[Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 10/18

Tue Oct 18 08:16:32 PDT 2016

 *Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the **Institute for
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North Carolina Connectivity: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
<https://muninetworks.org/reports/north-carolina-connectivity-good-bad-and-ugly>
Author(s):
 H. R. Trostle, Christopher Mitchell
<https://muninetworks.org/reports/north-carolina-connectivity-good-bad-and-ugly>

North Carolina's digital divide between urban and rural communities is
increasing dangerously in a time when high quality Internet access is more
important than ever. Rural and urban areas of North Carolina are
essentially living in different realities, based on the tides of private
network investment where rural communities are severely disadvantaged. The
state has relied too much on the telecom giants like AT&T and CenturyLink
that have little interest in rural regions.

Download the Report
<https://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/NC-Broadband-Report_10_2016-1.pdf>

The state perversely discourages investment from local governments and
cooperatives. For instance, electric co-ops face barriers in seeking
federal financing for fiber optic projects. State law is literally
requiring the city of Wilson to disconnect its customers in the town of
Pinetops, leaving them without basic broadband access. This decision in
particular literally took the high-speed, affordable Internet access out of
the hands of North Carolina's rural citizens.

... Read Our New Report Here ...
<https://muninetworks.org/reports/north-carolina-connectivity-good-bad-and-ugly>

Authors Discuss NC Report On PRX
<https://muninetworks.org/content/authors-discuss-nc-report-prx>
Thu, October 13, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez
<https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<https://muninetworks.org/content/authors-discuss-nc-report-prx>

We have extensively studied the connectivity situation in North Carolina
and just released our report, “*North Carolina Connectivity: The Good, The
Bad, and The Ugly*
<https://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/NC-Broadband-Report_10_2016-1.pdf>.”
Now you can hear from the report authors, H.R. Trostle and Christopher
Mitchell, in our most recent PRX coverage.

We spoke with both authors who gave us a recap of the situation in urban
and rural North Carolina. They explained how they examined the data and
came to the conclusion that, while urban areas are served relatively well
by big private providers, the same cannot be said in rural areas. Unless a
muni or rural telephone or electric cooperative offers Internet access in a
rural region, odds are rural residents and businesses just don’t have
access to FCC defined broadband speeds. Audio coverage runs 5:22.

... Listen to the story on PRX … <https://beta.prx.org/stories/188881>

Update on Utah's Open Access UTOPIA - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 223
<https://muninetworks.org/content/update-utahs-open-access-utopia-community-broadband-bits-podcast-223>
Thu, October 13, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez
<https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<https://muninetworks.org/content/update-utahs-open-access-utopia-community-broadband-bits-podcast-223>

In the north central region of Utah, eleven communities are now served by a
regional open access <https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625>
fiber-optic <https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term10> network operated
by the Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency or UTOPIA
<http://www.utopianet.org/>. UTOPIA’s Executive Director, Roger Timmerman,
and Mayor Karen Cronin from member community, Perry City, take time to
speak with us for Community Broadband Bits episode 223.

One of the great advantages UTOPIA has brought the region is the element of
competition. Rather than facing a choice of only one or two Internet
Service Providers like most of us, people in UTOPIA cities sign up for a
connection to the network and then choose from multiple providers who offer
a range of services via the infrastructure. Competing for business brings
better products, better prices, and better customer service.

... Listen to the Show Here
<https://muninetworks.org/content/update-utahs-open-access-utopia-community-broadband-bits-podcast-223>
... Read the Transcript Here
<https://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-223>
...

Loveland On The Trail Of Better Connectivity
<https://muninetworks.org/content/loveland-trail-better-connectivity>
Wed, October 12, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez
<https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<https://muninetworks.org/content/loveland-trail-better-connectivity>

Loveland, Colorado <http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/>, was one of nearly 50
communities that voted to opt out of SB 152 last fall. Ten months later,
they are working with a consultant
<http://bbpmag.com/wordpress2/2016/09/magellan-to-conduct-a-broadband-feasibility-study-for-loveland-co/>
to
conduct a feasibility study to assess current infrastructure and determine
how best to improve connectivity for businesses and residents.

*Examining Assets, Analyzing Options*

According to the Request for Proposals
<http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/home/showdocument?id=29939> (RFP) released in
April, the city has some of its own fiber that’s used for traffic control.
Loveland also uses the Platte River Power Authorit <http://www.prpa.org/>y
(PRPA) fiber network but wants to enhance service all over the community,
focusing on economic development, education, public safety, healthcare, and
“overall quality of life.” Community leaders also want recommendations on
which policies would encourage more and better service throughout Loveland.

... Read Our Full Story Here ...
<https://muninetworks.org/content/loveland-trail-better-connectivity>

Duck River Co-op Considering Rural Fiber Future
<https://muninetworks.org/content/duck-river-co-op-considering-rural-fiber-future>
Fri, October 14, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez
<https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<https://muninetworks.org/content/duck-river-co-op-considering-rural-fiber-future>

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation <http://www.dremc.com/> (DREMC)
in Tennessee announced in September that it has launched a feasibility
study to investigate ways to use a proposed fiber-optic
<https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term10> network to bring better
connectivity to members.

*Exploring Added Value*

According to the announcement
<http://www.dremc.com/duck-river-emc-launches-broadband-feasibility-study/>,
DREMC is considering investing in a fiber-optic loop to improve
communications between its offices and substations. DREMC recognizes that
this initial investment can be a first prudent step in considering the
future of the cooperative and the vitality of rural Tennessee:

A fiber-optic loop has been proposed to connect all offices and
substations, including the co-op’s emergency operations center. This
project could also provide capacity for community purposes: fiber that
could be leased to other parties, even Internet-to-home providers.

The broadband feasibility study will explore how the proposed fiber-optic
loop might help improve connectivity in rural areas served by DREMC.

... Read Our Full Coverage on ANOTHER Co-Op Focusing on Fiber ...
<https://muninetworks.org/content/duck-river-co-op-considering-rural-fiber-future>

Free Internet Access For Salt Lake City Low-Income Housing, Other Google
Fiber Cities
<https://muninetworks.org/content/free-internet-access-salt-lake-city-low-income-housing-other-google-fiber-cities>
Sat, October 15, 2016 | Posted by KateSvitavsky
<https://muninetworks.org/users/katesvitavsky>
<https://muninetworks.org/content/free-internet-access-salt-lake-city-low-income-housing-other-google-fiber-cities>

Residents of Salt Lake City’s Lorna Doone Properties will be enjoying
Internet speeds of up to one gigabit for no cost, thanks to a partnership
between Google Fiber and the Utah Nonprofit Housing Corporation (UNHC). In
July 2015, the company announced that the Google Fiber Gigabit Communities
program would bring free access to select low-income housing locations
throughout cities within their service areas, and the residents of Lorna
Doone are newest to this list.

Google will supply Internet access and UNHC has a computer rental program,
which is in part supplied by the local business community. In addition, the
City of Salt Lake has helped to fund mobile computer labs to bring more
low-income households online.

... Read More About the Partnership Here ...
<https://muninetworks.org/content/free-internet-access-salt-lake-city-low-income-housing-other-google-fiber-cities>

Lakeland, Florida, Takes Small Steps
<https://muninetworks.org/content/lakeland-florida-takes-small-steps>
Tue, October 11, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez
<https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<https://muninetworks.org/content/lakeland-florida-takes-small-steps>

This spring, Lakeland city officials began contemplating the future
<https://muninetworks.org/content/lakeland-considering-its-next-step-florida>
of
the city’s dark fiber network with an eye toward making a firm decision on
whether or not to expand how they use it. Rather than pursue a municipal
Internet network, Commissioners recently decided to seek out private sector
partners to improve local connectivity.

*Too Much For Lakeland?*

Kudos to Christopher Guinn of the Ledger for very thorough reporting
<http://www.theledger.com/news/20161002/lakeland-leaders-ditch-public-internet-utility-idea>
on
the issue. According to his article, the city will release a Request for
Proposals (RFP) for a solution that provides Gigabit (1,000 Megabits per
second) connectivity to replace the current speeds in Lakeland. Cable
serves the community now with maximum speeds of 150 Megabits per second (
Mbps <https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term18>) download
<https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term8> and about 10 Mbps upload
<https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term28>.

... More Details on Lakeland's Efforts ...
<https://muninetworks.org/content/lakeland-florida-takes-small-steps>

Santa Cruz And Cruzio Call It Quits
<https://muninetworks.org/content/santa-cruz-and-cruzio-call-it-quits>
Mon, October 10, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez
<https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez>
<https://muninetworks.org/content/santa-cruz-and-cruzio-call-it-quits>

The city of Santa Cruz seemed well on their way
<https://muninetworks.org/content/soon-faster-internet-service-santa-cruzs-small-businesses>
to
a productive partnership with Cruzio as the two entities hammered out an
agreement for a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH
<https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term13>) citywide open access
<https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625> network. We recently learned
that both parties have stepped back from the partnership, leaving the
multimillion-dollar vision in a dark limbo.

*The Plan*

The $45 million infrastructure was to be owned by the city of Santa Cruz
and Cruzio would operate it while also offering high-quality Internet
access to the community. For the first ten years, Cruzio was to have an
exclusive contract after which the network would become open access
<https://muninetworks.org/content/open-access>. There are approximately
62,000 people living in the community situated near Silicon Valley and this
project was one of the larger public-private partnerships (P3).

... Another Sign that PPPs Can Be Hard to Form ...
<https://muninetworks.org/content/santa-cruz-and-cruzio-call-it-quits>

Community Broadband Media Roundup - October 17
<https://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-october-17-0>
Mon, October 17, 2016 | Posted by Nick <https://muninetworks.org/users/nick>
<https://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-october-17-0>

*Connecticut*

At least one state has a (fiber) backbone
<https://backchannel.com/the-frontrunner-in-the-race-to-be-a-gigabyte-state-5a084dc2b544?mc_cid=e66f1e43ee&mc_eid=2910c7b52b#.7gnbhw2ey>
by
Susan Crawford, Medium

*Massachusetts*

Susan Crawford makes the case for the Responsive Communities Initiative
<http://today.law.harvard.edu/susan-crawford-makes-case-responsive-communities-initiative/>
by
Gretchen Weber, Harvard Law Today

... Read the Full Community Networks Media Round up Here ...
<https://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-october-17-0>

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