[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 10/27

[Christopher Mitchell]

 *Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the **Institute for
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Muni Fiber in Idaho Helps 911 Dispatch and First Responders - Community
Broadband Bits Episode 173
<http://muninetworks.org/content/muni-fiber-idaho-helps-911-dispatch-and-first-responders-community-broadband-bits-episode-17>
Tue, October 20, 2015 | Posted by christopher
<http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/muni-fiber-idaho-helps-911-dispatch-and-first-responders-community-broadband-bits-episode-17>

Ammon, Idaho, continues to quietly build a future-looking open access fiber
network <http://b.ci.ammon.id.us/fiber-optic/>. Though the City won't be
providing services directly to subscribers, the network it is building and
the model it has created could revolutionize public safety.

I just spent several days with them shooting our next video on community
fiber networks (look for that in January). In episode 173 of our Community
Broadband Bits podcast, we talk with City Technology Director Bruce
Patterson and Systems Network Administrator Ty Ashcraft.

Bruce explains how they plan to finance the network as it moves from the
current residential pilot phase to being available broadly to any residents
that want to connect, likely using a local improvement district model. Then
Ty tells us about the portal that subscribers will be able to use to
instantaneously pick and change service providers offering various services.

Additionally, we talk about the public safety implications of their
technological and collaborative approach, specifically around the
horrifying prospect of an armed shooter in a public space like a school or
mall.

... Listen to the Show Here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/muni-fiber-idaho-helps-911-dispatch-and-first-responders-community-broadband-bits-episode-17>
... Read the transcript from this episode here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-173>
 ...

Nonprofit Bozeman Fiber Secures Funding From Eight Local Banks
<http://muninetworks.org/content/nonprofit-bozeman-fiber-secures-funding-eight-local-banks>
Mon, October 19, 2015 | Posted by hannah
<http://muninetworks.org/users/hannah>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/nonprofit-bozeman-fiber-secures-funding-eight-local-banks>

Good news from Montana! Bozeman Fiber has secured funding to begin
construction of a 23-mile open access
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625> community fiber network.
Through an impressive partnership among eight local banks, Bozeman
Fiber secured
$3.85 million
<http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/city/bozeman-banks-rally-behind-broadband-project/article_10216b0b-ad5c-5d7a-bec6-730182f738be.html>.


First Interstate Bank, Rocky Mountain Bank, Big Sky Western Bank,
Opportunity Bank, U.S. Bank, American Bank, First Montana Bank and Bank of
Bozeman all came together to support the fledgling network. During a press
conference <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tsuVvtcMbM>, First Interstate
Bank President Bruce Parker described how this level of collaboration was
possible. He initially approached twelve banks in April about the project.
Now, six months later, eight banks have committed to providing funds. Parker
expressed <http://www.kbzk.com/story/30175851/bozeman-fiber-secured-funding> a
high level of confidence for the network’s impact:

*The project really speaks for itself in terms of what this infrastructure
will do for the Bozeman community.*

... Get the Full Story Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/nonprofit-bozeman-fiber-secures-funding-eight-local-banks>

After Gutting the Gulf, BP Funds Pave Path to Better Broadband
<http://muninetworks.org/content/after-gutting-gulf-bp-funds-pave-path-better-broadband>
Wed, October 21, 2015 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/after-gutting-gulf-bp-funds-pave-path-better-broadband>

Communities along Mississippi's Gulf coast have recently suffered through
disasters both natural and not, from Hurricane Katrina to BP's Deepwater
Horizon blowout and aftermath. But they are investing some of the relief
funds into infrastructure of the future to help recover.

Biloxi <http://www.biloxi.ms.us/> and Gulfport
<http://www.gulfport-ms.gov/> city
officials recently passed
<http://www.sunherald.com/news/business/article37934421.html> resolutions
approving an intergovernmental agreement to bring better connectivity to
Mississippi Coastal communities. The vote was the next step in the
Mississippi Gulf Coast Fiber Ring initiative announced this summer
<http://muninetworks.org/content/biloxi-and-mississippi-gulf-coast-towns-pursuing-fiber-initiative>
by
Biloxi Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich to encourage municipal networks in the
region.

The agreement <http://gulfportms.suiteonemedia.com/Web/GenFile.aspx?ad=9375>
will
establish the Gulf Coast Broadband Commission, a public utility  charged
with deploying, operating, and maintaining a fiber optic network in and
between the two cities. The agreement also specifically grants the
Commission the ability to seek out financing to perform its function. Other
municipalities and counties can join the agreement as members after the
Commission is established.

... Get More Details from This Interesting Approach Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/after-gutting-gulf-bp-funds-pave-path-better-broadband>

Peachtree City, Georgia Approves Resolution to Establish Municipal
Broadband Utility
<http://muninetworks.org/content/peachtree-city-georgia-approves-resolution-establish-municipal-broadband-utility>
Thu, October 22, 2015 | Posted by Tom Ernste
<http://muninetworks.org/users/tom-ernste>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/peachtree-city-georgia-approves-resolution-establish-municipal-broadband-utility>

At a September meeting, the City Council in Peachtree City, Georgia
unanimously approved a resolution
<http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/peachtree-city-approves-fiber-optic-plan/nnj4z/>
to
construct and operate a fiber-optic broadband network.  According to the
City Council minutes
<http://www.peachtree-city.org/DocumentCenter/View/7772> from the meeting,
the initial 22.54-miles of fiber will provide 1 Gbps
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term14> broadband access to various
facilities in the City Service area.

In addition to providing connectivity for government buildings, utility
services, and medical and educational buildings, the city will target
business customers in the “high end user category.”

Officials estimate the network will cost $3.23 million. To pay for the
project, the Peachtree City Public Facilities Authority, an independent
local government authority created by the state legislature in 2011, will
enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Peachtree City. According
the August 2015 Fiber Initiative
<http://www.peachtree-city.org/DocumentCenter/View/7772> plan, capital for
the project will come from the Authority; the city will issue a bond and
pay installments to the Authority under an Agreement of Sale.

... More on Peachtree City's Fiber-to-the-Biz Approach Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/peachtree-city-georgia-approves-resolution-establish-municipal-broadband-utility>

Sanford, Maine Plans Largest Municipal Network in the State
<http://muninetworks.org/content/sanford-maine-plans-largest-municipal-network-state>
Fri, October 23, 2015 | Posted by Tom Ernste
<http://muninetworks.org/users/tom-ernste>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/sanford-maine-plans-largest-municipal-network-state>

A lot has happened in Sanford, Maine since our last report
<http://muninetworks.org/tags/tags/sanford-me> on their municipal fiber
optic network discussions. After a year of deliberations over different
proposals, the city recently announced plans to begin building a 32-mile
municipal fiber-optic network
<http://www.pressherald.com/2015/09/28/sanford-plans-to-built-biggest-municipal-fiber-optic-network-in-maine/>
.

The city of Sanford is inside York County, situated about 35 miles
southwest of Portland. The network will provide connectivity to businesses,
government entities, non-profit organizations, and residences in Sanford
along a limited route where there is sufficient customer density. City
leaders plan to also provide a foundation for future expansion of the
network to additional residential areas in the city. The network will be open
access <http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625>, allowing multiple ISPs
to provide services via the publicly owned infrastructure.

... More on this Exciting Development for Maine ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/sanford-maine-plans-largest-municipal-network-state>

$117,000 Broadband Service Disaster From Charter
<http://muninetworks.org/content/117000-broadband-service-disaster-charter>
Tue, October 20, 2015 | Posted by Tom Ernste
<http://muninetworks.org/users/tom-ernste>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/117000-broadband-service-disaster-charter>

Shocking horror stories about incumbent ISPs reaching new lows for poor
service
<http://www.cio.com/article/2925965/consumer-technology/my-own-personal-comcast-customer-service-horror-story.html>are
now so common that they have become routine
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-comcast-time-warner-0212-biz-20150211-story.html>.
A story from Ars
<http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/09/man-builds-house-then-finds-out-cable-internet-will-cost-117000/>
that
recently went viral puts a human face on the frustration millions of
Americans endure just trying to determine if Internet access is available
where they choose to live. First, here is the gist of the story.

Cole Marshall, a work-from-home web developer, decided he wanted to build a
new home on the outskirts of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. While scouting
properties, he confirmed with local incumbent ISPs Comcast and Frontier
online and by phone that they could offer sufficient Internet access to his
favored lot.

... More on the Scary Status Quo here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/117000-broadband-service-disaster-charter>

Video: Next Century Cities' Digital New England Conference
<http://muninetworks.org/content/video-next-century-cities-digital-new-england-conference>
Sat, October 24, 2015 | Posted by stumo-langer
<http://muninetworks.org/users/stumo-langer>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/video-next-century-cities-digital-new-england-conference>

On September 28th, Christopher participated in the Digital New England
regional broadband summit in Portland, Maine sponsored by Next Century
Cities <http://nextcenturycities.org/about-ncc/>and the NTIA
<http://www.ntia.doc.gov/> (National Telecommunications and Information
Administration). In the morning, he moderated a panel focusing on regional
approaches to improve Internet access, and in the afternoon he moderated a
panel that included incumbent providers on their preferences for
partnerships.

If you were unable to attend the event or did not see the live stream, Next
Century Cities has released a video playlist
<https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcCXiI8Av-E7NQr2t5XeLxG1zc1Dv_ksK> of
the two day long event. Christopher can be found moderating the morning
panel in the main room during part three. The full agenda is available
online
<http://nextcenturycities.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Digital-New-England_AGENDA_20150921_public.pdf>
.

... Watch the Videos Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/video-next-century-cities-digital-new-england-conference>

Community Broadband Media Roundup - October 23
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-october-23>
Mon, October 26, 2015 | Posted by rebecca
<http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-october-23>

*Colorado*

Colorado cities voting on taxes, pot, broadband and bees this year
<http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_28997931/colorado-cities-voting-taxes-pot-broadband-and-bees>by
Joey Bunch, The Denver Post

Ten towns and cities already have approved — by wide margins — the push for
faster Internet under a 10-year-old Colorado law that restricts how
municipalities provide broadband.

"Today it's viewed very much as a utility, a basic, fundamental service,"
Mamet said of Internet service. "It's also very much an
economic-development issue in cities large and small."

We need municipal broadband; vote yes on 2B
<http://www.coloradoan.com/story/opinion/2015/10/18/letter-need-municipal-broadband-vote-yes/74201988/>by
Edgar Peyronnin, The Coloradoan

*Delaware*

What Reason.com got wrong about Newark’s municipal broadband project
<http://technical.ly/delaware/2015/10/16/reason-newark-municipal-broadband/>by
Tony Abraham, Technical.ly

... Read our Full Roundup Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-october-23>

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