Welcome to Community Networks

Digital Equity Act Program Can Proceed Without Race Criteria, Trump Attorneys Say

sean — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:20:24 +0000

Digital Equity Act Program Can Proceed Without Race Criteria, Trump Attorneys Say

sean Thu Jun 25, 2026

Thu Jun 25, 2026

The administration urged the court to rule immediately in NDIA v. Trump, while plaintiffs disputed whether the issue can be resolved at this stage. During a hearing before U.S. District Judge John Bates, Commerce Department attorney Patrick Butler argued that a statutory provision identifying certain racial and ethnic groups as “covered populations” could be severed from the law if found unconstitutional, allowing the rest of the program to move forward without considering race.

Glades Electric Cooperative Completes New Fiber Network

sean — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 20:51:50 +0000

Glades Electric Cooperative Completes New Fiber Network

Karl Bode

sean Wed Jun 24, 2026

Wed Jun 24, 2026

Moore Haven, Florida-based Glades Electric Cooperative has completed a long-planned fiber broadband network into largely unserved parts of the Sunshine State. The 1,600-mile network, built in conjunction with Conexon Connect, now spans Glades, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee counties, and the vast majority of the cooperative’s electrical footprint.

Fresno, California Celebrates Launch of Free Internet Initiative on Back of Community-Owned Network

sean — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:46:47 +0000

Fresno, California Celebrates Launch of Free Internet Initiative on Back of Community-Owned Network

Karl Bode

sean Wed Jun 17, 2026

Wed Jun 17, 2026

California community leaders, activists, and a coalition of partners gathered earlier this month to celebrate the launch of a new broadband infrastructure project at Sequoia Courts and Sequoia Courts Terrace in Fresno, bringing free high-speed Internet access to more than 350 residents. The Fresno grant was for $471,000, with $1,000 or less per unit cost to build, according to details on the project included in a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) filing, which notes that the enterprise-grade wireless mesh network used in the project was more costly, but provided “flexibility and scalability for future expansion.”

A California Democrat Is Trying to Gut the State’s Broadband Watchdog

sean — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:38:27 +0000

A California Democrat Is Trying to Gut the State’s Broadband Watchdog

Sean Gonsalves

sean Mon Jun 8, 2026

Mon Jun 8, 2026

Today, the American Prospect published an analysis authored by our own Sean Gonsalves that examines how a recently filed bill in California aims to strip telecommunications oversight authority away from the California Public Utilities Commission and undermines the state's effort to make broadband more affordable.

Rebooted: New York City's Buried Internet Master Plan Is Coming Back to Life

sean — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 20:47:12 +0000

Rebooted: New York City's Buried Internet Master Plan Is Coming Back to Life

Sean Gonsalves

sean Wed Jun 3, 2026

Wed Jun 3, 2026

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams – a non-voting member of the New York City Council with the right to introduce and co-sponsor legislation – released a detailed “Get Connected” report calling “for the city to deliver high-speed, low-cost citywide municipal Internet service akin to a public utility.” The 53-page report lays the policy groundwork for what at least has the potential to become the Mamdani administration's signature infrastructure initiative.

Grays Harbor PUD Hits Phase Four Of Major Fiber Expansion

sean — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:03:13 +0000

Grays Harbor PUD Hits Phase Four Of Major Fiber Expansion

Karl Bode

sean Tue Jun 2, 2026

Tue Jun 2, 2026

Grays Harbor Public Utility District (PUD), a wholesale open access telecom utility in Washington state, will soon enter phase four of an ambitious fiber expansion project that will bring affordable next-gen broadband access to rural residents written off by the monopolies that were supposed to serve them. The PUD also says that Phase 4 of the PUD’s fiber internet expansion in south Elma, Porter and Cedarville will be reached later this Spring, bringing access to locals who have been waiting for years for faster, more reliable, and more affordable service.

California Assembly Member Moves to Strip CPUC Broadband Oversight, Undermine Affordability Efforts

sean — Thu, 28 May 2026 14:10:40 +0000

California Assembly Member Moves to Strip CPUC Broadband Oversight, Undermine Affordability Efforts

Karl Bode

sean Thu May 28, 2026

Thu May 28, 2026

The California State Assembly recently voted 67-1 to strip telecom oversight authority away from the CPUC and shift it to a more easily lobbied state legislature – and an as-yet-undefined state broadband office. The effort still has a long road before it’s formalized. Assembly Constitutional Amendment 9, authored by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, D-Encinitas, now moves on to the California Senate, where it needs to secure a two-thirds vote before appearing on a statewide ballot before California voters.

Utah’s UTOPIA Passes 67,000 Subscriber Mark

sean — Tue, 26 May 2026 14:23:46 +0000

Utah’s UTOPIA Passes 67,000 Subscriber Mark

Karl Bode

sean Tue May 26, 2026

Tue May 26, 2026

UTOPIA Fiber says it deployed more than a million feet of fiber and conduit across Utah last year accumulating 67,000 total subscribers, as the collaborative open access fiber provider continues to make steady inroads in transforming the state’s broadband competition landscape. According to a new update by the organization, UTOPIA not only laid a million feet of fiber across Utah last year, the network continues to see steady subscriber growth and profitability.

Vermont Closes In on Universal Broadband Access as Federal Dollars, Local Innovation, and Workforce Training Converge

sean — Thu, 21 May 2026 15:47:04 +0000

Vermont Closes In on Universal Broadband Access as Federal Dollars, Local Innovation, and Workforce Training Converge

Sean Gonsalves

sean Thu May 21, 2026

Thu May 21, 2026

In the marathon to bring universal high-speed Internet service to the most rural state in the nation, Vermont is heading into the last-mile stretch of the race with the finish line in sight. While federal grant programs from the American Rescue Plan Act and BEAD have been vital, advocates and community providers have long insisted that building the infrastructure is only half the battle. Getting people connected – and keeping them connected – requires tackling affordability head-on, as Vermont broadband leaders are doing with the state’s CUDs, demonstrating that community ownership and affordability can go hand in hand.

National Fiber Buildout Goes Local as Co-ops, Munis, and Independent ISPs Drive 40 Percent of the Fiber Boom

sean — Tue, 19 May 2026 18:10:11 +0000

National Fiber Buildout Goes Local as Co-ops, Munis, and Independent ISPs Drive 40 Percent of the Fiber Boom

Sean Gonsalves

sean Tue May 19, 2026

Tue May 19, 2026

Leading members of the fiber industry descended on Orlando, Fla. this week for the Fiber Broadband Association's annual Fiber Connect conference to take stock of a national inflection point fueled by the federal BEAD program and the all-consuming rise of AI. Themed “Light Years Ahead,” the underlying take-away was that the buildout boom is far from over and the easy part is mostly behind us, according to numerous reports from those in attendance.