<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.</i></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><br></div><div><i>We took some time off at the end of December but we are starting to rev up again in the New Year!</i></div><div><i style="font-size:13px"><br></i></div>
<div><h2 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/conduits-lead-competition-community-broadband-bits-podcast-episode-182" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Conduits Lead to Competition - Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 182</a></h2><div 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 style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, December 22, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/christopher" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">christopher</a></span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:18.004px"><div style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div><div><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/conduits-lead-competition-community-broadband-bits-podcast-episode-182" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-community-bb-bits_0.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">As we noted in a preliminary story last week, the city of Lincoln has <a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/conduit-brings-connectivity-lincoln-nebraska%3Cbr%20/%3E" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">crafted a collection of conduits</a> allowing greater competition for advanced telecommunications services. As we discuss this week in episode 182 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, they have also crafted a smart policy to continue expanding the conduit system.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">To better understand their impressive approach, we interviewed David Young, Fiber Infrastructure and Right of Way Manager; Mike Lang, Economic Development Aide; and Steve Huggenberger, Assistant City Attorney. We think this policy is one that many communities will want to consider and copy.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Lincoln is already seeing the benefits from the conduit system, with multiple providers using it and at least one investing in an <a href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term13" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)" target="_blank"><cite title="Fiber-to-the-home.  As most telecommunications networks use fiber in some part of it, FTTH is used to specify those that use fiber to connect the subscriber.  Some claim they have a fiber-optic network because they use fiber to the node even when they use phone lines or a cable network over the last mile.  FTTH may be more expensive to install currently, but offers significant savings in terms of maintenance when compared to copper alternatives.">FTTH</cite></a> network. Nebraska prohibits local governments and public power systems from building their own networks to connect local businesses and residents, but this approach allows the community to ensure they have a brighter, more fiber-lit future.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/conduits-lead-competition-community-broadband-bits-podcast-episode-182" target="_blank">... Listen to the Show Here ...</a><br><br></p><h2 style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/twas-night-muni-fiber-adaptation" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">'Twas the Night Before Muni Fiber: An Adaptation</a></h2><div style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;line-height:18.004px"><span style="font-size:0.9em">Wed, December 23, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">rebecca</a></span></div><div style="line-height:18.004px"><p style="margin:1em 0px">Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the team at MuniNetworks.org</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/twas-night-muni-fiber-adaptation" target="_blank">... Twis no longer that night, but you can still enjoyeth our comical adaptation ...</a></p></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><h2 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/another-coop-story-wiatel-wires-western-iowa" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Another Coop Story: Wiatel Wires Western Iowa</a></h2><div 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 style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, December 22, 2015 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/hannah" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">hannah</a></span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,'DejaVu Sans',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:18.004px"><div style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div><div><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/another-coop-story-wiatel-wires-western-iowa" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-wiatel-coop.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="51" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Iowa, known across the country for its agriculture, is known in other circles for its exciting community broadband projects. Earlier this year <a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/national-press-follows-president-obama-cedar-falls-iowa" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">President Obama visited Cedar Falls</a> to praise its municipal network and to support other efforts to improve rural high-speed Internet access. One of those efforts is <a href="http://www.wiatel.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Wiatel</a>. This small telecommunications coop is beginning a <a href="http://www.siouxlandmatters.com/news/local-news/siouxland-company-using-fiber-optics-to-speed-up-rural-internet" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">$25 million project</a> to upgrade its network from copper to fiber throughout its entire service area.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Fiber Connectivity</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">The cooper network that Wiatel uses now is sufficient for basic phone service, but upgrading to fiber will future-proof the network and provide better Internet speeds. The coop is based out of Lawton, a small town of about 1,000 people, but the coop serves an area of 700 miles. Wiatel hopes to start burying the fiber cables in the summer of 2016. Once the project gets started, officials from the cooperative estimate they will connect all residential and business customers to fiber within 24-30 months.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/another-coop-story-wiatel-wires-western-iowa" target="_blank">... Get the Full Story Here ...</a><br><br></p><h2 style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-january-4" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Community Broadband Media Roundup - January 4</a></h2><div style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;line-height:18.004px"><span style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, January 05, 2016 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/nick" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Nick</a></span></div><div style="line-height:18.004px"><div style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div><div><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-january-4" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/media-roundup-community-bb_1.png" alt="" title="" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Delaware</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.newarkpostonline.com/news/article_e4d9a49a-ef97-5d90-b873-dc1bea039863.html?mc_cid=a186b02941&mc_eid=2910c7b52b" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Council narrowly agrees to municipal broadband study</a> by Karie Simmons, Newark Post Online</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2015/12/27/newark-study-municipal-broadband/77944174/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Newark to study municipal broadband</a> by Xerxes Wilson, Delaware Online</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"> </p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Iowa</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong> </strong><a href="http://www.thonline.com/news/tri-state/article_1f7d4b09-c7f4-5c38-b9f6-9ed3ab3c2b80.html" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Dubuque enhances broadband access</a> by The Telegraph Herald</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-january-4" target="_blank"> ... Read our Full Community Network Roundup Here ...</a><br></p></div></div></div></div>

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