<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"><i style="font-size:13px"><br></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="https://muninetworks.org/content/open-cape-works-communities-last-mile-community-broadband-bits-podcast-215" style="color:rgb(37,98,121);text-decoration:none">Open Cape Works With Communities for Last Mile - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 215</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, August 16, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://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="https://muninetworks.org/content/open-cape-works-communities-last-mile-community-broadband-bits-podcast-215" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://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">Cape Cod's <a href="https://opencape.org/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Open Cape</a> is the latest of the stimulus-funded <a class="" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term456" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)"><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.">middle mile</cite></a>broadband projects to focus on expanding to connect businesses and residents. We talk to Open Cape Executive Director Steve Johnston about the new focus and challenge of expansion in episode 215 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Steve has spent much of his first year as executive director in meetings with people all across the Cape. We talk about how important those meetings are and why Steve made them a priority in the effort to expand Open Cape.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">We also talk about the how Open Cape is using <a href="https://crowdfiber.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Crowd Fiber</a> to allow residents to show their interest in an Open Cape connection. They hope that expanding the network will encourage people to spend more time on the Cape, whether living or vacationing.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">The Cape is not just a vacation spot, it has a large number of full time residents that are looking for more economic opportunities and the higher quality of life that comes with full access to modern technology.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">... <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/open-cape-works-communities-last-mile-community-broadband-bits-podcast-215">Listen to the Show Here</a> ... <a href="https://muninetworks.org/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-215" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Read the transcript of this episode here</a> ...</p></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="https://muninetworks.org/content/chattanoogas-epb-ranked-tops-jd-powers-consumer-reports" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Chattanooga's EPB Ranked Tops By J.D. Powers, Consumer Reports</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, August 15, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://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="https://muninetworks.org/content/chattanoogas-epb-ranked-tops-jd-powers-consumer-reports" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/epbfiber.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="93" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">EPB customers love the fast, affordable, reliable Internet access they get from their muni and they appreciate the way its smart-grid helps them save money on their electric bill. According to a new J.D. Power report, their municipal utility is also the highest rated mid-size utility in the South for customer service and reliability.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Double Honors</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Just a month ago, <a href="http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2016/jun/17/consumer-reports-surveys-rate-epb-best-natitv/371498/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Consumer Reports magazine rated EPB the best</a> TV and Internet access utility in the county for customer satisfaction, as chosen by a reader survey. The J.D. Power report went on to rank EPB number two in the country in the category of municipal or investor-owned electric utility.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/chattanoogas-epb-ranked-tops-jd-powers-consumer-reports">... More Evidence That Chattanooga's EPB Fiber is Killing It ...</a><br><br></p><div class="" style="line-height:18.004px"></div><h2 class="" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/community-connections-anne-schweiger-boston-massachusetts" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Community Connections - Anne Schweiger, Boston, Massachusetts</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, August 17, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/rebecca" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">rebecca</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="https://muninetworks.org/content/community-connections-anne-schweiger-boston-massachusetts" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/icon-muninetworks-video.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="124" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">In this week's Community Connections, Christopher chats with Anne Schweiger, Broadband and Digital Equity Advocate for the city of Boston. Schweiger talks about the challenges that Boston faces, including a lack of competition and adoption of broadband in the home. She talks about the importance of "baking good broadband practice" into building codes for cities.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">In February, 2016 the <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/boston-globe-build-muni" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Boston Globe editorial board </a>came out in support of a municipal network. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Boston has its own <a class="" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term305" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)"><cite title="A reinforced tube through which cabling runs. Conduit is useful both to protect fiber-optic cables in the ground and because one can place the conduit underground when convenient and later ">conduit</cite></a> network and significant fiber assets, but residents and businesses must seek service from large private providers. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/community-connections-anne-schweiger-boston-massachusetts">... Watch the Video Here ...</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="https://muninetworks.org/content/comment-highlights-proposed-hud-rule-expand-low-income-residential-internet-access" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Comment Highlights: Proposed HUD Rule To Expand Low-Income Residential Internet Access</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, August 17, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/katesvitavsky" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">KateSvitavsky</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="https://muninetworks.org/content/comment-highlights-proposed-hud-rule-expand-low-income-residential-internet-access" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-HUD.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/comments-wanted-proposed-hud-rule-expand-low-income-residential-internet-access" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">recently asked for comments</a> about a <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=HUD-2016-0050-0001" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">proposed rule</a> to expand low-income access to high-speed Internet. The regulations would require building owners to install high-speed Internet infrastructure in HUD-funded multi-family rental housing during new construction or substantial rehabilitation, improving Internet access by promoting competition. Because the Internet infrastructure is not owned by one company, many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can compete to provide residents with better options.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">A variety of individuals and groups provided feedback for HUD, including local governments, nonprofit advocacy groups, ISPs, and professional associations. The majority of comments support HUD’s proposed rule, with many encouraging HUD to go further in their efforts to close the digital divide.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/comment-highlights-proposed-hud-rule-expand-low-income-residential-internet-access">... Read the Full Story with Excerpts From The Comments 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="https://muninetworks.org/content/virginia%E2%80%99s-fauquier-county-hires-broadband-consultant" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Virginia’s Fauquier County Hires Broadband Consultant</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">Thu, August 18, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/alexander" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">alexander</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="https://muninetworks.org/content/virginia%E2%80%99s-fauquier-county-hires-broadband-consultant" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-fauqueir-co-va.jpg" alt="" title="" width="120" height="125" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Fauquier County, located less than an hour west of Washington, D.C., <a href="http://www.fauquiernow.com/index.php/fauquier_news/article/fauquier-county-seeks-to-map-strategy-for-broadband-2016" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">recently formalized a contract </a>with a Virginia-based consultant to develop a broadband Internet strategy for the county. The county is home to nearly 70,000 residents, many commute to work in D.C.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>What’s the problem?</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Fauquier County had the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/local/highest-income-counties/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">eighth-highest median income</a> in the United States in 2011, yet its rural residents lack high-speed Internet access options. Large corporate Internet service providers (ISPs), Comcast and Verizon, deliver high-speed Internet to profitable markets in Fauquier’s largest towns, Bealeton, Warrenton, and Marshall. However, due to low population densities and low projected returns,<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/14/AR2011031402127.html" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"> incumbent ISPs did not invest </a>in broadband infrastructure upgrades that rural communities need. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/virginia%E2%80%99s-fauquier-county-hires-broadband-consultant">... Many More Details in Our 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="https://muninetworks.org/content/and-award-community-broadband-network-year-goes-ammon-idaho" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">And the Award for Community Broadband Network of the Year Goes to-- Ammon, Idaho!</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">Fri, August 19, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://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="https://muninetworks.org/content/and-award-community-broadband-network-year-goes-ammon-idaho" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-ammon-id.gif" alt="" title="" width="125" height="41" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">On August 1st, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (<a class="" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term261" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted 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>) recognized Ammon, Idaho’s promise at the 2016 Community Broadband Awards. NATOA named Ammon’s <a class="" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted 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> network the <a href="https://www.natoa.org/web/site_issue/issue_detail/22" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">2016 Community Broadband Project of the Year</a>. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Innovative Ideas in Idaho</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">It's a great recognition for the innovative little city in Idaho. They have been incrementally building an open access Fiber-to-the-Home (<a class="" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term13" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted 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 for years. In 2015, they won <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/ammon-id-creates-award-winning-ultra-high-speed-app" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">an award for designing an ultra high-speed application</a> to use the network to coordinate responses to school shootings. And earlier this year, they approved an ingenious funding method: <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/ammons-local-improvement-district-gets-city-council-blessing" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">a Local Improvement District</a> (LID). Residents will have the choice of opting into the costs and benefits of the fiber project or opting out completely. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/and-award-community-broadband-network-year-goes-ammon-idaho">... (Re)Watch Our Ammon Video at the Bottom of This Story ...</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="https://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-august-22" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Community Broadband Media Roundup - August 22</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, August 22, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/nick" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Nick</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="https://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-august-22" class="" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/media-roundup-community-bb_0_17.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" class="" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Colorado</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.coloradohometownweekly.com/news/ci_30240139/lafayette-eyes-municipal-broadband-ecopass-november-ballot" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Lafayette eyes municipal broadband, EcoPass for November ballot</a> by Anthony Hahn, Colorado Hometown Weekly & <a href="http://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/Lafayette-Colo-Will-Put-Municipal-Broadband-to-a-Vote.html" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">GovTech</a></p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://bizwest.com/larimer-county-refers-broadband-law-exemption-november-ballot/" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Larmier County refers broadband-law exemption to November ballot</a> by Dallas Heltzell, BizWest</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://gazette.com/el-paso-county-may-ask-voters-to-help-bring-internet-service-to-rural-communities/article/1582927" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">El Paso County may ask voters to help bring Internet service to rural communities</a> by Matt Steiner, Colorado Springs Gazette</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-august-22">... Read the Full Community Network Media Roundup Here ...</a></p></div></div></div>

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