Community Broadband Quotes

Re-Establishing Local Authority

christopher — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:29:56 +0000

The vote was a major victory for municipal broadband, even if it sounds like a slightly ridiculous one. Longmont didn’t vote to build a broadband network, or to raise taxes to one day build a broadband network, or even to undertake a study group to start thinking about building a broadband network. It simply voted that the city should have the right to decide what to do with largely unused infrastructure it built 15 years ago.

Source:

Emily Badger, How the Telecom Lobby is Killing Municipal Broadband

Hard and Soft Returns on Investment

christopher — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Is subscription sales the only way our municipality is going to see a return on our $500,000 [city-owned wireless network]? Not really. We see other benefits. Police on the street longer because they can do their reports from the cars rather than the squad room. More information to our firefighters before they make scene on a possible structure fire. AMR project. Tourist access to city wide internet. These are all hard dollar and soft dollar returns that are real.

Source:

Tony Tull, Granbury IT Director

Private Industry Benefits from Government Involvement

christopher — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:22:26 +0000

Of course there is the argument that government should stay out of the way when it comes to broadband. Sometimes it is easy to forget how much the private industry benefits when government steps in to provide or facilitate basic infrastructure. Private industry benefits tremendously from our road systems, reliable power infrastructure, clean water, sewer systems and public safety. A robust, ubiquitous high-speed broadband infrastructure will facilitate interactions between businesses, allows private industry to deliver new and innovative services to customers and allows employees to be productive where ever they are at.

Source:

Andrea Casselton, city of St Paul

Proper Role of Government in Broadband

christopher — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:20:37 +0000

Government’s role is to take into account the public good. Just as government decides where highways, roads and streets go to serve the public good through careful planning, design, implementation and maintenance, the same approach should apply to broadband. To elaborate, government plans and designs the nation’s road infrastructure, frequently overseeing the construction of it by private companies and then manages the finished product. This infrastructure serves the public good, including the delivery and transport of private commerce as well as ensuring that we were able to travel on a series of federal, state, county and local roads to this meeting today in Eagan.

This same approach can be used to ensure that broadband serves the public good. Just as we would not leave the design of our road systems to the trucking industry, because each company has a limited need, and understandably so, therefore government has taken a leading role in the nation’s road infrastructure to ensure that it serves everyone’s needs.

Source:

Andrea Casselton, city of St Paul

Broadband is Infrastructure

christopher — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:17:39 +0000

So if we determine that broadband is one of the “basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society” then I would say yes, government has a role in broadband policy. I am clear that the Saint Paul Broadband Advisory Committee did indeed feel that broadband has become a basic infrastructure.

Source:

Andrea Casselton, city of St Paul

The Hypocrisy of Those Seeking a Level Playing Field

christopher — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:24:02 +0000

At least once a week in my 48 months of public service, I was told by someone that the purpose of the Commission was to create a "level playing field." No one meant it. The proponents of this view wanted someone else to be burred under their "level" field. And I never believed our job was "leveling." Should a jury declare a defendant neither guilty nor innocent, but only express a neutral view?

Source:

Reed Hundt, Former FCC Chair

Five North Carolina Cities Built Their Own Broadband Networks

christopher — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:26:23 +0000

No one disputes the importance of broadband access for economic growth and job creation. That's why five cities - Wilson, Salisbury, Morganton, Davidson and Mooresville - invoked their self-help traditions to build and operate broadband systems after years of neglect from for-profit providers, which focus their investments in more affluent and densely populated areas. Not coincidentally, all five cities own and operate their own power systems or have ties to nonprofit electric cooperatives.

Source:

Wally Bowen and Tim Karr

States Should Value Independence and Self-Reliance

christopher — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:25:04 +0000

How does a state that values independence, self-reliance and economic prosperity allow absentee-owned corporations to pass a law essentially granting two industries - cable and telephone - the power to dictate North Carolina's broadband future?

Source:

Wally Bowen and Tim Karr

FCC Commissioner Concerned When Local Authority is Preempted

christopher — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:44:31 +0000

I remain concerned that when cities and local governments are prohibited from investing directly in their own broadband networks, citizens may be denied the opportunity to connect with their nation and improve their lives. Local economies will suffer as a result, and the communities’ ability to effectively address education, health, public safety, and other social issues will be severely hampered. ... I fear that preventing local governments from investing in broadband is counter-productive and will impede the nation from accomplishing the Plan’s goal of providing broadband access to every American and community anchor institution.

Source:

FCC Commissioner Clyburn

National Broadband Plan Supports Local Authority to Build Broadband Networks

christopher — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:43:12 +0000

The National Broadband Plan recommended that Congress clarify that State, regional, and local governments should not be restricted from building their own broadband networks. When providers cannot meet the needs of local communities, the Plan provides that State, regional, and local entities should be able to respond accordingly, as they were able to do when municipal governments distributed electricity to thousands of rural communities during the 20th Century.

Source:

FCC Commissioner Clyburn