for connectivity by switching to the publicly owned infrastrucutre as soon
as the network is ready.

The Storm Lake Pilot recently reported
<http://www.stormlakepilottribune.com/story/2233118.html> that under the
current contract with Vast Broadband, the district pays *$7,500 per month* to
lease two strands of fiber. The new arrangement will allow the district to
lease 12 fibers from the city-owned network for $14,000 per year or *$1,167
per month - a reduction of approximately 85 percent. *The city and the
school district will enter into a 10-year agreement to ultimately *save the
district a total of $760,000 or approximately $6,333 per month* during the
term of the lease.

... More Details about This Network Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/school-district-will-cut-connectivity-costs-85-public-fiber-iowa>

Open Access Engineering Options - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 172
<http://muninetworks.org/content/open-access-engineering-options-community-broadband-bits-podcast-172>
Tue, October 13, 2015 | Posted by christopher
<http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/open-access-engineering-options-community-broadband-bits-podcast-172>

The holy grail of Internet access for many of us continues to be a
situation in which multiple providers can compete on a level playing field,
which should lower costs to subscribers and encourage innovation. Often
called open access <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625>, this may
involve a municipality building a fiber optic network and making it
available on a wholesale level - a model that has been tried to various
degrees of success.

This week, we talk with Tim Pozar, a long time Internet entrepreneur and
community network enthusiast, about why he supports that model and his
ideal method of engineering such a network. We talk about different
possibilities for how to design the network and trade-offs involved with
those choices.

Tim has worked for many years to encourage this model in San Francisco,
which already has some of the locally rooted ISPs that we would hope would
ultimately thrive if the City had that type of network available.

... Listen to the Show Here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/open-access-engineering-options-community-broadband-bits-podcast-172>
(with
ongoing discussion in comments) ... Read the transcript from this show here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-172>
 ...

Tiny Mount Washington Pursues Muni in Massachusetts
<http://muninetworks.org/content/tiny-mount-washington-pursues-muni-massachusetts>
Mon, October 12, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/tiny-mount-washington-pursues-muni-massachusetts>

Mount Washington's 167 residents will not let their small size defeat their
big plans for a municipal fiber network. The community is seeking
permission from the state legislature to finance, own, and operate a
municipal Internet network. The bill granting Mount Washington the
authority to do so, S1978 <https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S1978>,
recently passed in the Senate and then moved to the House to await review.

"The Town Among The Clouds" sought special legislation to avoid being bound
by the state's requirement that communities establish a Municipal Light
Plant (MLP). The MLP is a separate department responsibile for municipal
electricity and broadband service. Town leaders believe an MLP would be an
administrative burden for such a small community; the State Senate agrees.
... Read the Rest of the Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/tiny-mount-washington-pursues-muni-massachusetts>


Businesses in Fort Collins, Colorado, Advocate for Local Authority
<http://muninetworks.org/content/businesses-fort-collins-colorado-advocate-local-authority>
Thu, October 15, 2015 | Posted by Tom Ernste
<http://muninetworks.org/users/tom-ernste>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/businesses-fort-collins-colorado-advocate-local-authority>

As the city of Fort Collins prepares for a November ballot issue
<http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2015/09/11/fort-collins-broadband-business/71983390/>
seeking
to reclaim local telecommunications authority, local business leaders are
articulating their support. Walt Lyons, the owner of a Fort Collins-based
video production company and member of the Fort Collins Citizens Broadband
Committee
<http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2015/08/24/fort-collins-citizens-broadband-committee/32291415/>,
believes slow broadband access should be a central priority for this city
of more than 150,000:

“This is more important than widening I-25,” Lyons said. “This is not going
to make much difference to me because I’m getting ready to retire. But it
will make a difference for my kids and my grandchildren. The kinds of
places they will work and what they do will depend upon it."

The city has access to many miles of fiber optic networks as Fort Collins
is connected to a ring that the Platte River Power Authority (PRPA)
<http://www.publicpower.org/Media/magazine/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=9587>
built
to connect its four partners: Fort Collins, Loveland, Estes Park and
Longmont. At present, only government-owned facilities in Fort Collins can
use the fiber network.

... Read On for More Details Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/businesses-fort-collins-colorado-advocate-local-authority>

LeverettNet Meets Demand for Better Connectivity in MA
<http://muninetworks.org/content/leverettnet-meets-demand-better-connectivity-ma>
Fri, October 16, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/leverettnet-meets-demand-better-connectivity-ma>

On October 2nd, a group of residents, business owners, and educators met
with elected officials to celebrate the early success of LeverettNet
<http://lmlp.leverettnet.net/>. The municipal gigabit fiber network now
serves 650 of 800 households in the Massachusetts town
<http://www.leverett.ma.us/> of 1,800.

This spring, the network began serving
<http://muninetworks.org/content/leverett-starts-light-massachusetts> limited
areas of town, offering telephone service and gigabit Internet access.
LeverettNet's instant success is no surprise, considering a number
townsfolkdepended
on unreliable
<http://muninetworks.org/content/leverett-massachusetts-ponders-community-owned-network>,
slow dial-up service over antiquated copper infrastructure for years. Some
in town used DSL <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term9>, satellite, and
wireless devices; others had no Internet access at all. Telephone service
was equally dismal - sometimes the community would lose service when it
rained.

Leverett connects to MassBroadband 123
<http://broadband.masstech.org/building-network/massbroadband123>, the
statewide middle-mile network deployed by the Massachusetts Broadband
Institute. Greenfield, Massachusetts Internet service provider Crocker
Communications <http://www.crocker.com/about>, is partnering with Leverett
to offer gigabit service via the publicly owned infrastructure.

... Read the Rest of the Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/leverettnet-meets-demand-better-connectivity-ma>

Community Broadband Media Roundup - October 16
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-october-16>
Mon, October 19, 2015 | Posted by rebecca
<http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-october-16>

*Community Broadband News By State*



*Colorado*

Gardner pushes broadband bill in Senate
<http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/gardner-pushes-broadband-bill-in-senate>by
Charlie Ashby, The Daily Sentinel

Fort Collins voters to weigh in on broadband services
<http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2015/10/11/fort-collins-broadband-election/73800262/>by
Kevin Duggan, The Coloradoan

Gigabit city: Fort Morgan putting together 'shopping list' for building out
fiber system to residents, businesses
<http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/ci_28955631/gigabit-city-fort-morgan-putting-together-shopping-list>
by
Jenni Grubbs, The Fort Morgan Times

Summit County cell tower referendum explained
<http://www.summitdaily.com/news/18620003-113/mountain-law-summit-county-cell-tower-referendum-explained>
by
Noah Klug, The Summit Daily

... Read the Full Community Broadband Media Roundup here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-october-16>

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