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. They explore what is driving that growth, including direct federal investments, local leadership, and a growing belief that tribes do not need to wait for outside providers to solve connectivity challenges.

Throughout the conversation, they return to the idea of digital sovereignty and network sovereignty, discussing why tribes are increasingly choosing to build, own, and operate their own infrastructure. Along the way, they share examples from across Indian Country, including efforts to build middle-mile infrastructure, expand local expertise, and create networks rooted in the needs and priorities of tribal communities.

The episode also examines current policy and funding challenges, including the future of tribal broadband funding programs and concerns about how federal decisions could affect connectivity efforts moving forward.

Finally, Matt and Chris look ahead to the next Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, reflecting on how the program has evolved over five years while remaining focused on hands-on learning, collaboration, and helping tribes build the knowledge and confidence needed to shape their own digital futures.

This show is 53 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this two-part episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined again by Sean Gonsalves, Jordan Pittman, and Karl Bode for a beginning conversation about SpaceX, Starlink, Wall Street, and what Chris describes as a potentially dangerous moment for the telecommunications industry.

The group digs into the recent SpaceX IPO, Starlink’s role within the company, and concerns about valuation, capacity constraints, customer service, and the growing narrative that satellite service can replace existing communications infrastructure. Along the way, they discuss Universal Service, rural broadband, market incentives, and why understanding how networks actually work still matters.

They also reflect on Wall Street, financial engineering, and whether investors are being asked to believe promises that may be difficult to deliver. Chris, Sean, Jordan, and Karl debate what happens when hype, markets, AI, and telecommunications collide, and what the consequences could be for communities, customers, and the broader economy.

In the second half of the episode, Chris is joined by Jeff Gavlinski for a preview of this year's Mountain Connect conference in Denver. Jeff shares how the event is evolving, from hosted buyer programs and roundtable discussions to new networking formats focused on creating connections and outcomes. The conversation explores what makes Mountain Connect different, the value of independent industry events, and why bringing people together remains one of the most important parts of the broadband ecosystem.

This show is 54 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Valerie Dodd and Scott Rochat for a conversation about the history, growth, and continued success of Longmont's NextLight fiber network.

They begin with some recent recognition for NextLight, including being named the number one Internet Service Provider in the country, the top municipal ISP, the most recommended provider, and the highest-value provider according to customer surveys. Valerie reflects on the network's continued growth and why community support has become one of its greatest strengths.

From there, the conversation turns to the history of the network, from Longmont's early investment in fiber infrastructure to the community campaigns that helped secure voter approval for city-owned broadband despite significant opposition spending. Scott shares stories from the effort to build the network and how public support continued to grow over time.

Chris, Valerie, and Scott also discuss lessons learned along the way, including managing rapid growth, maintaining customer trust, planning for success, and avoiding common mistakes. They reflect on what it takes to build and sustain a community-owned network and why success requires both local leadership and long-term commitment.

The episode also explores NextLight's commitment to affordability and accessibility. Valerie explains how Longmont developed discounted service offerings, expanded support during the pandemic, and continued providing low-cost Internet options even after federal subsidy programs ended.

The conversation closes with a look at the network's financial position, including subscriber growth, debt repayment, and what comes next for one of the country's most successful municipal broadband networks. 

This show is 39 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined again by Joshua Edmonds, CEO of DigitalC, for an ongoing conversation about one of the most ambitious efforts in the country to address the digital divide.

Josh explains how DigitalC evolved into a nonprofit Internet service provider serving Cleveland with next-generation fixed wireless technology. He shares how the organization built a citywide network, why it offers service starting at $18 per month, and what it means to be approaching 10,000 subscriber households serving more than 23,000 people.

Chris and Josh discuss the relationship between digital equity and everyday economics, including affordability, rising household costs, and why low-cost Internet service continues to resonate with residents. They also explore how DigitalC’s approach could influence the broader telecommunications industry, from pricing strategies to customer contracts.

The conversation also looks at the realities of operating a nonprofit ISP, including customer payments, subscriber growth, apartment building deployments, and the challenge of finding the right technology for different situations. Josh explains how DigitalC uses a mix of fixed wireless, existing infrastructure, and other solutions to reach both single-family homes and multi-dwelling units across the city.

Throughout the episode, Chris and Josh reflect on what it takes to build a sustainable model for connecting residents, why local solutions matter, and how communities can move beyond talking about the digital divide to actually closing it.

This show is 53 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris and Sean Gonsalves talk about Vermont’s push for universal connectivity, the future of Starlink and SpaceX, and major changes coming to Google Search.

They begin with Vermont and the state’s unique approach to broadband expansion through Communication Union Districts. Sean shares reporting on how Vermont is using local leadership, apprenticeship programs, community networks, and federal funding to bring fiber connectivity to the most rural state in the nation. You can find Sean's story about Vermont Closing In on Universal Broadband Access here.

Chris reflects on the long history behind these efforts, including earlier fights over wireless towers, Burlington Telecom, and the emergence of EC Fiber as a model for community broadband. 

Together, they discuss why Vermont’s approach “wasn’t inevitable,” and why local power and community organizing matter when building long-term infrastructure.

From there, the conversation turns to Starlink, SpaceX, and the future of the Universal Service Fund. Chris and Sean discuss Starlink’s rapid growth, SpaceX’s position on universal service, and concerns about replacing locally rooted providers with a monopoly platform that may not be able to serve everyone equally well. 

They also talk about rural connectivity, customer service, satellite capacity, and what happens when essential communications infrastructure is treated only as a market problem.

The episode closes with a “What the Tech!?!” segment focused on Google’s latest AI-powered search changes. Chris and Sean reflect on what it could mean for the future of the Internet, online content, platform economics, and the growing role of AI in everyday life. 

Along the way, they discuss “enshittification,” the pressure to monetize AI, and concerns about making human-created content harder to find online. 

This show is 30 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Sean Gonsalves, Doug Dawson, and Bill Callahan for a conversation about digital discrimination, digital equity, and the growing challenges around Internet access in the United States.

They begin by discussing the “regressive moment” surrounding digital equity, including the cancellation of the Digital Equity Act, the Eighth Circuit ruling, and broader questions about what digital discrimination actually means in practice. The group reflects on how many people still do not have access to “a normal Internet connection,” as well as the barriers created by affordability, devices, skills, and reliability.

Chris, Sean, Doug, and Bill then discuss monopoly power, local organizing, municipal networks, and the role of money in politics. They reflect on local fights over broadband projects, efforts to undermine public options, and why communities often face organized opposition when trying to build their own infrastructure.

The episode also explores BEAD, NTIA guidance, low-income broadband requirements, and the tension between federal policy and state decision making. Along the way, the group discusses New York, Pennsylvania, co-ops, affordability programs, and the limits of relying on large monopoly providers to solve access problems.

This show is 53 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Ernesto Falcon, Program Manager of Communications and Broadband Policy with the Public Advocates Office for a conversation about competition, mergers, and how to make sure the lowest-income households have access to an Internet connection that allows them to participate in the economy and civic life, as well as access telehealth and educational services on an equitable playing field.

Along the way, they talk about how public advocate offices like the state of California's serve the public interest, and serve also to inform policies that make state infrastructure and affordability programs as impactful as possible. Ernesto shares how recent research (and community partners) have driven new insight and tools to help level the playing field in a marketplace mishapen by promotional pricing schemes by the biggest ISPs. Finally, Chris and Ernesto talk about the Charter Spectrum/Cox merger, and the strong set of comittments the state of California has gotten in exchange for letting the action proceed, including multi-year commitments that should make getting online easier for all households.

This show is 50 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Neil Chilson, head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute and author of Getting Out of Control: Emergent Leadership in a Complex World, for a conversation about AI policy, technology, systems, and complexity.

Chris and Neil begin by discussing technology, law, and policy, and how people who work in tech policy often reach very different conclusions while still trying to grapple with the same underlying issues. From there, the conversation turns to “bottom-up complex systems,” emergent order, and the idea that systems are often “more than the sum of the parts.”

They also explore the role of markets, manufacturing, and distributed knowledge, including the idea that “nobody controls that process,” even as systems continue adjusting to changing conditions and choices. Along the way, they discuss Hayek, metis, ant colonies, “I, Pencil,” and why the things that are easiest to measure “might not be the right things to measure.”

The episode closes with a broader conversation about education policy, tax policy, AI, and what it means to build systems that can respond to complexity rather than pretend it does not exist.

This show is 54 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Riverside for the music. The song is Caveman and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In the first live episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Heather Mills, Doug Dawson, and Drew Garner for a wide-ranging conversation about BEAD, permitting, mobile wireless, and the latest debates around broadband policy and infrastructure.

They begin with a discussion about Amazon’s Leo service, efforts to preempt local government “to encourage more investments in Internet access,” and the realities of mobile wireless performance after Chris spent weeks traveling around the country.

From there, the conversation turns to BEAD and where things currently stand. Drew explains that most states and territories have finally signed their award agreements and are getting closer to construction, while also warning that the process remains “interminable” because there are so many seeming final steps. Chris, Heather, Doug, and Drew discuss delays, permitting, workforce challenges, NTIA guidance, and concerns that states may face a very narrow list of eligible uses for remaining funds.

The group also talks about affordability, quality, and value in broadband infrastructure, including whether LEO satellite service is truly an acceptable alternative to fiber-based networks. Heather reflects on the risks of creating “a class system of who gets what,” while emphasizing that affordability programs and local capacity still matter for communities trying to get connected.

The episode closes with a conversation about mobile networks, fixed wireless capacity, and why networks may feel like they are “running hotter” than they used to.

This show is 64 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Riverside for the music. The song is Caveman and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined again by Jade Piros De Carvalho and Sean Gonsalves for a conversation about Internet access, digital equity, and how we organize society.

They begin with an article by Stefan Schüller that compares the United States, Switzerland, and Germany and tries to draw lessons about how networks are built and governed. The discussion looks at how you can “do it way wrong” in different ways, from privatizing everything to gold plating systems, and what those choices mean for competition and outcomes.  

From there, the conversation turns to a central question: how do you go back from where we are now in the United States? Working within a privatized model, they explore whether it is possible to move toward something different, and what it would take to create more competition and better results for communities.

They also talk about digital equity, including how training and local investment can change people’s lives and why those investments matter. Sean highlights the benefits of these investments in his latest story on Belinda Parker-Mendoza from San Antonio. You can find that story on our main page here. 

Along the way, they reflect on the role of federal and state policy, the limits of simply “removing barriers to competition,” and the challenges of solving problems in places with existing infrastructure.

The episode also introduces a new recurring segment, “What the Tech!?!,” and closes with a look ahead to our first Unbuffered live show on April 28th at 2:00 PM ET. For more information, check out our story here.

This show is 48 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Riverside for the music. The song is Caveman and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license