<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><i style="font-size:13px"><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/north-carolina-coop-fibers-rural-counties-and-more-community-broadband-bits-podcast-188" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">North Carolina Coop Fibers Up Rural Counties and More - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 188</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, February 09, 2016 | 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/north-carolina-coop-fibers-rural-counties-and-more-community-broadband-bits-podcast-188" 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">North Carolina is increasingly split between those in urban areas, where some private sector providers are investing in next-generation gigabit networks, and rural areas where the big providers have no plans to invest in modern networks. But coming out of Wilkes County, a cooperative ISP called <a href="http://www.wilkes.net/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Wilkes Communications and River Street Networks</a> is taking fiber where the big companies won't.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">This week, Wilkes Communications and River Street Networks President & CEO Eric Cramer joins us for Community Broadband Bits episode 188 to discuss their approach, history, and plans for keeping rural communities well connected. They offer gigabit fiber, telephone, and cable television services.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Wilkes has already upgraded all of its original 8800 member-owners from copper to fiber, with some help from the broadband stimulus programs to reach the costliest areas. It is now expanding to nearby areas and has overbuilt the population center of the county after CenturyLink continued plugging away with last century solutions.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">... <a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/north-carolina-coop-fibers-rural-counties-and-more-community-broadband-bits-podcast-188">Listen to the Show Here </a>... <a href="http://www.muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-188" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none;line-height:18.004px">The transcript from this episode is available 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/sale-optinet-bvu-caught-between-virginias-rock-and-hard-place" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Sale of OptiNet: BVU Caught Between Virginia's Rock And A Hard Place</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, February 12, 2016 | 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:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/sale-optinet-bvu-caught-between-virginias-rock-and-hard-place" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-bvu.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="52" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">For more than a decade, the people of Bristol, Virginia have enjoyed what most of us can only dream about - fast affordable, reliable, connectivity.  In recent days, we learned that Bristol Virginia Utilities Authority (BVU) has entered into a deal to sell its OptiNet <a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term27" 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 three main services offered over these networks - television, phone services, and Internet access.  Turns out that many people like to get all three from the same service provider on the same bill.  Service providers frequently offer deals that will lower the cost on these packages.  Typically, television breaks even or loses money whereas the service provider makes the most profits from phone and Internet access.">triple-play</cite></a> fiber network to a private provider. The deal is contingent on approval by several entities.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">As we dig deeper into the situation, we understand that troubles in southwestern Virginia and Bristol have led to this decision. Nevertheless, we urge the Bristol community to weigh the long-term consequences before they sacrifice OptiNet. Once you give up control, you won’t get it back.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>"...A Few Bad Apples..."</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">If the people of Bristol surrender this valuable public asset to the private market, they run the risk of undoing 15 years of great work. None of this is a commentary on the private provider, <a href="http://www.sunset-fiber.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Sunset Digital Communications</a>, which may be a wonderful company. The problem is that Sunset will be making the decisions in the future, not the community. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/sale-optinet-bvu-caught-between-virginias-rock-and-hard-place">... This is a VERY Disappointing Story - Our In-Depth Coverage Here ...</a></p></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/newark-delaware-city-council-votes-feasibility-study" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Newark, Delaware, City Council Votes For Feasibility Study</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">Mon, February 08, 2016 | 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/newark-delaware-city-council-votes-feasibility-study" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-newark-de_0.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="97" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Newark, Delaware, prides itself on its <a href="http://www.cityofnewarkde.us/index.aspx?nid=945" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">small-city status</a>: a bike-friendly place with a great main street and home to 30,000 residents. Some, however, consider poor Internet access Newark's biggest small-city problem.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">In December, the City Council decided to move forward with a feasibility study for a municipal broadband network. In a 4-3 vote, the <a href="http://www.newarkpostonline.com/news/article_e4d9a49a-ef97-5d90-b873-dc1bea039863.html?mc_cid=a186b02941&mc_eid=e00c29a42c" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">city council hired a consulting firm</a> to investigate the city’s options for connectivity. For $69,000, the firm will answer Newark's questions, and the city will attempt to make an informed decision on the possibility of a municipal network.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Process for a Feasibility Study</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">As we <a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/newark-delaware-considers-municipal-fiber-feasibility-study" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">reported in September</a>, residents have driven the push toward a publicly owned network; the city council took notice and began considering the possibility. In October 2015, They hosted a public meeting to bring together community stakeholders and interested residents. At that point, community leaders heard from a consulting company about what a feasibility study would entail.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/newark-delaware-city-council-votes-feasibility-study">... Read the Rest of our Coverage of Newark ...</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/electric-coop-green-lights-fiber-pilot-project" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Electric Coop Green Lights Fiber Pilot Project</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, February 11, 2016 | 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="line-height:18.004px"><div class="" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class=""><div class=""><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/electric-coop-green-lights-fiber-pilot-project" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-dmea-coop.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="45" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Electric coops empowered communities during rural electrification in the 1930s, connecting people to power grids. Now electric coops have the opportunity again to empower communities through affordable, high-speed connectivity. In Colorado, the <a href="http://www.dmea.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA)</a> is moving forward<a href="http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/coop-moves-closer-to-broadband" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"> with a pilot project for a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network</a>.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Unanimous Decision for Fiber</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">In late December 2015, the DMEA Board of Directors gave the green light to start the pilot project. The move to provide connectivity comes as no surprise. DMEA considered providing <cite title="Middle mile is a term most often referring to the network connection between the last mile and greater Internet.  For instance, in a rural area, the middle mile would likely connect the town's network to a larger metropolitan area where it interconnects with major carriers." style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)"><a class="" href="http://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term456" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-bottom-color:rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)">middle mile</a> </cite>connectivity for a long while before coming to the decision to instead deploy FTTH. If the coop had chosen to develop the middle mile network, they would not have connected members’ homes, but instead would have built infrastructure connecting to the larger Internet. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/electric-coop-green-lights-fiber-pilot-project">... More on this Coop Approach ...</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/mount-washington-muni-permission-move-ahead-granted" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Mount Washington Muni: Permission to Move Ahead Granted</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, February 09, 2016 | 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/mount-washington-muni-permission-move-ahead-granted" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-mt-washington-ma.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="85" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">The town of <a href="http://townofmtwashington.com/index.php" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Mount Washington, Massachusetts</a>, has successfully streamlined its ability to invest in a municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (<a class="" 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)"><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.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">On January 22nd, Governor Charlie Baker signed a <a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S1978" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">home-rule bill</a> specifically granting the tiny town of 124 residents a special authority:</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">"Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the town of Mount Washington may own, operate, maintain, manage or hire others to do so on its behalf, and to take any reasonable action necessary to establish and operate broadband high speed internet infrastructure and services without the establishment of a municipal light plant."</p></blockquote><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Another Underserved Rural Town</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Mount Washington is located in the southwest corner of the state; much of the community is covered by the Mount Washington State Forest and Mount Everett State Reservation. Large incumbents do not feel investment in fast, affordable, reliable network infrastructure would pay off. Due to a small population, the Taconic Mountains, and thickly wooded geography, any return on investment will take longer in Mount Washington than in urban areas.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/mount-washington-muni-permission-move-ahead-granted">... Read More About Mt Washington's Progress ...</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/minnesota-public-officials-home-and-dc-funding-rural-high-speed-internet" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Minnesota Public Officials at Home and In D.C.: Funding Rural High-Speed Internet</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, February 10, 2016 | 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/minnesota-public-officials-home-and-dc-funding-rural-high-speed-internet" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-minnesota.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">It’s getting to be a sad, repetitive tale: crappy Internet for rural populations. Minnesota public officials hope to change that. At both state and federal levels, they’re advocating for greater funding for rural high-speed Internet. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px">They’ve proposed several ideas to fund rural connectivity. At the state level, Governor Mark Dayton is pushing to use $100 million of the Minnesota government budget surplus for rural broadband projects. In D.C., Congressman Rick Nolan has introduced a bill to provide funding for regional solutions, and Senator Amy Klobuchar is working on a bill for coordinating broadband installation and highway construction. Will any of these ideas work?</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Minnesota Budget Surplus</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Minnesota’s state government expects a $1.9 billion budget surplus, which presents an opportunity to fund large, one-time investments. The <a href="http://www.startribune.com/as-minnesota-s-budget-surplus-grows-so-should-reserve-fund/360509981/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Star Tribune notes</a> that such one-time investments in infrastructure, “especially when infrastructure is defined broadly to include roads, transit, public buildings and broadband capacity,” could prove a welcome idea. Fiber networks have high, up-front construction costs, but they offer next-generation, high-speed connectivity. Depending on what state leaders do, those high construction costs may no longer be a barrier.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/minnesota-public-officials-home-and-dc-funding-rural-high-speed-internet">... Read the Rest of this Story 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/local-communities-appeal-state-leaders-change-state-anti-muni-law" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Local Communities Appeal to State Leaders: Change State Anti-Muni Law</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">Sat, February 13, 2016 | Posted by <a href="http://muninetworks.org/users/ternste" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">ternste</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/local-communities-appeal-state-leaders-change-state-anti-muni-law" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="http://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-marion-cnty-tn.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="121" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Some of us remember it - not so fondly - as a discarded relic of an early era of the Internet. But it’s not a relic for people in some parts of rural Tennessee: the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsNaR6FRuO0" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">awful sound of a dial-up modem</a>.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">There are approximately 28,000 people living in the county and as Marion County Mayor David Jackson tells it, he knows residents with no Internet access at all. Some of Marion County residents with nothing better than dial-up can actually look across the Tennessee River and see buildings and houses served by Chattanooga's EPB’s gigabit Fiber-to-the-Home (<a class="" 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)"><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.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Given this stark contrast, it’s no wonder the push is intensifying for more access to publicly owned Internet networks in Tennessee.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://muninetworks.org/content/local-communities-appeal-state-leaders-change-state-anti-muni-law">... Read the Full Story Here ...</a></p></div></div></div><div><br></div></div>

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