<div dir="ltr"><div><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><div><i style="font-size:13px"><br></i></div><div><br></div><div>We have <b>just released a report on Internet access in North Carolina</b> and how rural areas are rapidly falling behind urban areas without any realistic hope for investment from the big telephone or cable companies. Co-ops and municipalities have made impressive investments but are hobbled by state barriers. <b><a href="https://muninetworks.org/reports/north-carolina-connectivity-good-bad-and-ugly" target="_blank">Read the Report Here! North Carolina Connectivity: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly</a></b>.<br><br></div><div><br></div><div><h2 class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-title" 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/dark-fiber-free-wi-fi-startups-cape-girardeau-missouri" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Dark Fiber, Free Wi-Fi, Startups in Cape Girardeau, Missouri</a></h2><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-meta" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-size:14px;font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><span class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Mon, October 03, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/hannah" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">hannah</a></span></div><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-content" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif;font-size:14px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-type-filefield m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-items"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-item m_7357546958273975448gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-free-wi-fi-startups-cape-girardeau-missouri" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-linked m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-city-cape-girardeau-mo.png" alt="" title="" width="86" height="125" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Missouri law has severely restricted municipal networks, but local entrepreneurs decided to create their own fast, affordable, reliable community connectivity. The <a href="http://www.cityofcapegirardeau.org/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">City of Cape Girardeau</a> has made new plans in its Marquette Tech District: free public <a class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-glossary-term" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term29" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)" target="_blank"><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>and a tech-hub for startups. Although the city is already home to more than 100 large employers, city officials want to also encourage small businesses and entrepreneurship. Underneath all the possibilities is publicly owned dark fiber.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">The Marquette Tech District will utilize the City of Cape Girardeau’s dark fiber to connect the new tech-hub and provide free public Wi-Fi. The project hopes to bring new vitality to the Marquette Tower building, a center of the city's old economy, transforming it into a space for new technology-based companies. Local entrepreneurs have created a nonprofit to develop the project and the local Internet Service Provider (ISP) <a href="http://bigrivercom.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Big River Communications</a> is on board. The city, meanwhile, owns the essential infrastructure - the fiber.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/dark-fiber-free-wi-fi-startups-cape-girardeau-missouri" target="_blank">... A very Interesting Project in Missouri - More Here ...</a><br><br></p><h2 class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-title" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:tahoma,arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/carrier-grade-fiber-centennial-colorado-community-broadband-bits-podcast-222" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Carrier-Grade Fiber in Centennial, Colorado - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 222</a></h2><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-meta" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><span class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, October 04, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/christopher" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">christopher</a></span></div><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-content" style="font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-type-filefield m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-items"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-item m_7357546958273975448gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/carrier-grade-fiber-centennial-colorado-community-broadband-bits-podcast-222" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-linked m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-community-bb-networks.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Located in the Denver metro region and shaped like a barbell, <a href="http://www.centennialco.gov/Business-Services/fiber-initiative.aspx" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Centennial has effectively used dig once policies</a> to build <a class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-glossary-term" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term305" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)" target="_blank"><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> and fiber assets that have attracted <a href="https://ting.com/internet/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Ting</a> to the community. Tim Scott is the Director of Fiber Infrastructure for the city and joins us on Community Broadband Bits podcast episode 222.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Centennial took advantage of a project installing fiber for Intelligent Transportation Signaling. But just putting in more fiber was not sufficient to establish a carrier-grade network that ISPs would want to use. Tim explains what they had to do to attract ISP interest.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Centennial's shape is very conducive to their strategy (which may be a tautology - they chose that strategy because it works for them). At any rate, their arterial corridors run quite close to the majority of premises and therefore a well-designed fiber backbone network is more attractive in that community than others.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">... <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/carrier-grade-fiber-centennial-colorado-community-broadband-bits-podcast-222" target="_blank">Listen to the Show Here</a> ... <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-222" style="color:rgb(121,80,37)" target="_blank">Read the transcript of the show here</a> ...<br><br></p><h2 class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-title" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:tahoma,arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/mediacom-lawyers-slow-competition-court-time-resources" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Mediacom Lawyers Slow Competition With Court Time, Resources</a></h2><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-meta" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><span class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Thu, October 06, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-content" style="font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-type-filefield m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-items"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-item m_7357546958273975448gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/mediacom-lawyers-slow-competition-court-time-resources" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-linked m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-iowa-city.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="87" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px"> </p><p style="margin:1em 0px">When big corporate incumbent providers fear a hint of competition from a new entrant, they pull out all the stops to quash any potential threat. One of the first lines of offense involves the courts. <a href="http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2016/01/26/mediacom-lawsuit-continues-imon-launches-services/79360904/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Iowa City now leases its fiber to Cedar Rapids based ImOn</a> and to stop it, Mediacom is reprocessing an old argument. It didn't work the first time, but they are going for it anyway; this is another example of how cable companies try to hobble competitors; just stalling can be a "win."</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>A Lawsuit In Search Of An Offense</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Mediacom has a <a class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-glossary-term" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term12" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)" target="_blank"><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> agreement with Iowa City to offer cable television services and it also provides subscribers the option to purchase Internet access and telephone services. As most of our readers are attuned to these matters, you probably already understand that just any old cable TV provider can’t come into Iowa City and set up shop. State and local law require them to obtain a franchise agreement, which often includes additional obligations in exchange for access to a community’s potential customer base.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/mediacom-lawyers-slow-competition-court-time-resources" target="_blank">... Read Our Full In-Depth Coverage Providing a Great Overview Here ...</a><br><br></p></div></div><h2 class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-title" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:tahoma,arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/grant-gets-project-going-sanford" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Grant Gets Project Going In Sanford</a></h2><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-meta" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><span class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, October 04, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-content" style="font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-type-filefield m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-items"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-item m_7357546958273975448gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/grant-gets-project-going-sanford" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-linked m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-sanford-maine.png" alt="" title="" width="124" height="125" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.sanfordmaine.org/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Sanford, Maine</a>’s plan to build a municipal <a class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-glossary-term" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term625" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)" target="_blank"><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> <a class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-glossary-term" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term10" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)" target="_blank"><cite title="A system that uses glass (or plastic) to carry light which is used to transmit information.  Typically, each side of the fiber is attached to a laser that send the light signals.  When the connection reaches capacity, the lasers may be upgraded to send much more information along the same strand of fiber.  This technology has been used for decades and will remain the dominant method of transmitting information for the foreseeable future.">fiber-optic</cite></a> network just got the shot in the arm it needs to move forward. On September 27th, the <a href="https://www.eda.gov/index.htm" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">U.S. Economic Development Administration</a> (EDA) awarded the community $769,000 in grant funding to complete the $1.5 million project.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Mightiest Muni In Maine</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">About a year ago, <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/sanford-maine-plans-largest-municipal-network-state" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">we shared details</a> about the plan to deploy what will be the largest publicly owned fiber-optic network in the state. The 45-mile network will run through <a href="http://www.sanfordmaine.org/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Sanford</a>, but will also travel through Alford, Kennebunk, and Wells and will connect to Maine’s statewide network, the Three Ring Binder. “We’re creating the fourth ring on the 3-Ring Binder,” said City Manager Steve Buck, in a <a href="http://www.journaltribune.com/news/2016-09-30/Front_Page/Sanfords_fiber_optic_highway_ready_to_roll.html" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">recent Journal Tribune article</a>.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/grant-gets-project-going-sanford" target="_blank">... Read More About Another Exciting Project in Maine ...</a></p></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><h2 class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-title" 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/rural-georgia-heres-survey-ya" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Rural Georgia, Here's A Survey For Ya!</a></h2><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-meta" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-size:14px;font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><span class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Wed, October 05, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-content" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif;font-size:14px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-type-filefield m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-items"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-item m_7357546958273975448gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/rural-georgia-heres-survey-ya" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-linked m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-georgia.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Georgia has a few areas where businesses and residents can obtain high-quality Internet access, usually from munis, but most of the rural areas of the state are still lacking when it comes to connectivity. In order to find out exactly how big the problem is, state lawmakers are asking rural Georgia residents to complete an online broadband survey.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Asking Rural Residents</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">State Sen. Steve Gooch <a href="http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/119305/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">told the Gainesville Times</a>, the results will be used by a joint committee of lawmakers who will then make recommendations to the General Assembly next year. “One of the biggest problems I have gotten complaints about from my constituents is the Internet,” he said.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/rural-georgia-heres-survey-ya" target="_blank">... More on the Survey Here ...</a><br><br></p></div></div><div><h2 class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-title" 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/buses-bring-wi-fi-so-kids-can-work-home" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Buses Bring Wi-Fi So Kids Can Work At Home</a></h2><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-meta" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-size:14px;font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><span class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Fri, October 07, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-content" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif;font-size:14px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-type-filefield m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-items"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-item m_7357546958273975448gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/buses-bring-wi-fi-so-kids-can-work-home" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-linked m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/book_0.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="121" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">When <a href="http://www.libertycountyga.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Liberty County, Georgia</a>’s school system, began a one-to-one iPad initiative, they were making a positive impact in technology readiness for local school kids. After a year of the program, however, district officials determined that lack of Internet access at home was so prevalent, students ran the risk of falling behind. To fix the problem and allow kids to work online away from school, the school district is <a href="http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/10/05/georgia-district-creates-homework-zones-via-wi-fi-buses/?ps=lgonzalez%40ilsr.org-001a000001IzmYI-003a000001fOe3a" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">installing buses with Wi-Fi </a>equipment and parking them throughout the community, creating “Homework Zones.”</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Taking Internet Access To The Streets</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">In Liberty County, approximately 60 percent of students don’t have Internet access at home, which renders school issued iPads useless at home. Access is available in libraries, when there are extended school hours, and sometimes in other public locations, but using public Wi-Fi takes kids away from home; some kids are just too young to be out at night.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/buses-bring-wi-fi-so-kids-can-work-home" target="_blank">... Read the Rest of This Discussion on School Bus Wi-Fi ...</a><br><br></p><h2 class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-title" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:tahoma,arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/finance-leader-turns-rvba" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Finance Leader Turns To RVBA</a></h2><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-meta" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><span class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Sat, October 08, 2016 | Posted by <a href="https://muninetworks.org/users/lgonzalez" title="View user profile." style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">lgonzalez</a></span></div><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-content" style="font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-type-filefield m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-items"><div class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-field-item m_7357546958273975448gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/finance-leader-turns-rvba" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-linked m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-roanoke-valley-broadband-auth.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="47" class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache m_7357546958273975448gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border:0px"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Now that the <a href="http://highspeedroanoke.net/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority</a> (RVBA) has its <a class="m_7357546958273975448gmail-glossary-term" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term10" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)" target="_blank"><cite title="A system that uses glass (or plastic) to carry light which is used to transmit information.  Typically, each side of the fiber is attached to a laser that send the light signals.  When the connection reaches capacity, the lasers may be upgraded to send much more information along the same strand of fiber.  This technology has been used for decades and will remain the dominant method of transmitting information for the foreseeable future.">fiber-optic</cite></a>network offering services to local businesses, smart companies that want fast, affordable, reliable connectivity are signing up. The latest is finance company,<a href="https://www.meridium.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Meridium</a>, which was recently acquired by GE Digital.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">We <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/virginias-roanoke-valley-opens-fiber-access-community-broadband-bits-podcast-221" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">recently interviewed</a> CEO and President of the RVBA, Frank Smith, who described what it’s like to be “the new kid on the block.” The RVBA has faced some opposition and dealt with highs and lows during deployment, but as news of the network spreads, we expect to see more press releases like this coming from the Roanoke Valley:</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/finance-leader-turns-rvba" target="_blank">.... See the Quote and Read More Here ...</a></p></div></div></div><div><br></div></div>

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