News

Minnesota Broadband Conference February 4 - 5

By on Jan 27, 2014

Mark your calendar to attend Boarder to Boarder Broadband: A Call to Action on February 4 - 5 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The event is sponsored by the Blandin Foundation and a long list of organizations concerned with connectivity, economic development, and education ni Minnesota.

Sun Prairie Ponders Fiber Network Investment in Wisconsin

By on Jan 27, 2014

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.

Colbert Covers Network Neutrality

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 25, 2014

Enjoy...

Merit Collaborates With OARnet and Local Community in Hillsdale, Michigan

By on Jan 24, 2014

A recent press release from the Merit educational and research network in Michigan announces a new connection to its Ohio sister, OARnet. Member entities and local communities now enjoy better redundancy, expanded reach, and better services.

High Speed in the Blue Grass State: Russellville's Gig

By on Jan 23, 2014

The Logan Journal recently reported that the Russellville Electric Plant Board (EPB) now offers gigabit service to local businesses.

Burlington's Civic Cloud Collaborative Wins Knight Foundation Award

By on Jan 22, 2014

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has awarded a Knight Prototype Fund grant to the Civic Cloud Collaborative of Burlington, Vermont.

Defender of Big Telecom Admits Copper Can't Compete

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 22, 2014

The incomparable Diane Rehm show on WAMU recently tackled the network neutrality ruling [listen to it there]. Guests included Cecilia Kang, Susan Crawford, and Jeffrey Eisenach from the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank famous for promoting what is best for massive, politically influencial firms.

The Challenge of Open Access - Lessons Learned Part III

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 22, 2014

To finalize our series on reflections from Seattle and Gigabit Squared, I discuss open access networks and how the requirement that a network directly pay all its costs effectively dooms it in the U.S.

Over the Top Video: A Peak or a Path Forward?

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 21, 2014

About six months ago, I was quite bullish on advances in over-the-top (OTT) video making it easier for communities to build fiber networks because they would no longer have to deal with the challenges of securing and delivering traditional cable television channels.

Danger of "Sponsored Data" via AT&T, Others

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 18, 2014

AT&T has announced a program that has put many of us on edge - "Sponsored Data." As an example, I may have a 500 MB cap on my monthly AT&T plan, but Facebook could pay AT&T so that its content does not count against my cap.

ILSR Receives Community Broadband Advocacy Award

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 17, 2014

The Southeast Assocation of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors has announced Christopher Mitchell will receive its 2014 Community Broadband Advocacy Award at its upcoming conference on March 24 and 25 in Raleigh, North Carolina. I am honored to receive this recognition alongside Jim Baller and the Georgia Municipal Association, with whom I

Potential Funding Availability via Race to the Top

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 16, 2014

Let me start by saying that I don't yet know anything in addition to what I write below. We are all waiting for more details. On January 30, the FCC will take action on the FTTH Council's Gigabit Race to the Top progam.

Cox Ditches Cable for Fiber in Upscale Housing Development

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 16, 2014

John St. Julien covered this story last month, but I couldn't resist amplifying it.

Circuit Court to FCC: You Can Restore Local Authority to Build Community Networks

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 15, 2014

As we noted yesterday, the DC Circuit of Appeals has decided that the FCC does not have authority to implement its Open Internet (network neutrality) rules as proposed several years ago.

Network Neutrality Decision and Importance of Community Owned Networks

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 14, 2014

In a decision announced a few hours ago, the DC Circuit of Appeals has largely ruled against the Open Internet, or network neutrality. These are rules established by the Federal Communications Commission to prevent massive ISPs like Comcast and AT&T from degrading or blocking access to certain sites on the Internet.

Ohio Community Wants to Expand Use of Existing Fiber

By on Jan 13, 2014

In Springfield, Ohio, community leaders are looking for ways to use their share of a commercially owned fiber optic loop on the eastern side of town.

Wisconsin Gets a Gig in Reedsburg

By on Jan 10, 2014

The latest addition to the growing list of gigabit communities is Reedsburg, Wisconsin.

Fact Sheet on Financing Municipal Networks

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 9, 2014

We are adding a new fact sheet to our growing collection with the new, Financing Municipal Networks Fact Sheet. Many have assumed that municipal networks are funded with taxpayer dollars, but this is not true in the overwhelming number of cases. When a community decides it needs to establish its own publicly owned network

Seattle, Gigabit Squared, the Challenge of Private Sector Cable Competition

Christopher Mitchell

on Jan 9, 2014

This the second in a series of posts exploring lessons learned from the Seattle Gigabit Squared project, which now appears unlikely to be built.

New Case Study of Leverett, Mass, Muni Network

By on Jan 8, 2014

We first reported on Leverett in the spring of 2012. Leverett, a small town of 2,000, also attracted Susan Crawford's attention. Crawford and Robyn Mohr recently wrote a case study on the community's efforts to build its own fiber network.