Promoting locally rooted, democratically accountable broadband networks that provide fast, affordable, and reliable Internet access to all Americans.
In this special episode of Unbuffered, Sean Gonsalves takes over hosting duties and sits down with Matthew Rantanen and Christopher Mitchell for a conversation about the origins, growth, and impact of the Tribal Broadband Bootcamps.
The discussion begins with the story behind the first bootcamp, tracing its roots to the Indigenous Connectivity Summit in Hawaiʻi and a hands-on effort to help a community deploy Internet connectivity for the first time. Matt and Chris reflect on the lessons learned from those early experiences and how they shaped a model focused on learning by doing, peer-to-peer problem solving, and building confidence alongside technical skills.
Sean, Matt, and Chris also discuss a new census of tribal networks, which shows that the number of active tribal broadband networks has more than doubled since 2020.
Listen to the Podcast
The story behind the Tribal Broadband Bootcamps and the growing movement to build tribal networks across Indian Country
Broadband surge is the result of Tribal Nations’ mission to establish "network sovereignty," says census researcher Jessica Auer.
With tax day as a backdrop, the ILSR Community Broadband Networks Initiative and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance convened its quarterly Building for Digital Equity...
New Mexico becomes first state to step up in absence of federal action to support households that can’t afford to pay for monthly Internet service.
A community broadband network, we define, as a publicly-owned, locally-controlled broadband network, which can include public-private partnerships. The most common kinds of community networks are municipal networks and cooperatives.
There are more than 1000 localities across the nation served by a community broadband network with many more in the planning or construction phase.
Having tracked and documented broadband developments for nearly 20 years, we have amassed the nation’s largest storehouse of information on community-driven efforts to solve local connectivity challenges.
We invite you to explore our trove of information on the birth and development of community broadband and portal into CommunityNetworks.org where we offer free access to over 4,000 stories, nearly 600 podcasts, dozens of reports, policy briefs, case studies, instructional videos, and other resources.
CommunityNetworks.org
The Verge published an in-depth piece authored by our own Sean Gonsalves and ILSR contributor Karl Bode that examines how BEAD became a billionaire boondoggle.
In The American Prospect, Sean Gonsalves reports on a recently filed bill in California that aims to strip telecommunications oversight authority away from the CPUC.
Three ILSR staffers talked to Liberation in a Generation and The Forge about the many dimensions of fighting corporate power — and building local power.
ILSR's Sean Gonsalves has a new piece in ProMarket on the continuing consolidation of telecommunication markets and why municipal broadband is a better option.
