Google Fiber’s Dark Fiber Announcement Will Change How Cities Build Networks

Date: 22 Feb 2016 | posted in: MuniNetworks, Press Release | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 22, 2016

CONTACT: Rebecca Toews, rebecca@ILSR.org,

(612)808-0689 

Google Fiber’s Dark Fiber Announcement Will Change How Cities Build Networks

This morning, Huntsville, Alabama put a nail in the coffin of telephone and cable monopolies. The city is building a dark fiber network for any ISP to use– and Google Fiber was the first to jump on board.

Fiber is the gold standard, offering faster and more reliable Internet access than cable and DSL, but ISPs have generally struggled with its high capital costs.

“Now, cities can ensure everyone has access to the fiber and let ISPs compete over it, much as cities build roads and businesses use them to compete,” says Christopher Mitchell, the director of the Community Broadband Networks initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. “Think of this like a shopping mall with an anchor tenant. This provides legitimacy for the model, will help cities secure financing, and entice other city leaders to follow Huntsville’s lead.”

This decision means the investment in dark fiber becomes more viable and valuable to cities. They retain ownership to maximize public benefits, and open up space for independent ISPs to innovate and provide options for the local businesses and residents..

We applaud Huntsville for its innovation and Google for encouraging a model that will result in more competition and choice.

About Christopher Mitchell

Christopher Mitchell is the go-to national expert on Municipal Networks. He advises the White House on publicly-owned networks, the FCC on policy improvements, and city government officials on what they need to do to bring their communities access and competition. MuniNetworks.org tracks publicly owned Internet networks and gathers resources for cities like Huntsville so that they can implement smart policies that help bring them toward a 21st century future.

For interviews please contact Rebecca Toews at 612-808-0689  or at rebecca@ILSR.org. For more on the goals met by community broadband providers, please visit: http://www.muninetworks.org/communitymap.

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