[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 5/3

Christopher Mitchell christopher at newrules.org
Tue May 3 08:49:57 PDT 2016


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


Expansion Ahead For ECFiber
<http://muninetworks.org/content/expansion-ahead-ecfiber>
Tue, April 26, 2016 | Posted by ternste
<http://muninetworks.org/users/ternste>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/expansion-ahead-ecfiber>

The East Central Vermont Community Fiber-Optic Network
<http://www.ecfiber.net/> (ECFiber), a 235-mile Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term13>) network that currently
connects over 1,200 customers across 24 small towns in east central
Vermont, is doing well. It’s doing so well, in fact, that a capital
investment group will commit $9 million
<http://www.ecfiber.net/press/ecfiber-announces-9m-in-outside-financing/> in
long-term financing to the network, a loan that will allow ECFiber to
expand and spend down some of its existing debt.

ECFiber announced last month
<http://www.ecfiber.net/press/ecfiber-announces-growth-plans/>, that it
will use about half of the funds to activate 110 miles of existing fiber
this year and add 250 more miles of fiber in 2017 bringing the network to
approximately 600 miles. Network officials will use the remaining funds to
pay down $7 million in debt; the move will allow ECFiber to save money
through reduced interest rates and spread out loan payments over a longer
period of time.

... Terrific News From Vermont! More Details Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/expansion-ahead-ecfiber>

Valparaiso Embraces Dark Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 199
<http://muninetworks.org/content/valparaiso-embraces-dark-fiber-community-broadband-bits-podcast-199>
Tue, April 26, 2016 | Posted by christopher
<http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/valparaiso-embraces-dark-fiber-community-broadband-bits-podcast-199>

When Valparaiso, Indiana looked into solutions for a business that needed
better Internet connectivity than incumbent providers were willing to
reasonably provide, it quickly found that many businesses were lacking the
access they needed. The market was broken; this wasn't an isolated incident.

*Correction*: Lisa misspeaks in the intro, saying Valparaiso is northeast
of Chicago. It is southeast.

Valparaiso General Counsel & Economic Development Director Patrick Lyp
joins us to discuss what Valparaiso is doing to ensure its businesses have
the access they need in episode 199 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.

We discuss the need from local businesses and the dark fiber approach
Valparaiso has started to encourage better choices in the ISP market. We
also discuss the funding mechanism, which is tax-increment financing - a
tool increasingly common in building dark fiber networks in Indiana.

... Listen to the Show Here
<http://muninetworks.org/content/valparaiso-embraces-dark-fiber-community-broadband-bits-podcast-199>
... Read the transcript from this show here .
<http://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-199>
..

New Details on Possible FTTP Network in Holland, MI
<http://muninetworks.org/content/new-details-possible-fttp-network-holland-mi>
Fri, April 29, 2016 | Posted by ternste
<http://muninetworks.org/users/ternste>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/new-details-possible-fttp-network-holland-mi>

In March, we wrote about a prospective
<http://muninetworks.org/content/holland-michigan-pilot-project-could-lead-more>municipal
fiber network project in the western Michigan city of Holland. Holland’s
Board of Public Works (HBPW) began a pilot test in January, offering
gigabit speed services to three commercial buildings in the city via a
system of dark fiber cable that the city has owned for more than two
decades.

Holland’s Board of Public Works (HBPW) has since released a study
<http://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20160402/NEWS/160409819> that
details options for a citywide municipally owned Fiber-to-the-Premises
(FTTP) network. Although the study
<https://cityofholland.civicweb.net/document/20733/Attachment%20-%202016-03-30%20Holland%20FTTP%20Report.pdf?handle=B2E65D946EA54A3E8DA7BA9AA49B95D7>
is
only a first step toward developing a final business plan for the network,
it gives significant insight into the city’s plans for the project.

... Another Pilot Project Showing Promise for Expansion ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/new-details-possible-fttp-network-holland-mi>

Virginia Beach Growing Municipal Network For Savings, Development
<http://muninetworks.org/content/virginia-beach-growing-municipal-network-savings-development>
Mon, April 25, 2016 | Posted by Scott <http://muninetworks.org/users/scott>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/virginia-beach-growing-municipal-network-savings-development>

Virginia Beach has launched a $4.1 million capital improvement project to
extend the city’s high-speed Internet network to all municipal buildings.
The network will also offer connection spots on the system for colleges,
businesses, and neighboring cities, according to the Virginian Pilot
<http://pilotonline.com/news/government/local/virginia-beach-expanding-high-speed-internet-in-the-city/article_cc21c438-05ea-54c8-8b50-144fa5db81d4.html>
.

The city <http://www.vbgov.com/Pages/home.aspx> (pop. 448,479) plans to
more than double the reach of its municipal network, adding 73 more sites,
including more police stations, fire stations, and libraries. Project work
is currently underway and is expected to finish in the next year to 18
months. In addition to extending the municipal network, the project will
include buying new networking equipment. The city is using money from its
capital fund to pay for the project.

... Get More Information About the Great Savings in Virginia Beach Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/virginia-beach-growing-municipal-network-savings-development>

Bloomington, Indiana May Bloom with an RFI
<http://muninetworks.org/content/bloomington-indiana-may-bloom-rfi>
Wed, April 27, 2016 | Posted by hannah
<http://muninetworks.org/users/hannah>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/bloomington-indiana-may-bloom-rfi>

“The Gateway to Scenic Southern Indiana” could soon be the gateway to
high-speed Internet access in Indiana.  The city of Bloomington, Indiana,
has undertaken several projects and events in order to empower the
community to find solutions to its connectivity problems.

The city of Bloomington issued a Request For Information (RFI)
<https://bloomington.in.gov/broadband-rfi> for a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term13>) network on March 31, 2016.
City leaders have taken this next step in order to make high-speed Internet
access affordable and available to all of the city’s 80,000 people.

*A Bull’s Eye: The RFI*

Unlike the often-mentioned Request For Proposal (RFP), an RFI does not
establish a plan of action. Instead, the RFI creates a procedure for
Internet service providers (ISPs), contractors, and other companies to
provide information on how they would create a network to best meet the
needs of the city. The city's deadline to answer any questions from
interested firms is April 28th and RFI responses are due on May 12th.

... Learn More About Their RFI Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/bloomington-indiana-may-bloom-rfi>

Dark Fiber Network Brightens Prospects In Valpo, Indiana
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-network-brightens-prospects-valpo-indiana>
Thu, April 28, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-network-brightens-prospects-valpo-indiana>

Valparaiso, Indiana <http://www.ci.valparaiso.in.us/index.aspx?nid=197>, is
investing in dark fiber to stimulate economic development; it is deploying
ValpoNet, a dark fiber network to serve local businesses and institutions.

The city of approximately 32,000 people is a little over an hour southeast
of Chicago and home to Valparaiso University, Purdue University North
Central, Indiana Vocational Technical College, and several other colleges.
The community also has a large manufacturing base and a number of hospitals
and medical clinics, so there is an ample supply of entities with IT
departments with the requisite knowledge to use a dark fiber network.

*If At First You Don't Find Fiber...*

In 2010, a regional economic development organization developed a report
that identified the lack of fiber in "Valpo" and Porter County but no
project developed. The city moved on to other things until 2014. A
situation with a large financial information company in town breathed new
life into the idea of municipally owned fiber. The company wanted to expand
its facility and wanted to be sure it could access better connectivity.
Several years earlier, there had been an ice storm at one of the company's
home offices and, while they thought they had redundancy from the
incumbents, such was not the case. They lost connectivity for days and from
that point on, whenever they opened new offices, expanded, or relocated,
redundancy was always a top priority.

... Read the Full In-depth Coverage of Valparaiso's Dark Fiber Model ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-network-brightens-prospects-valpo-indiana>

Dark Fiber For The Future In Caswell County Schools, NC
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-future-caswell-county-schools-nc>
Sat, April 30, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez
<http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-future-caswell-county-schools-nc>

Caswell County School Board members recently voted to take a long-term
approach to student connectivity in North Carolina.

*Ten Years Was A Lifetime Ago*

Earlier this month, the issue of Internet access for the schools came
before the Board
<http://www.caswellmessenger.com/news/article_214fb08a-06f7-11e6-b593-d37d48e0ce0e.html>
because
a lease with the telecommunications company connecting school buildings is
about to end. Since the inception of the 10-year agreement, computer and
Internet use in schools has skyrocketed; Caswell County Schools
<http://www.caswell.k12.nc.us/> now aim to have every child on a computer
at school. The district is now served by satellite Internet access to
school facilities and in order to supply the speed and reliability they
need, the Chief Technology Officer David Useche recommended a fiber-optic
<http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term10> network to the Board.

... Still More Dark Fiber - Benefiting Schools! ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-future-caswell-county-schools-nc>

Know Thy Partner: Lessons Learned & Best Practices for PPP's (Video)
<http://muninetworks.org/content/know-thy-partner-lessons-learned-best-practices-ppps-video>
Wed, April 27, 2016 | Posted by rebecca
<http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/know-thy-partner-lessons-learned-best-practices-ppps-video>

Every day, community leaders are working to overcome barriers to developing
Internet networks. On Monday, April 4, 2016, Chris took part in the Coalition
for Local Internet Choice <http://www.localnetchoice.org/> (CLIC)
pre-conference panel on Public Perspectives to Partnerships at the
Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas. Chris was joined by Gabriel
Garcia, Bill Vallee, Jon Gant, and Drew Clark. The panel was moderated by
Catherine Rice.

The group discussed strategies, business models, and lessons learned when
building a successful public-private partnership (PPP).


*Public Perspectives on Partnerships: Lessons Learned and Best Practices*

*Moderator:*

Catharine Rice – Project Director, CLIC

*Speakers:*

Bill Vallee – Office of Consumer Counsel, State of Connecticut, New
Britain, CT

Jon Gant – Director, UC2B

Christopher Mitchell – Community Networks Director, ILSR

Gabriel Garcia – Director, Senior Counsel, General Counsel, Legal Services,
CPS Energy, San Antonio, TX

Drew Clark – Chairman and Publisher, BroadbandBreakfast.com

... Watch the Video Here ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/know-thy-partner-lessons-learned-best-practices-ppps-video>

Community Broadband Media Roundup - May 2
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-may-2>
Mon, May 02, 2016 | Posted by Nick <http://muninetworks.org/users/nick>
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-may-2>

*Alabama*

At schools with sub-par Internet, kids face a poor connection with modern
life
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/at-schools-with-sub-par-internet-kids-face-a-poor-connection-with-modern-life/2016/04/22/798c9882-07d1-11e6-bdcb-0133da18418d_story.html?mc_cid=96c9882b52&mc_eid=2910c7b52b>
by
Chico Harlan, Washington Post



*Massachusetts*

Massachusetts government stymies WiredWest municipal broadband initiative,
report says
<http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/massachusetts-government-stymies-wiredwest-municipal-broadband-initiative-r/2016-04-22>
by
Samantha Bookman, FierceTelecom

Homegrown Internet provider a good idea
<http://www.recorder.com/editorial-Greenfield-suppling-cable-Internet-access-1779662>
by
The Recorder's Editorial

... Read the Full Community Broadband Media Roundup ...
<http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-may-2>

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