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<div><div style="font-size:13px"><i>Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Instructions for unsubscribing appear at bottom.  Send feedback.  Forward Widely.</i><br></div></div><div><br></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><h2 class="" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/supporters-rally-behind-wheeler-chattanooga-and-wilson-i-recommend-approval" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Supporters Rally Behind Wheeler, Chattanooga, and Wilson: "I Recommend Approval"</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-size:14px;font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;line-height:18.003999710083px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, February 03, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:18.003999710083px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/supporters-rally-behind-wheeler-chattanooga-and-wilson-i-recommend-approval" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/wheeler-fcc.jpg" alt="" title="" width="100" height="115" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler <a href="http://www.fcc.gov/document/chairman-wheelers-statement-community-broadband-proposal" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">released a statement</a> yesterday supporting the concept of local authority for community broadband infrastructure. <a href="http://www.muninetworks.org/content/fcc-our-best-shot-restore-local-authority" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Chattanooga and Wilson filed petitions</a> to scale back state restrictions last summer. In his statement, Wheeler officially recommended the Commission approve the petitions. If approved, the petitions have the potential to liberate local communities from state restrictions. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Along with a number of other organizations that advocate local authority, the<a href="http://www.ilsr.org/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Institute for Local Self-Reliance</a> supports Chairman Wheeler who said:</p><blockquote style="margin:1em 2em;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-size:0.9em;line-height:1.5em;font-style:italic"><p style="margin:1em 0px">Communities across the nation know that access to robust broadband is key to their economic future – and the future of their citizens. Many communities have found that existing private-sector broadband deployment or investment fails to meet their needs. They should be able to make their own decisions about building the networks they need to thrive. After looking carefully at petitions by two community broadband providers asking the FCC to pre-empt provisions of state laws preventing expansion of their very successful networks, I recommend approval by the Commission so that these two forward-thinking cities can serve the many citizens clamoring for a better broadband future.</p></blockquote><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/supporters-rally-behind-wheeler-chattanooga-and-wilson-i-recommend-approval">... Read Many Statements in Support Here ...</a><br><br></p><h2 class="" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/partnership-greater-minnesota-focuses-non-metro-need-community-broadband-bits-podcast-136" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Greater Minnesota Partnership Focuses on Non-Metro Need - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 136</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;line-height:18.003999710083px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, February 03, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">christopher</a></span></div><div class="" style="line-height:18.003999710083px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/partnership-greater-minnesota-focuses-non-metro-need-community-broadband-bits-podcast-136" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-community-bb-bits_0.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Like many states, Minnesota has a major metro area that generally has higher quality Internet access than non-metro communities. The <a href="http://gmnp.org/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Greater Minnesota Partnership</a>, a coalition of businesses, chambers, nonprofits, and cities from across the state, have made improving Internet access a major priority in their efforts to influence the state legislature.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">This week, we talk with Dan Dorman, Executive Director of the Greater Minnesota Partnership. He is also a former Minnesota state Rep and remains a small business owner. We discuss the need to improve access even as major cable lobbyists fight in the capital to preserve the status quo. The Partnership believes state barriers to community networks should be removed.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Dorman offers a unique perspective as a former member of the Minnesota Legislature. He knows what it is like to be lobbied constantly by one side of the issue but rarely hear from the other. Fortunately, the Greater Minnesota Partnership is working to provide that other side as best it can.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/partnership-greater-minnesota-focuses-non-metro-need-community-broadband-bits-podcast-136">... Listen to the Show Here ... </a><br><br></p><h2 class="" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/broward-county-saves-fiber-network-florida" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Broward County Saves with Fiber Network in Florida</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;line-height:18.003999710083px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Wed, February 04, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="" style="line-height:18.003999710083px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/broward-county-saves-fiber-network-florida" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-broward-county.gif" alt="" title="" width="125" height="67" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">In 2014,<a href="http://www.broward.org/Pages/Welcome.aspx" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"> Broward County</a> completed its transition from an expensive leased data, video, and voice communications system to its own fiber network. The southern Florida county <strong>is now saving $780,000</strong> per year with plenty of room to grow. With the transition to an IP-based telephony system, the County also saves and<strong>additional $28,000</strong> per year.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Pat Simes, Assistant CIO of the county, <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/article/2875123/lan-wan/broward-county-rolls-out-its-own-fiber-ring-shifts-to-voip.html?phint=newt%3Dnetworkworld_daily_news_alert&phint=idg_eid%3D0fc58ee929160d965af51ac9e6bb0955#tk.NWWNLE_nlt_daily_pm_2015-01-26&siteid=&phint=tpcs%3D&phint=idg_eid%3D0fc58ee929160d965af51ac9e6bb0955" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">recently contributed a profile</a> on the project to Network World.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">In 2009 when the network was too slow to be effective, county staff knew they had to act. Costs were increasing 15% each year as the number of lines grew and the demand for <a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term2" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)"><cite title="The rate at which the network can transmit information across it.  Generally, higher bandwidth is desirable.  The amount of bandwidth available to you can determine whether you download a photo in 2 seconds or 2 minutes.">bandwidth</cite></a>increased. The County also had to provide funding to reach locations that the carrier's network did not serve. The situation made it difficult to budget; there was always a need to fund unexpected expansions and increasing service.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/broward-county-saves-fiber-network-florida">... Read More on These Great Savings Here ...</a><br><br></p><h2 class="" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/time-warner-cable-takes-maine-lawmakers-exclusive-hotel-lobbying-tryst" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Time Warner Cable Takes Maine Lawmakers to Exclusive Hotel for Lobbying Tryst</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;line-height:18.003999710083px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Fri, February 06, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="" style="line-height:18.003999710083px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/time-warner-cable-takes-maine-lawmakers-exclusive-hotel-lobbying-tryst" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-twc.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="36" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Time Warner Cable began lobbying Maine legislators at the dawn of the legislative session, <a href="http://pinetreewatchdog.org/time-warner-made-its-case-to-legislators-at-luxury-resort/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">reports the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting</a>. In January, the cable gargantuan hosted a "Winter Policy Conference" for state lawmakers at the exclusive <a href="http://www.innbythesea.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Inn by the Sea</a> resort. As Maine state leaders contemplate how they can boost connectivity, the incumbents are fueling up the anti-muni misinformation machine.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">The Center did not have exact numbers of legislators who chose to accept the invitation to stay overnight, attend the opening dinner, or sit in on the "information sessions" which were all paid for by TWC. Reports range from "about a dozen" attendees at the evening dinner to "30 or 35" attending the information sessions the next day.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/time-warner-cable-takes-maine-lawmakers-exclusive-hotel-lobbying-tryst">... Read More About Time Warner Cable's Lobbying here ...</a></p></div></div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><h2 class="" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/update-utahs-utopia-open-access-network" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">An Update on Utah's UTOPIA Open Access Network</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-size:14px;font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;line-height:18.003999710083px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Mon, February 02, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:18.003999710083px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/update-utahs-utopia-open-access-network" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-utopia_new.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="89" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">For the facts on all things UTOPIA, we turn to Jesse Harris at <a href="http://www.freeutopia.org/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">FreeUTOPIA.org</a>. In his latest post, he provides an excellent bullet list of the key factors in Macquarie's Milestone 2 proposal. An excerpt <a href="http://www.freeutopia.org/2015/01/28/macquarie-milestone-2-what-you-need-to-know/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">From his post</a>:</p><ul style="margin:1em 0px;padding-left:2em"><blockquote style="margin:1em 2em;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-size:0.9em;line-height:1.5em;font-style:italic"><li style="margin:0px 0px 1em 20px;padding:0px;list-style:disc">The final cost per address is estimated at $22.60 per month. Macquarie estimates that re-working the deal to account for five cities bowing out trimmed the cost by $8.57 per month.</li><li style="margin:0px 0px 1em 20px;padding:0px;list-style:disc">The revenue split is much more generous than I expected, allowing the cities to keep 75% of wholesale revenue after the first $2M per year. It’s expected to completely cover the debt service by 2021 with just a 24% <a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term25" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)"><cite title="The number of subscribers to a service - typically expressed in a percentage of those taking the service divided by the total number of people who could take the service.  If a community fiber network passes 10,000 people and 6,000 people subscribe, it has a take rate of 60%.  When planning the network, it will be built to be profitable at or above a certain take rate as defined in the business plan.  Generally, networks require a few years to achieve take rates due to the long time it takes to connect each customer.">take rate</cite></a> for premium services.</li></blockquote></ul><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/update-utahs-utopia-open-access-network">... For More Details, Click Me! ...</a><br><br></p></div></div><div><h2 class="" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/voters-resoundingly-approve-broadband-measure-estes-park-colorado" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Voters Resoundingly Approve Broadband Measure in Estes Park, Colorado</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-size:14px;font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;line-height:18.003999710083px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Thu, February 05, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:18.003999710083px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/voters-resoundingly-approve-broadband-measure-estes-park-colorado" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-estes-park-co.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="46" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">On February 3rd, voters in Estes Park voted 92 percent to reclaim local authority to establish a telecommunications utility. The result follows a greater trend <a href="http://www.muninetworks.org/content/republicans-and-democrats-alike-restore-local-authority-colorado" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">in Colorado where eight communities</a> made similar decisions last fall. Each of these elections has happened during Comcast's merger review, which may have discouraged them from their usual tactics to oppose competition.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">The <a href="http://www.eptrail.com/estes-park-news/ci_27454248/estes-park-voters-overwhelmingly-approve-broadband-measure" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Estes Park Trail Gazette reports</a> that a series of meetings will be scheduled to inform residents and businesses and to obtain feedback for planning. The community is working with a consultant to determine the next step.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/voters-resoundingly-approve-broadband-measure-estes-park-colorado">... Read More from Estes Park ...</a><br><br></p></div></div><div><h2 class="" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-february-1" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Community Broadband Media Roundup - February 1</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-size:14px;font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;line-height:18.003999710083px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Sun, February 08, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">rebecca</a></span></div><div class="" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:18.003999710083px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-february-1" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/media-roundup-community-bb.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p class="" style="margin:1em 0px">The mayors of 38 US cities came out this week to let the FCC know they want the authority to build high speed Internet networks. <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/article/2877268/lan-wan/mayors-of-boston-seattle-kc-others-no-more-muni-broadband-restrictions-please.html" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Jon Gold with Network World</a> covered the story and reminded readers of the more heavy-handed tactics of our Comcast and TWC. </p><p class="" style="margin:1em 0px">Three U.S. senators introduced a Community Broadband Act this week. <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/technology/230442-markey-mccaskill-join-bookers-municipal-internet-bill" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Mario Trujillo with The Hill </a>reported that the bill would forbid state and local governments from “creating a ‘statute, regulation, or other legal requirement’ that bars communities from creating their own municipal broadband network.”</p><p class="" style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://consumerist.com/2015/01/23/senators-introduce-bill-to-block-states-from-blocking-public-broadband/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Kate Cox with the Consumerist </a>broke it down:</p><blockquote style="margin:1em 2em;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-size:0.9em;line-height:1.5em;font-style:italic"><p class="" style="margin:1em 0px">“In other words, the Community Broadband Act makes it legal for a town to start a network and illegal for the state to stop them, but doesn’t provide any assistance for towns who want to build networks. It simply gives them the opportunity to pursue their own funding. To that end, the bill specifically encourages public-private partnerships.”</p></blockquote><p class="" style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.salon.com/2015/01/25/the_battle_for_americas_broadband_the_internet_debate_taking_the_country_by_storm/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Henry Grabar with Salon</a> wrote about the ideological debate that is “taking the country by storm.” </p><p class="" style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-february-1">... Read the Full Roundup Here ...</a></p></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>

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