From christopher at newrules.org Thu Sep 8 05:35:48 2016 From: christopher at newrules.org (Christopher Mitchell) Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2016 07:35:48 -0500 Subject: [Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 9/8 Message-ID: *Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the **Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Instructions for unsubscribing appear at bottom. Send feedback. Forward Widely.* NYTimes Examines Sixth Circuit Reversal: Potatoes And Pinetops Mon, August 29, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued their order on August 10th supporting the states of Tennessee and North Carolina in their challenge from an FCC decision from February 2015 . Both states objected to the FCC?s decision to preempt state laws preventing municipalities from providing fast, affordable, reliable connectivity via municipal Internet networks. The Appellate Court Judges reviewed the legal arguments, the precedent, and the interplay between federal authority and state sovereignty. The impact of their ruling will affect more than a few pages in a law school text book. Access to high-quality Internet access positively impacts real people and businesses and, as Cecila Kang captures in her recent article in the New York Times , the people who depend on it fear the outcome if their state legislators take it away. ... This is a BIG Deal - Important Story ... North Carolina and Tennessee Lose in 6th Circuit - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 217 Wed, August 31, 2016 | Posted by christopher It has been several weeks, but Lisa and I wanted to answer any lingering questions people may have about the results of the Sixth Circuit case reviewing the FCC's action to remove state-created barriers to municipal networks. We devoted Community Broadband Bits episode 217 to the case and aftermath. The Sixth Circuit ruled against the FCC narrowly - finding that while it had no dispute with the FCC's characterization of municipal networks as beneficial, Congress had not given the FCC the power to overrule state management of its subdivisions (cities). As we have often said, restricting local authority in this manner may be stupid, but states are allowed to do stupid things (especially when powerful companies like AT&T and Comcast urge them to). Lisa and I explore the decision and explain why we are nonetheless glad that FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioners Rosenworcel and Clyburn moved on the petitions from Chattanooga and Wilson to remove state barriers to next-generation network investment. We also reference this blog post from Harold Feld, which is a well-done summary of the situation . ... Listen to the Show Here ... Read the transcript of this episode here ... Feds Are Fed Up With AT&T's Lame Excuse For Abusing E-rate Wed, August 31, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez In late July, the FCC released a Notice of Apparent Liability (NAL) in which it found the telecommunications giant AT&T Southeast liable for a $106,425 forfeiture. The agency also ordered the company to return $63,760 of E-rate funds it described as ?improperly disbursed.? AT&T overcharged two school districts in Florida and, in a response released last week, are trying to justify their pilfer by blaming the E-rate rules and the schools themselves, much as a criminal blames victims for being such easy targets. *Funded By Phone Users* E-rate funds are collected as a surcharge on telephone bills; the funds go to schools to help pay for telecommunications costs at schools, including telephone, Internet access, and infrastructure costs like fiber network construction. The amount a school district receives depends on the number of students in the district that qualify for free and reduced lunches; schools with higher numbers of low-income students are reimbursed at a higher rate. Given that many of our schools are funded through property tax rolls, this means that schools in poorer neighborhoods that are more likely to need help with their budgets receive the higher reimbursement rates. ... Celebrate Lisa's Great Title by Reading Her Story! ... Port of Lewiston Crossing Bridges: Network Forges Ahead Tue, August 30, 2016 | Posted by alexander Port of Lewiston?s open access dark fiber network continues to move toward completion. Construction crews are burying fiber lines at multiple project sites around Lewiston. In the past few weeks, the network crossed to the north side of Clearwater River via the Memorial Bridge, where it will link to Whitman County?s fiber network. A recent article from the Port of Lewiston listed completed sections of the network, ?So far, it reaches major employers such as St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Lewis-Clark State College, Regence and the Vista Outdoor plant at 11th and Snake River avenues.? The article also outlined the projects to be completed by September 1st, ?They will reach the industrial district by the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport, Clearwater Paper, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories and the Southway Bridge. At the bridge, the lines will connect with an Asotin County network built by the Port of Clarkston.? ... Take the Bridge to Our Story Here ... >From Ghost Towns to Fiber Towns, A Texas Cooperative Looks to the Future Sat, September 03, 2016 | Posted by hannah Amid Ghost Towns in northern Texas, a local telephone cooperative looks to bring next-generation technology to rural communities. In August 2015, Brazos Communications, based out of Olney, Texas, announced its plans to build a fiber network throughout its sparsely populated service area. A year later, in August 2016, the project is well underway. Brazos Communications has completed construction in two of the more populous towns (Archer City and Olney ) and has begun installing fiber in the community of Newcastle . *The Fiber Project* Brazos Communications keeps locals apprised of the details of the project through their blog on BrazosNet.com and their social media accounts . The telephone cooperative?s service area covers many small communities, the largest of which is Olney with about 3,000 people. ... Another Co-op Solution for Improving Internet Access ... California Bill Maps Existing Fiber, Requires Conduit Construction Fri, September 02, 2016 | Posted by KateSvitavsky Legislation improving rural Internet access and reducing telecommunications outages is headed to the Governor?s office after unanimously passing in the California State Assembly and Senate. AB 1549 creates a comprehensive statewide map of all conduit and fiber cables in California and requires new conduit to be laid during public works projects. ?We need better connectivity in our rural communities, bottom line,? said California Assembly Member James Wood, who introduced the legislation, in a June press release . ?In past decades the public sector invested heavily to deliver copper telephone lines and electricity across the country. This is a drop in the bucket compared to those investments, but it will make a world of difference for our communities in this 21st Century economy.? *Improving Service, Lowering Prices* Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have cited the cost of laying fiber cable and conduit as a major deterrent for investing in infrastructure, especially in rural communities. That cost is mostly incurred when companies have to dig into the ground. AB 1549 helps ISPs lower these costs by mandating that CalTrans, the state?s department of transportation, notify ISPs when it is opening a trench that could house conduit. If no ISPs are interested in installing conduit at that time, CalTrans is required to install it for future use. ... Get the Rest of the Story Here ... Feld Breaks Down 6th Circuit FCC Reversal Thu, September 01, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez In our last Community Broadband Bits podcast , Christopher and I discussed the August 10th U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit decision to reverse the FCC?s February 2015 ruling against state barriers. We mentioned Harold Feld?s article about the ruling posted on his website. In keeping with most matters of importance in the municipal Internet network field, Harold expertly sums up the history of the case, the arguments, and what the outcome could mean for the future. Feld gets down into the crux of the argument that won over the three judges in the Sixth Circuit - the need to establish if it is states or federal agencies that make the decisions regarding whether or not local governments can provide telecommunications. ... Well Worth Reading and Sharing ... Community Broadband Media Roundup - September 5 Mon, September 05, 2016 | Posted by Nick *California* Internet improvements to go before City Council by Felicia Alvarez, Davis Enterprise The fiber pioneers by Timothy Downs, American City and County ?Santa Monica is a great example of how a local government can develop a long-term vision and create significant economic benefits with low risk investments,? Christopher Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a proponent of municipally owned networks, says. ?Without spending any new money, it built a great fiber-optic network along major streets and ultimately began generating revenue from fiber leases and operating a free Wi-Fi network in popular tourist destinations.? ... Read the Full Community Network Media Roundup Here ... -- 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: From jmischki at dcn.davis.ca.us Thu Sep 8 18:25:36 2016 From: jmischki at dcn.davis.ca.us (Jeff Mischkinsky) Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2016 18:25:36 -0700 Subject: [Davisgig] Fwd: Request for Proposals for a Citywide Fiber Optic Network Feasibility Study References: <396E642F3936D848B9C78C0FE8ACF3A5015D6772DF@MailPD.cod.ci.davis.ca.us> Message-ID: <8D433CFE-B9C4-4543-9DD9-6D4063F8B78F@dcn.davis.ca.us> fyi, The RFP has been officially issued. Feel free to forward it to anyone you think might be interested, who is not already on the distribution list. Note: responses are due on All Hallow?s Eve. :-) cheers, jeff (DavisGIG rep on the BATF) > Begin forwarded message: > > From: Sarah Worley > Subject: Request for Proposals for a Citywide Fiber Optic Network Feasibility Study > Date: September 08, 2016 at 6:21:58 PM PDT > To: Ashley Feeney , Autumn Labbe-Renault , Bob Clarke , Chris Clements , Christina Blackman , "Christine Crawford" , City Clerk's Office , Diane Parro , Jacques Franco , Jason Best , Jeff Mischkinsky , Jennifer Nitzkowski , Kelly Stachowicz , Marcia Bernard , Mike Adams , "Mike Webb" , Robert Schulz , "Sarah Worley" , Scott Adler , Steve McMahon > > Hello Task Force Members, > Congratulations and thank you for your hard work! The Request for Proposals for the Citywide Fiber Optic Network Feasibility Study was posted on the City?s RFP web page earlier this afternoon. Information about and a link to the RFP is provided below. > > An excel file with the initial email list of those invited to respond to the RFP is attached. This list includes companies from: the Yolo Broadband Strategy consultant list, our previous Broadband RFEI list, companies that have prepared broadband feasibility studies for other cities, and a list of finalists Boulder, Colorado identified from responses to their own broadband network RFP issued earlier this year. RFP information will be forwarded to firms with missing email addresses if they are provided (as requested). > > You are all invited to forward the RFP to additional qualified consultants/companies/contacts you are aware of as well and can do this simply by copying the information below into a new email. We will keep you updated on responses received and look forward working with you on next steps in this process. Best Wishes, Diane and Sarah > > ********************************************************************************************************** > > City of Davis Citywide Fiber Optic Network Feasibility Study > Department City Manager's Office > Category Request For Proposal > RFP Number - - > Start Date September 08, 2016 2:16 p.m. > Close Date October 31, 2016 3:00 p.m. > RFP Post Status Open > Request for Proposals (RFP) for Citywide Fiber Optic Network Feasibility Study > The intent of this Citywide Fiber Optic Network RFP is to: hire a qualified firm to examine options and produce a Feasibility Study Report with a market analysis and development plan inclusive of the engineering, construction, operating, and business requirements as detailed in the Scope of Work; and to stimulate creative discussions surrounding the overall concept and feasibility of a Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) high speed network within the City of Davis. > View the complete RFP: Citywide Fiber Optic Network RFP > Responses must be received no later than 3:00 p.m. PT on Monday, October 31, 2016. > All inquiries or questions must be directed to Diane Parro, Chief Innovation Officer, at (530) 757?5648 or clerkweb at cityofdavis.org > > --- Jeff Mischkinsky jmischki at dcn.davis.ca.us +1 530-758-9850 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Broadband RFP Email List.xlsx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet Size: 22121 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From christopher at newrules.org Tue Sep 13 09:42:39 2016 From: christopher at newrules.org (Christopher Mitchell) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2016 11:42:39 -0500 Subject: [Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks ... Week of 9/13 Message-ID: *Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the **Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Instructions for unsubscribing appear at bottom. Send feedback. Forward Widely.* Madison, Wisconsin, Gets Serious About Municipal Fiber Wed, September 07, 2016 | Posted by KateSvitavsky The City of Madison, Wisconsin is one step closer to constructing a citywide municipal fiber network after obtaining the results from a broadband feasibility study . The consulting firm hired in December 2015 recently completed the study and made it available to the city?s Digital Technology Committee and the public. The report recommends Madison build an open access dark fiber network and engage a partner to offer services to subscribers via the infrastructure. Westminster, Maryland , and Huntsville, Alabama , use the same approach with partners Ting and Google Fiber. Madison?s network would build on the existing Metropolitan Unified Fiber Network (MUFN), a smaller fiber network that was funded with stimulus dollars through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). It connects public institutions such as the University of Wisconsin, Dane County, hospitals, K-12 schools, and DaneNet , which is made up of 28 community groups serving low income families and seniors. ... Could Madison Build the Biggest Muni Fiber Network to Date? ... Eliminate the Digital Divide - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 218 Tue, September 06, 2016 | Posted by christopher After his daughter asked how her classmates could do their school homework if they did not have a computer or Internet access at home, Pat Millen's family formed E2D - a nonprofit organization called Eliminate the Digital Divide . This week, Pat and I talk about their strategy, which was created in the footprint of North Carolina's municipal MI-Connection but is now expanding through Charlotte and working with incumbent operators. E2D has arranged an innovative and replicable program to distribute devices, provide training, and arrange for an affordable connection. Along the way, they developed a sustainable funding model rather than merely asking people with deep pockets for a one-time donation. An important lesson from E2D is the richness of opportunity when people take action locally. That is often among the hardest steps when success is far from assured - but these local actions are the ones that can be the most successful because they are tuned to local needs, assets, and culture. ... Listen to the Show Here ... Read the transcript of this episode here. .. Harlan Continues Bump Up To Fiber In Rural Iowa Mon, September 05, 2016 | Posted by hannah With charming cornfields and bustling cities, Iowa is a Midwest hub of community networks. Harlan, the county seat of Shelby County, is located in west central Iowa. About 5,400 people live in the town, situated along the West Nishnabotna River. Back in the ?90s, Harlan was one of several Iowa towns that built their own cable networks to deliver video and Internet services. In August,Harlan Municipal Utilities (HMU) announced it will continue upgrading to fiber, a project they started in 2012. Upon completion in early 2017, much of the town will have Internet access via fiber. *The Present: 2016-2017 Fiber Project* HMU announced the project on their website in early August. For more details, we spoke with Director of Marketing, Doug Hammer, previously a guest on our Community Broadband Bits podcast. ... Many More Details about Harlan's Upgrade ... Feasibility Study Offers Food For Thought In Fort Collins, CO Tue, September 06, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez Fort Collins has the numbers, now it must weigh its options as it steps forward. This month the City Council received the results of a feasibility study it commissioned late in 2015 to help fill in its Broadband Strategic Plan. The results, along with city staff analysis, are now available for review (item no. 3 from the Aug. 23rd meeting). *A Growing Interest* Last fall, voters chose to reclaim local authority by opting out of Colorado?s SB 152, which in 2005 took away local telecommunications infrastructure decisions from municipalities. A resounding 83 percent of voters voiced their desire to have the option to develop a municipal utility. Local media and businesses had expressed their support for better connectivity through public ownership. Residents wrote to local papers describing how Fort Collins needed better Internet access to spur economic development . Clearly, the momentum was running strong. ... More Information on the Models Under Consideration in Fort Collins ... Culver City: Construction Begins For Better Connectivity Sat, September 10, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez Culver City officially broke ground on its new municipal fiber-optic network in August and expects to finish the project within one year. The beginning of construction marked the realization of a process that started some time ago in ?The Heart of Screenland.? *Enter Culver Connect* Culver Connect will integrate existing publicly owned fiber to improve connectivity for municipal facilities, the Culver City Unified School District, and local businesses. The design for Culver Connect includes three rings and will add 21 miles to ensure redundancy and expand the footprint of the existing network. ... Another Exciting Development in Improving Local Connectivity! ... Unanimous Dissent Radio On Munis, The FCC Decision, And State Barriers Thu, September 08, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez Last week, Christopher was a guest on the Unanimous Dissent Radio Show . Sam Sacks and Sam Knight asked him to share information about the details on state barriers around the country. The guys get into the nitty gritty on state level lobbying and anti-muni legislation. They also discuss how a growing number of communities are interested in the local accountability, better services, and improved quality of life that follows publicly owned Internet infrastructure. The show is now posted on SoundCloud and available for review. Christopher?s interview starts around 17:00 and runs for about 15 minutes. ... Listen to the Show Here ... Nashville: One Touch Make Ready Moves Forward Fri, September 09, 2016 | Posted by hannah On September 6th, the Nashville Metro Council approved a proposed One Touch Make Ready (OTMR) ordinance by a wide margin of 32-7 on a roll call vote (computers were down). This was the second vote to advance the ordinance, designed to streamline deployment of fiber-optic networks in a city looking for better connectivity. Elected officials responded to Nashville residents who flooded their council members? offices with emails. The Nashville Metro Council will take up the ordinance one last time; passage could speed up competition in the country music capital. Google Fiber has been pushing for a OTMR, while incumbents AT&T and Comcast look for a non-legislative solution to the problem of the poles while protecting their positions as dominant Internet Service Players (ISPs). ... Many More Details Here ... Vallejo Releases RFP: Responses Due October 7th Thu, September 08, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez Vallejo?s Fiber Optic Advisory Group (FOAG) and the city manager are in the middle of developing the details of a citywide fiber-optic network master plan. As part of the process, the city recently released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a dark fiber connection to an Internet Point of Presence (POP). The RFP also includes calls for wholesale Internet services. Responses to the RFP are *due on October 7*. *Intelligent Integration* As we reported in 2015 , the community already has a significant amount of publicly owned fiber in place controlling the city?s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). Vallejo also owns a considerable amount of conduit that can be integrated into any fiber network. As part of the master plan the city adopted in February, they intend to build off that infrastructure and offer better connectivity to businesses, community anchor institutions, and municipal facilities. Vallejo is considering a municipal utility, operating as an Internet Service Provider (ISP), or engaging in some form of public private partnership. They are still considering which route is best for the community. ... More Information Here ... -- 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: From rob at omsoft.com Tue Sep 13 10:24:20 2016 From: rob at omsoft.com (Robert Nickerson) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2016 10:24:20 -0700 Subject: [Davisgig] Ft Collins Feasibility Study Message-ID: <8f0ef055-4e8f-1d75-f2c7-6d8020d957ee@omsoft.com> Hi Folks I thought it would be nice to take a look at this recently published Feasibility Study from Ft Collins, as done by Uptown Studios. Matt Williams talked with one of the principals quite a bit last year, and has been given our RFP. This has a LOT of financial numbers data. I don't agree with some of the staffing needs, but it does do a great job of outlining costs. Enjoy! RAN -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: FortCollins_AGENDA-ITEM_AUG-23-2016_ITEM_03.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 6911568 bytes Desc: not available URL: From rob at omsoft.com Tue Sep 13 14:13:04 2016 From: rob at omsoft.com (Robert Nickerson) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2016 14:13:04 -0700 Subject: [Davisgig] Fwd: Congresswoman Eshoo Introduces the Community Broadband Act of 2016 In-Reply-To: <09c6fc743c87e862042edd5d5d1bb241e3d.20160913210304@mail195.atl21.rsgsv.net> References: <09c6fc743c87e862042edd5d5d1bb241e3d.20160913210304@mail195.atl21.rsgsv.net> Message-ID: -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Congresswoman Eshoo Introduces the Community Broadband Act of 2016 Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2016 21:03:12 +0000 From: Coalition for Local Internet Choice Reply-To: Coalition for Local Internet Choice To: Robert Congresswoman Eshoo Introduces the Community Broadband Act of 2016 Congresswoman Eschoo introduces federal legislation to empower local community broadband decisions. View this email in your browser Read CLIC's Blog today reporting that Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) just introduced the Community Broadband Act of 2016, legislation preserving the right of local communities to provide community-owned broadband service to consumers. Introduction of the bill comes after a ruling from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in August striking down a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Order preempting state laws in North Carolina and Tennessee restricting service from community broadband providers. The text of the bill can be found here . Rep. Eshoo is the Ranking Member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce. The bill prohibits the states from preventing public entities ?from providing to any person or any public or private entity advanced telecommunications capacity or any service that utilizes the advanced telecommunications capacity by such provider.? The bill also includes anti-discrimination safeguards that would ensure that any public provider who regulated competing private providers of advanced telecommunications capabilities or services applies its ordinances and rules without discriminating. ?I?m disappointed that a recent court ruling blocked the FCC?s efforts to allow local communities to decide for themselves how best to ensure that their residents have broadband access,? Eshoo said in her press release. ?This legislation clears the way for local communities to make their own decisions instead of powerful special interests in state capitals.? ?Rather than restricting local communities in need of broadband, we should be empowering them to make the decisions they determine are in the best interests of their constituents. Too many Americans still lack access to quality, affordable broadband and community broadband projects are an important way to bring this critical service to more citizens.? Eshoo?s legislation is modeled on a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and John McCain (R-AZ) in 2005. CLIC applauds Congresswoman Eshoo for her efforts to protect local Internet choice and the options of all local communities to deploy critical broadband infrastructure. To be a (free) CLIC member, JOIN US or: CLIC HERE Website Website Tweet Forward *Our mailing address is:* info at localnetchoice.org unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences This email was sent to rob at omsoft.com /why did I get this?/ unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences Coalition for Local Internet Choice ? 2014 P Street, NW ? Washington, DC 20036 ? USA Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From christopher at newrules.org Tue Sep 20 10:25:47 2016 From: christopher at newrules.org (Christopher Mitchell) Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2016 12:25:47 -0500 Subject: [Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks ... Week of 9/20 Message-ID: *Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the **Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Instructions for unsubscribing appear at bottom. Send feedback. Forward Widely.* Wilson Forced to Turn Off Service to Pinetops Fri, September 16, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez Last night, Wilson?s City Council voted to halt Greenlight Internet service to thecommunity of Pinetops , North Carolina. City leaders, faced with the unfortunatereversal of the FCC?s preemption of harmful state anti-muni laws, felt the move was necessary to protect the utility. Service will stop at the end of October. *No Other Solution* Before the vote City Manager Grant Goings told the Wilson Times : ?Unfortunately, there is a very real possibility that we will have to disconnect any customer outside our county. That is the cold, hard truth,? Goings said. ?Without getting into the legal options that our city attorney will discuss with the council, I?ll summarize it like this: we have not identified a solution where Greenlight can serve customers outside of our county. ... More Details on This INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING Story Here ... Saint Louis Park is Prepared for the Fiber Future - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 219 Tue, September 13, 2016 | Posted by christopher Saint Louis Park, a compact community along the west side of Minneapolis, has built an impressive fiber network, a conduit system, and several deals with developers to ensure new apartment buildings will allow their tenants to choose among high speed Internet access providers. Chief Information Office Clint Pires joins me for Community Broadband Bits podcast 219. In one of our longest episodes, we discuss how Saint Louis Park started by partnering with other key entities to start its own fiber network, connecting key anchor institutions. Years later, it partnered with a firm for citywide solar-powered Wi-Fi but that partner failed to perform, leaving the community a bit disheartened, but in no way cowed. They continued to place conduit in the ground wherever possible and began striking deals with ISPs and landlords that began using the fiber and conduit to improve access for local businesses and residents. And they so impressed our previous podcast guest Travis Carter of US Internet, that he suggested we interview them for this show. ... Listen to the Show Here ... Read the transcript of the episode here ... Chesterton, Indiana: Dark Fiber Investment, Seeks Operator Mon, September 12, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez Chesterton, Indiana , plans to deploy a dark fiber network to serve municipal facilities, anchor institutions, and local businesses. Like their neighbor to the south, Valparaiso, they hope to boost economic development, improve local services, and help the community compete in the race to draw in new industries. ?We learned if we didn?t have that in the ground ready to go, we couldn?t compete,? said Town Manager Bernie Doyle. *Taking It One Step At A Time* The Chesterton Redevelopment Commission released a Request for Proposals (RFP) in late July as part of Phase II of the project christened the Chesterton Fiber Optic Network (CFON). The community is looking for an entity to operate and maintain, provide last mile connectivity, and perform other services typical of an Operator. Late last year, the community released the Phase I Request for Information (RFI) , for a firm to design the fiber backbone of approximately 15 miles. They chose a company in March. The final phase will seek out a firm to construct the network. ... Get the Rest of the Story Here ... Examining Connectivity Alternatives: Op-Ed In Rochester Tue, September 13, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez When the Rochester Post-Bulletin published Christopher Mitchell?s opinion piece in August, it wasn?t only because he is an expert on municipal networks. Christopher?s interest in all things geeky started in Rochester - he went to Rochester Mayo High School. *A Budding Idea* For the past few years, various elected officials, and member of the community-at-large have expressed dissatisfaction for services offered by incumbent Charter Communications. In addition to poor services, City Council members have faced complaints from constituents about awful customer service. Over the past year, the community began showing that they will not abandon the idea of publicly owned Internet infrastructure. ... Get the Rest of the Story Here ... Cool & Connected in "Little Gig City" Sat, September 17, 2016 | Posted by hannah Few communities in Tennessee have next-generation, high-speed connectivity, but the city of Erwin built its own network despite Tennessee?s restrictions. Now through a collaboration of federal and regional agencies, this ?Little Gig City? will get assistance showing off their fiber network. The planning assistance program, called Cool & Connected , will provide direct assistance to Erwin to develop a marketing plan for the fiber network . Cool & Connected looks to promote the Appalachian communities by using connectivity to revitalize small-town neighborhoods and encourage vibrant main streets with economic development. ... A Little Click To Read the Rest of this Story ... "The Big Easy" Wants I-Net Design, Releases RFP: Proposals Due Oct. 24 Thu, September 15, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez Last week, the city of New Orleans, through the Foundation for Louisiana (FFL), released a Request for Proposals (RFP) in its search for technical expertise to provide a fiber-optic network design and services related to its construction. Proposals are *due October 24th*. *The Vision* The Institutional Network (I-Net) design vision encompasses the entire city and will also provide wireless services. It will serve traffic light and advanced camera systems, streetlights, in addition to Internet, VoIP, video conferencing, and a list of other services cities use on a regular basis. ... More Information From their RFP Here ... In The Hopper: Community Broadband Bill of 2016 From Rep. Eshoo Wed, September 14, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez In order to allow local governments to help communities get the connectivity they need to compete, Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (Dem.-CA) introduced the Community Broadband Act of 2016 on September 13. The bill is designed to preserve local authority for municipalities, tribal, and local governments that wish to serve community anchor institutions, businesses, and residents with advanced telecommunications capability. >From Rep. Eshoo?s official statement: ?I?m disappointed that a recent court ruling blocked the FCC?s efforts to allow local communities to decide for themselves how best to ensure that their residents have broadband access. This legislation clears the way for local communities to make their own decisions instead of powerful special interests in state capitals.? ... Get More Details Here ... Davis, CA, Issues RFP For Feasibility Study: Responses Due Oct. 31 Sun, September 18, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez The city of Davis, California , recently released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a citywide fiber-optic feasibility study report. The community wants to consider the options for a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH ) network. *Responses are due October 31*. The scope of the work includes: The study should provide an analysis of options for engineering, constructing, provisioning and operating a high speed citywide FTTP network. It should feature both physical and network transport layer components required to pass and potentially connect every home, business, apartment complex, and institutional building within the City of Davis. The analysis should also consider future use at strategic infill and edge points around the City in order to support network growth through the coming decades. Davis wants firms to consider public private partnerships, the city?s network as an open access infrastructure, and Davis is only an infrastructure provider. ... More Information Here ... -- 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: From christopher at newrules.org Tue Sep 27 09:05:42 2016 From: christopher at newrules.org (Christopher Mitchell) Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:05:42 -0500 Subject: [Davisgig] Recently in Community Networks... Week of 9/27 Message-ID: *Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the **Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Instructions for unsubscribing appear at bottom. Send feedback. Forward Widely.* Broadband Communities Regional Conference Fast Approaching: Oct. 18 - 20 Tue, September 20, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez As you say good-bye to September, consider making your way to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to attend the 2016 Broadband Communities Mag Annual Conference at the downtown Radisson Blu. The event is scheduled for October 18 - 20 and you can still register online . The Economic Development Conference Series brings *Fiber For The New Economy*to the "City of Lakes" as part of its Community Toolkit Program. The conference is full of information you can use if your community is looking for ways to improve local connectivity through fiber. There will be presentations on economic development, financing, and smart policies that help lay the groundwork for future fiber investment. There are also some special sessions that deal specifically with rural issues and a number of other specialized presentations and panel discussions. ... I'll Be (T)Here - Yeah Minnesota! More Details ... Local Authority "A-Number One" Priority For Congress, Says Wheeler Wed, September 21, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez *?A-number one importance.?* On September 15th, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee gathered to discuss FCC oversight and telecommunications issues. Among those issues, the Committee discussed municipal networks. Senator Cory Booker (D - NJ) asked FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to provide his thoughts on how important it is that Congress takes action. The matter he put before Wheeler was the prospect that Congress act to allow local communities to have local authority on issues relating to Internet infrastructure and advanced telecommunications capabilities. How important is it? Wheeler?s answer: ?A-number one importance.? ... More Background and the Video of this Interaction Here ... "We Just Can't Go Back In Time": Pinetops Calls For Repeal Of State Law Fri, September 23, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez *In a September 22nd press release, the community of Pinetops, North Carolina, called out their Governor as they lose access to high-quality Internet access. Read the full statement here:* A state law is forcing the termination of Gigabit Internet service to the small rural town of Pinetops, NC. Last week, members of the Wilson, NC City Council expressed their deep regrets as they voted to approve the city attorney?s recommendation to disconnect Wilson Greenlight services in Pinetops under the North Carolina law commonly known as H129 (S.L. 2011-84). Wilson was able to bring fiber-to-the-home Gigabit service to our town in April 2016, after the FCC preempted H129 on the grounds that it is anti-competitive and creates barriers to the deployment of advanced telecommunications capacity. Under Governor Pat McCrory, North Carolina challenged that ruling in May, 2015 in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and won a reversal last August. ... It Will be a Tragedy for the North Carolina Legislature to Force Wilson to Disconnect Pinetops ... Medina County Aims to Be Mecca of Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 220 Tue, September 20, 2016 | Posted by christopher Medina County has built a fiber network to connect its core facilities and leases its fiber to multiple ISPs to improve connectivity in its communities. David Corrado, CEO of the Medina County Fiber Network , joins us to discuss their approach on Community Broadband Bits episode 220. We discuss how the Port Authority became the lead agency in building the network and the challenges of educating potential subscribers on the benefits of using a full fiber network rather than the slower, less reliable connections they were used to. Medina's approach allows carriers to buy lit services or dark fiber from the county network. And as we have seen elsewhere, the biggest challenge can be getting the first and second carriers on the network. After that, it can really pick up steam as other carriers realize they are missing out if not using it. ... Listen to the Show Here ... Read the Transcript Here ... Ammon Model In Louisiana? Ask The Voters! Tue, September 20, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez Voters in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana , will get the chance in December to decide if they wish to invest in a fiber-optic network, reports the Advocate . *Louisiana Looks At Idaho* This past summer , Parish President Kevin Couhig presented the plan to create a new parish fiber optic utility. His plan includes an open access network to draw competition that will be based on the Software-Defined Network (SDN) of the Ammon model: Couhig?s plan would get away from single Internet service providers, which control speed, innovation,bandwidth , data limits and price. Instead, the ISPs would compete through the parishwide network. Each consumer could control what they would have available through the open access such as internet, phone, video and interactive gaming. ... Read More Here and Watch our Video Explaining the Ammon Model ... Designing A Faster Anacortes Starts With NoaNet Fri, September 23, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez Anacortes, Washington , is officially on the road to better connectivity via publicly owned infrastructure. Community leaders voted on September 19th to collaborate with the statewide middle mile network, Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet), to get the project started. *One Piece At A Time* Public Works will be the first to use the fiber backbone to monitor and control its facilities; the community?s current radio-based system is prone to frequent failure. Water and sewer utility funds will pay for the design and construction of this section of the network. Officials estimate the fiber backbone will cost around $3 million. ... NoaNet Remains an Important Asset in Expanding Fiber in Washington, Go Anacortes! ... Coverage Of Pinetops: Hear Us On PRX Wed, September 21, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez As part of our coverage on the events in Pinetops, North Carolina, we recently published "*Rural Pinetops Disconnected from Internet Thanks to Telecom Monopolies*" on PRX. The audio story runs for 3:28. Readers are familiar with the small rural community that could only get high-quality Internet access from Greenlight, a nearby municipal electric utility. Wilson, the home of Greenlight, was forced to cut off service to Pinetops due to restrictive state laws. We talk a local business owner and community leader, to Suzanne Coker Craig, about the situation. ... Get more details at PRX ... "Go West, Young ISP!" Ting Moving Into Centennial, Colorado Wed, September 21, 2016 | Posted by lgonzalez What do Maryland?s Westminster ; Sandpoint in Idaho; Holly Springs , North Carolina; Charlottesville , Virginia; and now Centennial, Colorado, all have in common? Ting's "crazy fast fiber" Internet access. In a press release, the Toronto Internet Service Provider (ISP) announced that as of today, it is taking pre-orders to assess demand in Centennial. The results will determine if the company will take the next step and offer Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH ) Internet access to Centennial?s 107,000 residents and its local businesses. Ting estimates residential symmetrical Gigabit Internet access (1,000 Megabits per second download and upload ) will cost approximately $89 per month; business subscriptions will cost about $139 per month. According to the Ting blog, they are also planning to offer a low-cost option of 5 Megabits per second (Mbps ) symmetrical Internet access for $19.99 per month. ... Ting Continues Tradition of Leasing Muni Fiber to Rapidly Expand Its Investments ... Iowa Knows Co-op Connectivity Thu, September 22, 2016 | Posted by hannah Once again we return to Iowa to learn about community networks and high-speed connectivity. Home to municipal networks such as in Cedar Falls, Lenox, and Harlan, Iowa also grows publicly owned networks of a different kind - cooperatives? networks. The Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association (WCTA) provides next-generation connectivity to rural areas, and is now upgrading infrastructure in its service area. WCTA uses Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH ) technology to provide Internet access of 100 Megabits per second (Mbps ). *Small Towns and Cities To Get An Upgrade* WCTA is now installing fiber in Forest City , home to about 4,000 people and the county seat of Winnebago County. ... More Information About a Community Getting Co-op Fiber ... Connectivity's Community Impact: Looking At The Numbers Sat, September 24, 2016 | Posted by hannah People rave about next-generation connectivity?s possibilities in rural economies, but what does that mean for locals? A recent survey quantified the actual impact of a reliable high-speed Internet connection in an underserved area. Central Minnesota telephone cooperative, Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC), released the results of an impact survey on their newest fiber Internet service customers. CTC had extended their Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network to an underserved area south of Brainerd , with funding from a 2015 state broadband grant. ... Read the Full Post Here and Watch Accompanying Video ... AT&T Gets Snagged In Giant Loophole Attempting To Avoid Merger Responsibility Mon, September 19, 2016 | Posted by KateSvitavsky They're at it again. Recently, they have been called out for taking advantage of E-rate ; now they are taking advantage of their own lack of infrastructure investment to worm their way out of obligations to serve low-income residents. Fortunately, a nonprofit group caught up with AT&T's shenanigans and held their feet to the fire. *"Nah, We Don't Have To Do That..."* As part of FCC-mandated conditions under which AT&T was allowed to acquire DirecTV in 2015, the telecommunications conglomerate created the "Access from AT&T" program, offering discount Internet access to low-income households. The program consists of tiered services - download speeds of 10 Megabits per second (Mbps ) for $10 per month, 5 Mbps for $10 per month, and 3 Mbps for $5 per month. ... More Details on Just One of the MANY Ways AT&T Harms Communities ... Community Broadband Media Roundup - September 26 Mon, September 26, 2016 | Posted by Nick *Colorado* Centennial's gigabit Internet service now taking pre-orders by Tamara Chuang, Denver Post Centennial was one of the first communities in the state to opt out of a 2005 state law known as SB152, which restricts municipalities from using taxpayer money to build broadband networks. By the time Centennial voted in 2013, the city of Longmont was alreadygetting its gigabit Internet service up and running. In Colorado, 71 cities and counties passed a measure freeing them to look into municipal broadband. Another 14 will try on the Nov. 8 ballot, according to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. *Iowa* Community gets broadband update by Brittany Bierle, New Hampton Tribune ... Read the Full Community Network Media Roundup Here ... -- 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: