A new report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance argues that a publicly owned information infrastructure is the key to healthy competition, universal access, and non-discriminatory networks.

“Localizing the Internet: Five Ways Public Ownership Solves the U.S. Broadband Problem” notes that high speed broadband is becoming ever more widespread.  But, it argues, the way in which that broadband is introduced may be as important as whether it is introduced.

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San Francisco has launched an initiative to provide wireless access everywhere in the city. A number of Supervisors and residents have raised the possibility of the City following in the footsteps of over 200 other U.S. cities that already own information networks.  To date, the City has not addressed that question, or at least no such study has been forthcoming.

Media Alliance invited the Institute for Local Self-Reliance to investigate the economics of a publicly owned information infrastructure. This report contains a preliminary financial analysis.  Without complete information from the City, the numbers are not precise. But we think this analysis could serve as the basis for an informed discussion. We urge the City to undertake its own more detailed examination and make it public.

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The first and only issue of Commons Knowledge, subtitle: Irregular Reports From the Municipal Telecom Front, featured an article about the COPE Act; a new broadband study from Saint Paul, Minnesota; and the ParkWiFi Pilot in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota.

Commons Knowledge promotes publicly owned, open access broadband infrastructure and news of communities that are exploring their options in this area.

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Philadelphia and Earthlink have developed the first contract between a major city and a private network owner for citywide wireless. This paper presents the highlights of the Wireless Philadelphia Broadband Network Agreement between Earthlink and Wireless Philadelphia (the city government-chartered non-profit), with my comments in italics. At the end is a summary of the overall lessons cities might learn from Philadelphia’s experience.

This is not a complete representation of the contract. Rather, I have emphasized those points that have not been included in news reports but re important to other cities considering privately owned citywide wireless networks. 

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Current federal telecom policies are biased toward corporations at the expense of consumers.

Competitive broadband service and pricing is within reach of most Minnesotans if anti-competitive polices and practices are removed and municipal governments build broadband infrastructure, according to this report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

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