<div dir="ltr"><div style="font-size:12.8px"><i style="font-size:13px">Recent Stories from MuniNetworks.org - a project of the </i><i style="font-size:13px">Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Instructions for unsubscribing appear at bottom.  Send feedback.  Forward Widely.<br></i></div><div><i style="font-size:13px"><br></i></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/benefits-lessons-sandynet-community-broadband-bits-episode-167" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">The Benefits of, Lessons From, SandyNet - Community Broadband Bits Episode 167</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:18.004px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Wed, September 09, 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="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/benefits-lessons-sandynet-community-broadband-bits-episode-167" 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">Two of the stars from our <a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/gig-city-sandy-home-60-gig" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">video on SandyNet</a> in Oregon, join us this week for Community Broadband Bits episode 167. Sandy City Council President Jeremy Pietzold and IT Director Joe Knapp (also <a href="http://www.ci.sandy.or.us/SandyNet/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">SandyNet</a> General Manager) tell us more about the network and recent developments as they finish connecting the majority of the City to gigabit fiber.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">We talk about the challenges and lessons learned along the way as they transitioned from running a <a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term29" 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="This is a suite of protocols that allow wireless devices to exchange information using unlicensed frequencies.  Equipment carrying the Wi-Fi brand is interoperable.  Recently, a number of cities and some private companies attempted to blanket their cities with Wi-Fi but the technology is not well suited to such large scale efforts.  Wi-Fi has proved tremendously successful in homes and businesses on small cities.">Wi-Fi</cite></a> network in some areas of town to all areas of town to <a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term629" 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="To create a network that goes into competition with an incumbent provider.">overbuild</cite></a>ing the wireless with fiber optics.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Jeremy also discusses more of a story we <a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/sandynet-sharing-awesome-gig-deal-local-businesses" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">recently reported</a> on SandyNet's business services, which are the lowest cost, highest capacity deals we have seen.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/benefits-lessons-sandynet-community-broadband-bits-episode-167">... 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/rs-fiber-cooperative-breaks-ground" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">RS Fiber Cooperative Breaks Ground</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;line-height:18.004px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Wed, September 09, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/phineas" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">phineas</a></span></div><div class="" style="line-height:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/rs-fiber-cooperative-breaks-ground" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-rs-fiber-coop.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="53" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Six years after an initial feasibility study was conducted to assess bringing broadband to Renville and Sibley Counties in southeastern Minnesota, members of the RS Fiber Cooperative board were finally able to dust off their shovels for a<a href="http://rsfiber.coop/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/RS-Fiber-Press-Release-FINAL2.pdf" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">groundbreaking ceremony on July 9</a>. Although those shovels may have ended up being more symbolic than they were practical, the ceremony marked an important and long-awaited step in the fight to extend broadband to 10 cities and 17 rural townships across the largely agricultural region.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">The groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of stage one of a two-stage project that will take five to six years to complete. By the end of 2015, the <a href="http://rsfiber.coop/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">RS (Renville-Sibley) Fiber Cooperative</a> plans to <a href="http://belleplaineherald.com/Content/News/Area-News/Article/Renville-Sibley-Fiber-Project-Breaks-Ground-on-Project/7/40/6635" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">connect 1,600 homes and businesses with fiber, with 90 percent of its service area covered by high-speed wireless</a>. It hopes to connect another 2,600 homes and businesses by the end of 2016, with the eventual goal of reaching 6,200 potential customers. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/rs-fiber-cooperative-breaks-ground">... More on This Great Model for Rural Connectivity ...</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/nysba-building-economic-bridges-dark-fiber" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">NYSBA Building (Economic) Bridges with Dark Fiber</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;line-height:18.004px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Fri, September 11, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/phineas" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">phineas</a></span></div><div class="" style="line-height:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/nysba-building-economic-bridges-dark-fiber" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-nys-bridge-authority.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="100" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">The New York State Bridge Authority (NYSBA) expects to bring in over $900,000 over the course of the next ten years in revenue from dark fiber leases. The agreements, which allow private companies to access publicly owned dark fiber spanning the bridges, will also help maintain low tolls and allow regional telecom operators to expand their data transmission networks. The NYSBA <a href="http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2015/August/04/NYSBA_fiber_lease-04Aug15.html" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">announced on August 4 that it would be leasing dark fiber on two new bridges</a> - the Bear Mountain and Rip Van Winkle bridges in upstate New York. These will be the third and fourth NYSBA bridges that generate revenue from fiber leasing.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">The NYSBA dark fiber leasing program is now in its fifth year. Since the Authority does not receive any state or federal tax money for the operation and maintenance of its bridges, it has sought creative solutions to finance the upkeep of its infrastructure. It has now leased dark fiber on four of five intended bridges, with plans to lease more on a fifth - the Kingston­-Rhinecliff Bridge - in the near future.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/nysba-building-economic-bridges-dark-fiber">... More Details on the Program Here ...</a></p></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/new-york-times-supports-local-authority" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">New York Times Supports Local Authority</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:18.004px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, September 08, 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:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/new-york-times-supports-local-authority" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/newyorktimes.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="22" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/21/opinion/consumers-are-cutting-the-cord-to-gain-choices-and-pay-less.html?_r=3" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">In a recent editorial</a>, the New York Times recognized that cord cutting is the wave of the future. They <a href="http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view;NEWECFSSESSION=LyZbVJ8CzNXlfvhPHS9Q1Y22YbMqysrfhkP2sLrNnG5ZzL6vTfZl!-1772633381!-343240858?id=7521826170" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">agree with the Coalition for Local Internet Choice</a>, and other advocates for local telecommunications authority that the FCC should take steps to remove barriers to local Internet choice created by states on behalf of cable and <a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term608" 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="Telephone company - a provider of telecommunications services such as voice (telephony) and data services.  Also called common carriers or LECs (Local Exchange Carriers); ILECs are incumbent providers, often AT&T or Verizon.  ">telco</cite></a>lobbyists. The Editorial Board notes that laws limiting municipal networks block the ability for consumers to take full advantage of this phenomenon:</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"><strong>Among other things, they should override laws some states have passed that make it difficult or impossible for municipalities to invest in broadband networks.</strong></p></blockquote><p style="margin:1em 0px">Even though consumers are moving away from cable TV subscriptions, large corporate providers are making up for losses by an increase in Internet access subscriptions. As a result, they still maintain a significant leverage and consumers still face the same old problem - a lack of competition. Striking down anti-competitive state laws blocking munis would create a healthier balance, argues the Times Editorial Board.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/new-york-times-supports-local-authority">... Read the Full Story Here ...</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/introducing-our-institutional-networks-page" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Introducing Our Institutional Networks Page</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:18.004px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, September 08, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/hannah" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">hannah</a></span></div><div class="" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/introducing-our-institutional-networks-page" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/institutional-network-page-thumb.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="55" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Community anchor institutions play a critical role in bridging the digital divide. These networks that connect government buildings, libraries, and schools are often called “institutional networks” or “I-Nets.” Since the start of MuniNetworks.org, we have noted the ways these institutions have expanded services and saved money. Now, these stories have been compiled into <a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/institutional-networks" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">one quick-reference resource</a>.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">As <a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term12" 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="A cable company wishing to provide television services in a community historically signed a franchise agreement with the municipal government.  The agreement would specify what the community would receive from the cable company in return for access to rights of way (such as telephone poles).  However, this arrangement has changed in many states recently, where states have preempted local control.  Cities now are not permitted to offer exclusive franchises.">franchise</cite></a> agreements run out with incumbent service providers, public institutions often struggle to renegotiate contracts at sustainable prices. Other communities have been left behind altogether by large cable and telephone companies and cannot get the high quality Internet access needed for their libraries or schools.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/introducing-our-institutional-networks-page">... More Information 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/p3-between-westminster-and-ting-%E2%80%9Ccommunity-broadband-innovative-partnership-year%E2%80%9D" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">P3 between Westminster and Ting is “Community Broadband Innovative Partnership of the Year”</a></h2><div class="" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;line-height:18.004px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Thu, September 10, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/tom-ernste" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Tom Ernste</a></span></div><div class="" style="line-height:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/p3-between-westminster-and-ting-%E2%80%9Ccommunity-broadband-innovative-partnership-year%E2%80%9D" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-westminster-md.png" alt="" title="" width="83" height="82" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (<a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term261" 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="National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisers.  NATOA is comprised of local government officials and employees that work on cable and broadband issues - from public access television to managing the community's rights-of-way.  ">NATOA</cite></a>) recently named <a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/gigabit-muni-fiber-partnership-westminster-and-ting" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">the public private partnership (P3) between the City of Westminster, MD and Ting Inc.</a> as 2015’s “Community Broadband Innovative Partnership of the Year.”  NATOA will officially honor the partnership at their <a href="https://www.natoa.org/web/site_news/news_detail/27" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Community Broadband Awards ceremony</a> in San Diego this week.  </p><p style="margin:1em 0px">In a press release NATOA praised the P3 “...for showcasing an entirely new approach in public private partnerships to reach the common goal of bringing next generation fiber broadband to communities while demonstrating the possibility of creative solutions.”  In <a href="https://ting.com/blog/natoa-awards-westminster-md-and-ting-the-community-broadband-innovative-partnership-of-the-year/?utm_content=buffer7efa1&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Ting’s own press release</a>announcing the award, they described their unique arrangement as private partners in Westminster’s initiative aimed at providing their rural community of more than 18,000 people with blazing fast fiber internet service:</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">“We have agreed to an <a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625" 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="An arrangement in which the network is open to independent service providers to offer services.  In many cases, the network owner only sells wholesale access to the service providers who offer all retail services (ie: triple play of internet, phone, tv).  Open access provides much more competition from which potential subscribers can choose.">open access</cite></a> model. For a period of time at launch, Ting will be both the exclusive network operator and the exclusive service provider. After that, while we will maintain the exclusive role of network operator, we will open up the network to competitive service providers. That gives Westminster the dual benefits of stability and competition. They know that the network will be managed competently by one closely managed relationship. They also know that their businesses and residents will benefit from having many providers competing to offer them the best service at the best price.”</p></blockquote><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/p3-between-westminster-and-ting-%E2%80%9Ccommunity-broadband-innovative-partnership-year%E2%80%9D">... Congratulations to Ting and Westminster ...</a><br><br></p></div></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/att-willing-fetch-nsa-no-questions-asked" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">AT&T Willing to Fetch for NSA, No Questions Asked</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:18.004px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Sat, September 12, 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:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/att-willing-fetch-nsa-no-questions-asked" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/nsa-att.jpeg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="120" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">It has been an open secret that AT&T maintained a cozy relationship with the NSA, but only recently has the extent of that relationship been revealed. AT&T had no qualms about illegally providing enough Internet traffic data to forge a relationship fondly described by the NSA as a "highly collaborative." </p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Edward J. Snowden <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/08/14/us/100000003855184.mobile.html" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">provided documents</a> chronicling the relationship; ProPublica and the New York Times reviewed them jointly. In that information:</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">One document reminds N.S.A. officials to be polite when visiting AT&T facilities, noting, “This is a partnership, not a contractual relationship.”</p></blockquote><p style="margin:1em 0px">ProPublica and <a href="http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/us/politics/att-helped-nsa-spy-on-an-array-of-internet-traffic.html?_r=1" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">the New York Times reviewed the information and recently</a> published articles on their joint findings. <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/nsa-spying-relies-on-atts-extreme-willingness-to-help" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">ProPublica's article</a> describes how anything floating across domestic networks owned by AT&T was up for grabs and, in at least one documented case, involved international clients:</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/att-willing-fetch-nsa-no-questions-asked">... Get the Rest of the Story Here ...</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-sept-11" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Community Broadband Media Roundup - Sept 11</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:18.004px"><span class="" style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, September 15, 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:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-sept-11" 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 style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Featured Stories</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/fccs-sohn-urges-cities-build-own-broadband/144106" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">FCC's Sohn Urges Cities to Build Own Broadband</a> by John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable</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">Don't wait for incumbents to supply requisite service Sohn told <a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term261" 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="National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisers.  NATOA is comprised of local government officials and employees that work on cable and broadband issues - from public access television to managing the community's rights-of-way.  ">NATOA</cite></a> that rather than viewing themselves as taxers and regulators, her audience should see themselves instead as facilitators of the kind of service they have been "begging" incumbents to provide "for years."</p></blockquote><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCCs-Sohn-Forget-Incumbents-Build-Your-Own-Broadband-Networks-135065" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">FCC's Sohn: Forget Incumbents, Build Your Own Broadband Networks</a> by Karl Bode, DSL Reports</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">Sohn was quick to highlight successes in places like Sandy, Oregon, and the surge in public/private partnerships like the one between Ting and Westminster, Maryland. Sohn also highlighted the important fact that after fifteen years of apathy, the FCC is finally taking aim at protectionist state laws written by incumbent ISP lawyers, which prohibit towns and cities from wiring themselves -- even in cases where nobody else wants to.</p></blockquote><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-sept-11">... Read the Full Community Network Roundup Here ...</a></p></div></div></div>

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