Governing Looks at What the Comcast – Time Warner Cable Merger Could Do to Munis

Date: 21 May 2014 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The debate surrounding the proposed Comcast Time Warner Cable merger continues. The Department of Justice and the FCC ruminate over the deal while the media speculates about the future. Governing recently published an article on potential side effects for the municipal network movement. Tod Newcombe reached out to Chris for expert opinion. From Governing: Partially thanks … Read More

Wheeler Tells Cable Industry He Intends to Remove Anti-Competitive State Laws

Date: 2 May 2014 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is prepared to roll back restrictions that prevent local governments from deciding if a municipal network would be a wise investment. At the Cable Show Industry conference in Los Angeles, Wheeler told cable industry leaders the FCC will wield its powers to reduce state barriers on municipal networks. Wheeler spoke before the … Read More

City of Urbana Passes Resolution Supporting FCC Section 706 Authority

Date: 7 Apr 2014 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The Illinois community of Urbana, home of UC2B, recently passed a resolution in favor of FCC’s section 706 authority. The community’s fiber project is bridging the digital divide in this community of 41,000. On March 17, the City Council voted unanimously to support the FCC as it considers action to discourage, prevent, and remove state legislative … Read More

Louisiana and Michigan Towns Pass Resolutions to Support Municipal Network Authority

Date: 27 Mar 2014 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

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

Home Security Firm ADT Opposes Kentucky Bill to Eliminate Landlines

Date: 26 Mar 2014 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

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

Tennessee Legislature Considers Four Pro-Muni Bills

Date: 24 Mar 2014 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

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

Chris Mitchell Hosts March 18th Webinar: Tech in The City

Date: 13 Mar 2014 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

On March 18th, our own Chris Mitchell will host a webinar that you don’t want to miss. Tech In the City: A Conversation About Community Broadband Access will be an engaging discussion about municipal networks in light of the recent Verizon v. FCC decision. The court delved into the FCC’s authority, clearing up ambiguities from past … Read More

Utah Senate Bill Attacking UTOPIA on the Fast Track: SB190

Date: 28 Feb 2014 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

UPDATE: According to Pete Ashdown, the amendment has been pulled. Stay vigilant, these things rarely just go away. We reported earlier this month that UTOPIA was once again facing legislative attack at the state level in the form of HB60. While the House has focused on other issues, the Utah Senate is launching its own attack. … Read More

Consumers Don’t Buy Wal-Mart Rap On Gasoline Law

Date: 1 Aug 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

As we reported in recent issues of this Bulletin, Wal-Mart is lobbying several state legislatures to repeal laws that bar below-cost sales of gasoline. Wal-Mart is installing gas stations in the parking lots of hundreds of its superstores. By selling gas below its wholesale cost, Wal-Mart hopes to draw shoppers into its stores and eliminate independent competitors. The problem is, many states have laws that require retailers to sell gas at a minimum mark-up. … Read More

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