In the most recent podcast from Community Matters, Fran Stoddard interviews Chris Mitchell and Billy Ray, from the Glasgow Electric Plant Board. The interview touches on the benefits of community networks, their critical role in the health of local communities, and provides info on getting a local initiative started. Glasgow, the first municipal network in the … Read More
Two more communities have gone on the record as supporting local authority for telecommunications infrastructure investment. Communities in Vidalia and Sebewaing passed resolutions supporting the FCC’s efforts to use its authority to discourage, prevent, and remove state barriers. Vidalia, on the west side of the Mississippi in Louisiana, recently began offering free Wi-Fi in its new sports … Read More
In February, we reported on another attempt by AT&T, Windstream, and Cincinnati Bell, to eliminate plain old telephone service (POTS) in Kentucky. According to Mimi Pickering from the Rural Broadband Policy Group, AT&T’s SB 99 is quickly moving ahead and may even be up for a full House vote at any time. Kentucky has fought to … Read More
The East Central Vermont Community Fiber-Optic Network (ECFiber) recently connected its 600th customer. The network continues to connect to additional homes and businesses, recently reaching Royalton. According to the Valley News, the network will extend to over 200 miles by the end of 2014, passing more than 2,000 homes and businesses. The story notes that the … Read More
Even though there are several publicly owned networks in Tennessee, existing state statutes create barriers discouraging investment. This year, there is a movement at the state Capitol that may change the environment. The Jolt Digest and CivSource recently reported that four bills aimed at expanding municipal networks in Tennessee have strong support in Nashville. These Tennessee … Read More
Two more communities recently passed resolutions in support of local authority for broadband networks. We have written about Ammon and its open access network in southeast Idaho. The municipal network connects anchor institutions and wireless towers in the community of approximately 14,000 people. Chris spoke with Bruce Patterson, Ammon’s Technology Director, in Episode 86 of the … Read More
The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities is presenting the 2014 IAMU Broadband Conference on March 26 – 27. The event will be held at the Ramada Tropics and Resort Center in downtown Des Moines. (Psst! Take your swimsuit – there is a water park in the Resort Center!) Christopher Mitchell will be presenting on March 26 … Read More
As in much of rural America, communities in Greater Minnesota struggle with connectivity. Some areas have no choice at all, forced to rely on dial-up or slow DSL. Others have an incumbent cable provider. A few local community leaders in Minnesota, conscious of the need for broadband to save public dollars, encourage economic development, and get … Read More
On February 27, the New America Foundation presented the live webcast, “Connected Communities in an Age of Digital Learning: A Vision for a 21st Century E-rate Program.” The webcast addressing the modernization of the E-rate program is now archived and available to view. As technology advances, schools must find ways to keep up. At the root … Read More
