<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><i style="font-size:13px"><br></i></div>
<div><h2 class="gmail-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/colorado-voters-choose-local-control-26-communities" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Colorado Voters Choose Local Control In 26 Communities</a></h2><div class="gmail-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="gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Wed, November 09, 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="gmail-content" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif;font-size:14px"><div class="gmail-field gmail-field-type-filefield gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="gmail-field-items"><div class="gmail-field-item gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/colorado-voters-choose-local-control-26-communities" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser gmail-imagecache-linked gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-colorado.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">We didn't need a crystal ball, magic potion, or ESP to predict that local Colorado voters would enthusiastically reclaim telecommunications authority yesterday. Twenty-six more local governments put the issue on the ballot and citizens fervently replied, “YES! YES, WE DO!”</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Colorado local communities that want to take action to improve their local connectivity are hogtied by SB 152, the state law passed in 2005. Unless they hold a referendum and ask voters if they wish to reclaim the right to do so, <a href="http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/colorado/?source=COLO;CODE&tocpath=1W8KUUS4NW3GOCPFE,21QOEVOFJ8QP3BI8A,3XMEOGS8MAK86ELHP;1HZD0CT5ARQQGD0CM,2P49LASZO4YMFXJ6Y,3TFYKXZSAUIE4O2GU;1QTBVPQ9PSEATXRNL,2RG1B8XN4PTNC0PGZ,337RP2ZVUYM5UD9TJ;16YGAEJWV2OETQX9C,2IAGCSBBSCHJ6JKWC,3AZRRSX7VXTO24DPM&shortheader=no" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">the law prevents</a> local governments from providing service or partnering with the private sector. Since the big incumbents that pushed the law through aren't providing necessary connectivity, their only choice is to opt out and work with new partners or move forward on their own.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/colorado-voters-choose-local-control-26-communities">... Communities Go Undefeated - 26 for 26 - Lots of Information Here ...</a></p></div></div><div><br></div><div><h2 class="gmail-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/madison-starts-muni-fiber-effort-considers-citywide-effort-community-broadband-bits-podcast-" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Madison Starts Muni Fiber Effort, Considers Citywide Effort - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 227</a></h2><div class="gmail-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="gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, November 08, 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="gmail-content" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif;font-size:14px"><div class="gmail-field gmail-field-type-filefield gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="gmail-field-items"><div class="gmail-field-item gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/madison-starts-muni-fiber-effort-considers-citywide-effort-community-broadband-bits-podcast-" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser gmail-imagecache-linked gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" 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="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">The second-largest city in Wisconsin and the home of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, is pursuing a path-breaking municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (<a class="gmail-glossary-term" 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>) strategy. They have already started by deploying fiber to several low-income neighborhoods and working with local ISP <a href="http://www.restechservices.net/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">ResTech</a> to offer services.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Madison CIO Paul Kronberger joins us for Community Broadband Bits episode 227 to discuss their plan. We start by discussing how they decided to deploy FTTH as a digital divide strategy. Like more and more of the communities considering this approach, Madison does not have a municipal electric utility.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">We also discuss how Madison plans to deal with the state law that limits municipal fiber network investments and why Madison has decided to work with a private provider even though the city will retain ownership of the network. Read more of <a href="https://muninetworks.org/tags/tags/madison" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Madison coverage here</a>.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">... <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/madison-starts-muni-fiber-effort-considers-citywide-effort-community-broadband-bits-podcast-">Listen to the Show Here</a> ... <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-227" style="color:rgb(121,80,37)">Read the transcript of the show here</a><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/transcript-community-broadband-bits-episode-227" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"> </a>...<br><br></p></div></div><div><h2 class="gmail-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/foundation-finds-broadband-beneficial-decatur" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Foundation Plans to Fund Municipal Broadband Infrastructure</a></h2><div class="gmail-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="gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Tue, November 08, 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="gmail-content" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif;font-size:14px"><div class="gmail-field gmail-field-type-filefield gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="gmail-field-items"><div class="gmail-field-item gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/foundation-finds-broadband-beneficial-decatur" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser gmail-imagecache-linked gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-decatur-il.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="125" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Decatur is in line to receive a donation that will jump-start the community’s musings over publicly owned Internet infrastructure.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Foundation Support</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">The Howard G. Buffet Foundation recently offered the community several million dollars for a range of public projects, including $330,000 toward expanding the city’s existing <a class="gmail-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)"><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. Decatur deployed a fiber backbone to connect a number of its own facilities in 2014. Earlier this year, city leaders began examining the possibility of expanding the backbone to provide better connectivity to Richland Community College and possibly beyond in the future. </p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/foundation-finds-broadband-beneficial-decatur">... A Great Precedent for Other Communities Here ...</a><br><br></p><h2 class="gmail-title" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:tahoma,arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/nc-rural-electric-cooperatives-teach-model-collaboration" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">NC Rural Electric Cooperatives Teach Model Collaboration</a></h2><div class="gmail-meta" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><span class="gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Sat, November 12, 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="gmail-content" style="font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><div class="gmail-field gmail-field-type-filefield gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="gmail-field-items"><div class="gmail-field-item gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/nc-rural-electric-cooperatives-teach-model-collaboration" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser gmail-imagecache-linked gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/seal-north-carolina.jpg" alt="" title="" width="125" height="122" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Throughout the October Broadband Communities Magazine conference, folks kept repeating this sentiment: some partnerships are smooth and others have rough patches. At the conference, we heard from several electric cooperatives who had partnered with other cooperatives to provide next-generation connectivity to their communities.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">We specifically want to highlight the work of two North Carolina electric cooperatives: <a href="http://www.lumbeeriver.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Lumbee River EMC</a> and <a href="http://brmemc.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Blue Ridge Mountain EMC</a>. They were both included in our report <a href="https://muninetworks.org/reports/north-carolina-connectivity-good-bad-and-ugly" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><em><strong>North Carolina Connectivity: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly</strong></em></a>. Each co-op took the bold step of building a Fiber-to-the-Home (<a class="gmail-glossary-term" 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 throughout sparsely populated regions. At the conference, we were able to learn first-hand about their experiences.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/nc-rural-electric-cooperatives-teach-model-collaboration">... There is Hope for Great Internet Access in Rural America ...</a></p></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><h2 class="gmail-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/holland-michigan-releases-rfi-responses-due-dec-20th" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Holland, Michigan, Releases RFI, Responses Due Dec. 20th</a></h2><div class="gmail-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="gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Fri, November 11, 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="gmail-content" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif;font-size:14px"><div class="gmail-field gmail-field-type-filefield gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="gmail-field-items"><div class="gmail-field-item gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/holland-michigan-releases-rfi-responses-due-dec-20th" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser gmail-imagecache-linked gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none"><img src="https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/imagecache/teaser/logo-holland-mi.png" alt="" title="" width="125" height="41" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser" style="border: 0px;"></a></div></div></div><p style="margin:1em 0px">Holland, Michigan, continues to pursue better local connectivity and hopes to find a private sector partner interested in using publicly owned fiber.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">Recently, the city released a <a href="http://hollandbpw.com/images/VendorContractor/Holland_-_RFI_-_Rev_7_-_11-01-2016_final.pdf" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Request for Information</a> (RFI) to reach out to potential partners who might be interested in working with the city for a Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) project. <strong>Responses are due December 20, 2016</strong>.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><strong>Developing Over Time</strong></p><p style="margin:1em 0px">The community of approximately 33,000 people deployed <a class="gmail-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)"><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> infrastructure in the early 1990s for power smart grid capability for their municipal electric utility. Since then, <a href="https://www.hollandbpw.com/" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Holland Board of Public Works</a> (HBPW) has expanded the network to provide connectivity for local school facilities and wholesale Internet services to a few local businesses that require high capacity data services. Over the years, Holland has increased the network to about 76 miles of backbone fiber and more than 150 total miles, which includes laterals.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/holland-michigan-releases-rfi-responses-due-dec-20th">... Another Exciting Announcement as Holland Prepares for Gig Future ...</a><br><br></p><h2 class="gmail-title" style="line-height:1.3em;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-family:tahoma,arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-november-14" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Community Broadband Media Roundup - November 14</a></h2><div class="gmail-meta" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-style:italic;margin-bottom:10px;font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><span class="gmail-submitted" style="font-size:0.9em">Mon, November 14, 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="gmail-content" style="font-family:verdana,tahoma,"dejavu sans",sans-serif"><div class="gmail-field gmail-field-type-filefield gmail-field-field-image" style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 1em 0px"><div class="gmail-field-items"><div class="gmail-field-item gmail-odd"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-november-14" class="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser gmail-imagecache-linked gmail-imagecache-teaser_linked" 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="gmail-imagecache gmail-imagecache-teaser" 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.denverite.com/dozens-colorado-communities-rejecting-sb-152-clearing-way-new-broadband-projects-22207/" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Dozens more Colorado communities rejected SB 152, clearing the way for municipal broadband</a> by Andrew Kenney, Denverite</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://consumerist.com/2016/11/10/another-set-of-colorado-counties-vote-to-toss-restricive-law-permit-municipal-broadband/" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Another set of Colorado counties vote to toss restrictive law, permit municipal broadband</a> by Kate Cox, Consumerist</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">Part of the reason broadband competition is so dang hard to come by for millions of us? <a href="https://consumerist.com/2014/02/12/cable-lobby-continues-to-work-hard-to-make-sure-youre-stuck-with-their-crappy-broadband/" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Protectionist, industry-backed</a> laws that make it either obscenely difficult or outright illegal to start a public network. Colorado is one of the states with such a law on the books, but voters in the Centennial State are once again saying they’d rather municipal networks had a chance.</p><p style="margin:1em 0px">MuniNetworks, which supports and advocates for communities to be able to build networks when they choose, <a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/colorado-voters-choose-local-control-26-communities" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">reports that</a> every single one of the 26 local municipal broadband networks on ballots in Colorado Tuesday <a class="gmail-glossary-term" href="https://muninetworks.org/glossary/1#term20" style="text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(0,136,0);color:rgb(121,80,37)"><cite title="Residences or businesses that have access to the network.  As a ftth network is constructed, it will generally be built through a neighborhood before individual houses or businesses are connected via a drop cable (which is also a fiber-optic cable).  When a house or businesses is" for="">passed</cite></a> with flying colors.</p></blockquote><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2016/11/09/golden-lafayette-colorado-communities-vote-broadband-internet/" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Golden, Lafayette and 24 Colorado communities vote yes on broadband Internet alternatives</a> by Tamara Chuang, The Denver Post & <a href="http://trueviralnews.com/golden-lafayette-and-24-colorado-communities-vote-yes-on-broadband-internet-alternatives/" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">True Viral News</a></p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/colorado-communities-preempt-state-muni-broadband-limits/161028" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Colorado communities preempt state muni broadband limits</a> by John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Colorado-Voters-Oppose-ComcastWritten-Protectionist-State-Law-138297" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Colorado voters oppose Comcast-written protectionist state law</a> by Karl Bode, DSL Reports</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20161109/09280136004/colorado-voters-continue-to-shoot-down-awful-comcast-written-protectionist-state-law.shtml" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(121,80,37);text-decoration:none">Colorado voters continue to shoot down awful Comcast-written protectionist state law</a> by Karl Bode, TechDirt</p><p style="margin:1em 0px"><a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-media-roundup-november-14">... Read the Full Community Network Media Roundup Here! ...</a></p></div></div></div><div><br></div></div>

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