When the DC Circuit Court handed down a decision ruling against the FCC’s Open Internet (network neutrality) rules, it also clarified that the FCC has the power to overrule state laws that limit local authority to build community networks. Harold Feld, Senior Vice President for Public Knowledge, joins us for Community Broadband Bits Episode #84 to … Read More
Its extensive free Wi-Fi has brought Ponca City into the limelight but the mesh network did not appear overnight. The community effort began with miles of fiber network that provide connectivity and enable the mesh network financially and technically. Ponca City, home to 25,000, is located on Oklahoma’s north central border; Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Wichita … Read More
The Sun Prairie City Council met on January 14th to discuss a possible investment in a municipal fiber network. Thank you to local resident Jonathan Kleinow for alerting us to developments in the south central Wisconsin town. The Star published an article about the meeting in which The Motive Group presented information to the Committee of … Read More
The Logan Journal recently reported that the Russellville Electric Plant Board (EPB) now offers gigabit service to local businesses. The article notes that Net Index, an online tool to measure download and upload speeds, recognizes EPB as the first Gig city in Kentucky. To learn more about the community and its network, we talked with Robert White, … Read More
The municipal electric utility in Russellville has launched Kentucky’s first citywide gigabit service on its FTTH network. Russellville Electric Plant Board General Manager Robert White joins us to share their motivations for building a fiber network. The utility had originally offered some telecommunications services over a wireless system but recognized the need for a more robust … Read More
We originally published this story on MuniNetworks.org, ILSR’s site dedicated to our broadband initiative. This is the first in a series of articles on Seattle and Gigabit Squared by Christopher Mitchell, Director of the Initiative. A few weeks ago, a Geekwire interview with outgoing Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn announced that the Gigabit Squared project there was … Read More
A growing number of local municipalities are finding ways to offer fee Wi-Fi. Vidalia is the latest according to a recent Miami Herald article. Community leaders hope to launch the new service by the spring of 2014. Vidalia, home to 4,300 residents, originally planned to use funds from a 2010 Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant … Read More
Vidalia joins the growing list of communities with plans to offer free Wi-Fi. A recent Miami Herald article reports on recent plans. Community leaders hope to get the project ready for launch in spring 2014. Vidalia, home to 4,300 residents, hoped to use funds from a 2010 Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant to build a … Read More
Ellensburg is quickly moving forward as it make plans to build a publicly owned fiber optic network. The City Council approved a contract with Canon Construction on December 16th, reports the Daily Record. From the article: Canon Construction of Milton won the contract to lay 13 miles of above- and underground fiber optic cables for the … Read More
