Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Innovative Services and Trailblazing Low-Income Programs in Chattanooga – Episode 539 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 22:55:05 +0000

This week on the podcast and on the most Valentines-iest of days, Christopher is joined by Katie Espeseth, Vice President of New Products EPB Fiber, at the municipal network in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After catching up on the release of the network’s 25 gigabit service and the latest progress of the HCS EdConnect initiative (which has connected almost 10,000 homes), Katie shares with Christopher how its SmartNet Plus program expands the managed Wi-Fi framework to take advantage of the many devices we all have in our homes that connect to the Internet. The show ends with Katie and Christopher reflecting on how – thanks not only to Chattanooga, but the other cities as well as telephone and electric cooperatives in the state – Tennessee is among the best-connected across the country, with some of the fastest speeds and most affordable rates available.

This show is 29 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Subscribe to the Building Local Power podcast, also from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, on iTunes or Stitcher to catch more great conversations about local communities, the concentration of corporate power, and how everyday people are taking control.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

HiLighting Hillsboro, Oregon – Episode 538 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 22:00:53 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by General Manager Brad Nosler and Senior Customer Support specialist Elizabeth Pereira, both from the city of Hillsboro, Oregon. The city’s municipal broadband network, HiLight, is new, having begun signing up subscribers in the spring of 2021.

Notably, HiLight began building in the areas highest-need neighborhoods, where connectivity rates were disproportionately low. Equally importantly, HiLight has among the best income-qualified subscription tiers for families struggle to pay for access of any network in the nation, offering symmetrical gigabit service for just $10/month. Brad and Elizabeth talk with Christopher about the lessons they’ve learned and challenges the city has faced in its first couple of years of life.

This show is 33 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Training to Build the Networks We Want at Broadband Bootcamps – Episode 537 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 20:22:42 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by ILSR Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves to talk about the most recent Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, in Gila River. Tribal attendees from across North America came together – some experienced, and others tackling structural broadband inequities in their regions for the first time – came together to meet each other, share lessons learned, and get hands-on experiences with the nuts and bolts about improving connectivity for families that have long been left behind by the private marketplace. With help from representatives from Gila River Telecommunications, attendees learned about deployment technologies, fiber splicing, security, operations, digital inclusion, and more. Christopher and Sean also chat during the show their recent participation at the the digital equity Los Angeles summit, and first urban broadband bootcamp from ILSR.

This show is 27 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Market Dynamics, Regulations, and Historic Fiber Investments in Europe – Episode 536 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 17:02:34 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Rudolf van der Berg, Partner at Stratix Consulting, a Dutch consulting firm that does work in telecommunications and has been deeply involved in the historic level of new infrastructure deployment projects in northern Europe. Rudolf breaks down what’s going on today in Europe’s broadband landscape, including efforts to reach the unserved, new entrants, and the actions of private equity.

Rudolf challenges the notion that overregulation stifles innovation and competition, and dispels the rhetoric (pushed by monopoly ISPs in the United States) that the European networks struggled with the onset of the pandemic because of the regulatory landscape and comparative lack of investment as compared to their ISPs’ American counterparts. Christopher and Rudolf close out the show by digging into the struggle between tech companies and ISPs between which should pay for infrastructure upgrades.

This show is 41 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Predictions for 2023 – Episode 535 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 17:40:29 +0000

This week on the show, the staff get together to bend their collective imaginations to what we expect to see as the biggest news stories of 2023. Returning to join Christopher are Sean Gonsalves, Christine Parker, Emma Gautier, and Ry Marcattilio to discuss the BEAD funding rollout, mapping, the current state of preemption laws, Starry, the FCC, and more.

Who will be right? Wrong? We’ll have to wait until December to find out!

This show is 46 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

What Can We Expect to See in 2023? – Episode 534 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 17:28:42 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by returning guest Blair Levin. Levin has served as former chief of staff to FCC Chair Reed Hundt as well as executive director of the National Broadband Plan (2009-2010). Nowadays, he’s a nonresident senior fellow at Brookings, and joins Christopher to unpack all that we might expect to see at play over the coming year. The show covers a lot of ground, from the renomination of Gigi Sohn to the FCC and the issues likely brought by a complete commission, to how much impact (and where) BEAD will have, to the real benefits and obvious weak spots in the Affordable Connectivity Program, to the upcoming battle between DISH, the cable monopolies, and the fixed wireless offerings from the mobile providers, and much more.

This show is 53 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed. You can listen to the interview on this page or visit the Community Broadband Bits page.

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Christopher Mitchell’s Ask Me Anything – Episode 533 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 21:57:33 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher Mitchell join’s Drew Clark on Broadband.Money’s Ask Me Anything series, and in true fashion, he never ducks the hard questions. With audience questions, Drew and Christopher cover wide ground, including why the national broadband marketplace needs publicly owned infrastructure options, the benefits of open access models, how cities can prepare for BEAD and other federal funding, and other steps communities can take to make sure that when they do work with third-party ISPs that they maintain some measure of control (like performance-based contracts).

This show is fifty three minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Year in Review 2022 – Episode 532 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 16:18:19 +0000

It’s December, which means it’s time to pull the staff together and get a handle on what happened in the broadband landscape in 2022. Joining Christopher is GIS and Data Visualization Specialist Christine Parker, Associate Researcher Emma Gautier, Outreach Team Lead DeAnne Cuellar, Senior Reporter and Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves, and Senior Researcher and Research Team Lead Ry Marcattilio.

Fitting all of those titles into one recording studio was a real project, but it led to a constructive conversation about preemption laws, the broadband nutrition label, BEAD funding and the new Broadband Data Collection (BDC) process, the supply chain, and more. There were a couple of surprises in 2022, and the staff reckons with how their predictions from last year held up in the face of things.

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

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Data-Driven Policy Solutions – Episode 531 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 22:47:30 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Senior Reporter, Editor and Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves and GIS and Data Visualization Specialist Christine Parker to talk about how bad data can blind us and good data can drive positive policy solutions. First, they talk about a new guide developed by ILSR to help citizen-advocates, nonprofits, and state and local elected officials navigate navigate the FCC’s frustrating new Broadband Data Collection initiative. Intended to create new national broadband maps and drive the $42 billion BEAD infrastructure dollars starting in 2023, Christopher, Christine, and Sean talk about sticking points in the process, what’s important to know, and what happens if our national broadband data continues to perpetuate harmful inequities.

Then, Christine fills Sean and Christopher in on the latest news with the Affordable Connectivity Program dashboard release earlier this fall, designed to unpack and visualize what folks need to know about the $30/month service benefit in order to help the most people and plan for future policy solutions. Christine shares how it was designed and lessons learned along the way, including what happens when an non-governmental entity (in this case, USAC) is given authority to manage critical social welfare programs but not compelled to share in clear enough ways what the public needs in order to perform accountability and research on them.

This show is 33 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

A Layered Approach to Universal Access in Virginia – Episode 530 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 22:47:42 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Tamarah Holmes, Director at the Office of Broadband at Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Virginia is ahead of the game compared to a lot of the states in terms of its planning and proactive work with providers to achieve universal access in historically unserved and underserved areas. Tamarah talks with Christopher about how the state has done this, from working directly with providers on regional approaches, to layering grants to address high-cost areas, to mapmaking and database design.

This show is 28 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript coming soon.

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

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Crazy Talk on Fiber Deployments – Episode 529 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 22:28:57 +0000

This week on the podcast, ILSR Senior Reporter and Editor Sean Gonsalves joins the show for another installment of Crazy Talk. Today’s topic is fiber, with the two breaking down a recent op-ed in The Hill by Technology Policy Institute President Scott Wallsten. Christopher and Sean inject a much-needed reality check, as well as some nuance, to Wallsten’s performative anxiety … Continue reading

Maps, Maps Everywhere – Episode 528 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:03:10 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Dustin Loup, Project Manager of the National Broadband Mapping Coalition, housed at the Marconi Society. Dustin joins us to talk about the new national Federal Communications Commission broadband maps, currently under construction and intended to replace the current and hopelessly broken one to prepare for tens of billion … Continue reading

Hope and Change – Episode 527 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 22:05:37 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Harold Feld, Senior Vice President at Public Knowledge. Feld is a staple of the field, and has been a consistent voice not only for consumers but broadband advocates of all types for more than two decades. The show takes on a reflective nature, as they talk about theories … Continue reading

Teaching Through Gaming in Baltimore – Episode 526 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 20:19:35 +0000

In this episode of the podcast, Christopher is joined by William Sullivan, a resident of the city of Baltimore who works as part of the Digital Equity Leadership Lab. He shares his work in the city in recent years in getting students engaged in building digital skills and computer literacy. By pairing gaming with learning programs, Sullivan … Continue reading

Learning from New York City’s Master Internet Plan – Episode 525 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 21:48:30 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Aaron Meyerson, former Deputy CTO for the city of New York. Christopher and Aaron dig into New York City’s Internet Master Plan, which launched in the spring of 2021 and gained steam before being put on hold by the Adam’s administration in January of 2022. Aaron shares … Continue reading

Financing Mechanisms and Governance Models – Episode 524 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 14:01:30 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Ben Matranga, co-founder and managing partner of Connectivity Capital, and Jane Coffin, chief community officer at Connect Humanity. The conversation this week takes on a bit of international flavor as the three of them discuss a recent report “Financing Mechanisms for Locally Owned Internet Infrastructure,” authored collaboratively by … Continue reading

Monopoly Pricing Disparities in LA County – Episode 523 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 19:06:10 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Shayna Englin, Director of the Digital Equity Initiative at the California Community Foundation (CCF) to talk about a new report by CCF and its partners that reveals the systematic broadband cost inequities perpetuated in LA County by Charter Spectrum, the region’s monopoly provider. “Sounding the Alarm,” a pricing and policy impact study, shows not only that … Continue reading

Bottlenecks in the Affordable Connectivity Program – Episode 522 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 16:58:59 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jessica Engle, Director of Community Outreach at Althea to talk about the Affordable Connectivity Program, the $14-billion fund that provides a $30 monthly service benefit ($75 on Tribal lands) to help defray the cost of Internet access to qualifying families around the country. It’s a large and complicated program, and Jessica … Continue reading

A Tribal Wireless Network in Northern California – Episode 521 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 14:59:33 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Matthew Douglas, Broadband Manager at the Hoopa Valley Public Utility District. At the start of the pandemic, HVPUD launched a wireless network initiative using $2 million in CARES Act funds to benefit Tribal members who had poor or no connectivity options. Matthew shared the lessons they learned during the … Continue reading

A Foundation for the Future of Digital Equity Work – Episode 520 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 18:58:06 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Pamela Rosales (Training and Community Engagement Manager, National Digital Inclusion Alliance) and Davida Delmar (Digital Inclusion Manager, Amerind). Pamela and Davida talk about their digital inclusion work and how it differs across Tribal communities as compared to rural and urban areas. They also catch Christopher up on what’s … Continue reading

Cities Doing Work – Episode 519 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 14:25:40 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by ILSR colleagues Sean Gonsalves (Senior Editor and Communications Team Lead) and DeAnne Cuellar (Outreach Team Lead) for a roundup of recent news. They talk about the release of our new tracking and advocacy tool, the Affordable Connectivity Program dashboard, the pace and speed of the municipal broadband … Continue reading

Building at the Speed of Light in Pharr, Texas – Episode 518 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 21:51:30 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by two people from Pharr, Texas (pop. 80,000), which has embarked on a citywide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network build that is seeing strong local support and fast progress in recent months. Jose Pena is the IT Director for the city, and and Guillermo Aguilar works as a Partner at … Continue reading

The Straight Talk About Rural Fiber Deployments – Episode 517 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 21:48:41 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Joseph Franell, President of Blue Mountain Networks (which serves more than 30 rural communities west of Portland) in Oregon. Joe joined the team at Ashland Fiber Network (AFN) before moving on to do work in rural parts of the state. During the conversation, Christopher and Joe talk about … Continue reading

Short Update – Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 18:04:48 +0000

A quick update from Christopher on upcoming episodes of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. Transcript coming soon. We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below. Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index. Subscribe to the Building Local Power podcast, also from the … Continue reading

Mapping, BEAD, and the Future of Broadband – Episode 516 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 21:19:27 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jon Chambers, industry veteran and partner at Conexon. The two begin by talking about the work electric cooperatives are doing in rural areas to convert subscribers from DSL connections reluctantly maintained by monopoly providers to member-owned fiber connections. Then, they address what Jon calls the next … Continue reading

The Birth of the Texas State Broadband Development Office – Episode 515 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 13:23:31 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Greg Conte, Director of the Texas Broadband Development Office, and ILSR Outreach Team Lead DeAnne Cuellar. The state of Texas finds itself in a common position these days: last year it created a small office that, today, is suddenly faced with dispersing more than a billion dollars … Continue reading

Campaigns to Keep Monopolies We Don’t Love – Episode 514 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:40:23 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Sean Gonsalves, Senior Reporter and Editor at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. During the converstion, they talk about the value and concrete results of going small and stacking up targeted wins as a path for cities facing less of an appetite for big, bold projects, before digging … Continue reading

The New FCC Broadband Fabric – Episode 513 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 19:02:34 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Mike Conlow, Director of Network Strategy at Cloudflare, a network security and Internet performance company. Christopher and Mike dive into the upcoming Broadband Serviceable Locations Fabric which will serve as the basis for the new nationwide maps from the Federal Communications Commission. They talk about what’s going to be better as compared … Continue reading

Should the BEAD Program Be As Onerous As It Seems? – Episode 512 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 19:36:23 +0000

This week’s podcast comes from the Fiber Connect 2022 conference held in Nashville, Tennessee last month where Christopher caught up with Heather Mills, Vice President for Grants and Funding Strategies at CTC Technology & Energy. During the conversation, Heather challenges Christopher’s assessment of the BEAD program in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and what he … Continue reading

Frameworks for the Future in Newark – Episode 511 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 19:45:39 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Seth Wainer, the former CIO of the city of Newark, New Jersey. During the conversation, Seth shares his time with the city from 2013-2018. He talks about the progress the city made in improving local connectivity across different arenas, from cataloging existing assets, to pursuing both … Continue reading

Empowering Municipalities in New York – Episode 510 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:49:27 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher is joined by Scott Rasmussen, Acting Director of the New York State ConnectALL Office. During the show, the two dive into how New York will spend its broadband funds to support municipal networks and partnerships, the challenges of public-public partnerships between local governments working together on deployments, and what we … Continue reading

Underbuilding, States BEAD Posturing, and Hot Topics in Community Networks – Episode 509 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 15:30:38 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by senior staff on the broadband initiative to dig into recent topics, including Senior Reporter, Editor and Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves, Community Broadband Outreach Team Lead DeAnne Cuellar, and Senior Researcher and Research Team Lead Ry Marcattilio-McCracken. The group talks about the value of overlapping networks and … Continue reading

How Consulting Firms Can Help Communities Plan, Build, and Finance Local Broadband Networks – Episode 508 Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 15:15:42 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher is joined by Ken Demlow, Planning Services Group Manager with HR Green, a leading employee-owned civil engineering and technical management firm with offices in nine states. The pair dive into the world of consulting firms and how they help cities and towns across the United States figure out how … Continue reading

How INCOMPAS Advocates for Broadband Policy That Promotes Competition – Episode 507 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 31 May 2022 19:04:38 +0000

This week on the podcast, while attending the 2022 Broadband Communities Summit in Houston earlier this month, Christopher was joined by Angie Kronenberg, Chief Advocate and General Counsel for INCOMPAS, a leading trade association advocating on behalf of telecommunication policies that encourage competition. The pair kick-off the podcast with a fun nod to Angie’s involvement … Continue reading

How Clarksville became Arkansas’ First Two-Gigabit City – Episode 506 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Thu, 26 May 2022 21:51:14 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by John Lester, General Manager of Clarksville Connected. The two discuss how Clarksville, a small rural community of about 10,000 in northwest Arkansas at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, became the Natural State’s first 2 gig city. Chris and John cover how Clarksville became the first city … Continue reading

Lessons on Retail and Wholesale Broadband Models from Europe, Asia, and the U.S. – Episode 505 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 10 May 2022 22:10:37 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Benoit Felton (Independent Consultant, Diffraction Analysis). During the conversation, the two discuss the transformational potential of broadband, international developments in fiber deployment and lessons on wholesale broadband networks. They talk about the state of European broadband service, what keeps customers from changing providers within open access … Continue reading

Introducing the American Association of Public Broadband – Episode 504 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Fri, 06 May 2022 20:59:19 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined live from Broadband Communities by Bob Knight (CEO, Harrison Edwards) and Kim McKinley (Chief Marketing Officer, UTOPIA Fiber). During the conversation, the three discuss the newly announced American Association of Public Broadband (AAPB). They talk answer what the group is, why it’s needed and how people can … Continue reading

Previewing Mountain Connect 2022 – Episode 503 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Fri, 06 May 2022 20:58:08 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jeff Gavlinski, CEO of Mountain Connect to preview this year’s event. During the conversation, the two talk about what makes Mountain Connect different from other broadband conferences, what’s on deck for this year, and Jeff’s perspective on larger trends in the broadband industry. They also discuss … Continue reading

Los Angeles County and California Are Building A Broadband Future – Episode 502 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 21:57:47 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Shayna Englin, Director of the Digital Equity Initiative at the California Community Foundation. During the conversation, the two talk about Shayna’s work with the Digital Equity Initiative, how their coalition brought about recent wins for community broadband in LA County, and what’s next in the fight … Continue reading

What New York State Got Right and No Answers on States Rights Question – Episode 501 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 21:51:30 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by three colleagues from the Community Broadband Networks Initiative at ILSR including Sean Gonsalves (Communications Team Lead), Ry Marcattilio-McCracken (Research Team Lead) and DeAnne Cuellar (Outreach Team Lead). During the conversation, the four talk about Sean’s writing that highlights improvements to New York’s new budget bill, and … Continue reading

Y-ZONE is Connecting Families with CBRS – Episode 500 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 17:06:58 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Margaret Kaufer, President of the New York-based STEM Alliance, and Bob Cacase, Commissioner of Information Technology for the City of Yonkers. During the conversation, the three talk about Y-ZONE, a partnership between several community groups working to connect households in Yonkers. They discuss origins of the … Continue reading

Empowering Community in Cleveland, with Digital C – Episode 499 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 20:26:11 +0000

This week on the show, Christopher is joined by Angela Thi Bennett, Director of Advocacy & Impact at DigitalC, a community-based Cleveland nonprofit which operates a fixed wireless network in the city’s unserved and underserved neighborhoods. Before she leaves to become the first Digital Equity Director for National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Angela sits down with … Continue reading

Breaking Down BEAD Funding Requirements with Nancy Werner – Episode 498 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 17:26:29 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Nancy Werner, General Counsel of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA). During the conversation, the two talk about NATOA and it’s role in supporting community broadband projects, how the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Act is structured, and how exactly BEAD grant … Continue reading

ARPA Funding, Telehealth and a Good Rant – Episode 497 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 19:28:16 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by ILSR Community Broadband Networks Research Team Lead Ry Marcattilio-McCracken and Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves. During the conversation, the three discuss stories from the big list of American Rescue Plan Community Broadband Projects, Sean’s Broadband Breakfast Telehealth Op-Ed with Craig Settles, and why healthcare providers aren’t … Continue reading

Special Report: Baltimore Builds Muni Fiber, Prioritizing Equity – Episode 496 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:33:32 +0000

This week on the podcast, radio producer Matt Purdy reports a story on Baltimore’s efforts to build a municipal broadband network that prioritizes equity for historically marginalized communities. This show is 13 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed. Transcript coming soon. We want … Continue reading

Accelerate! Program Shows Promise in Midwest Communities – Episode 495 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 22:20:45 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Bill Coleman, Founder of Community Technology Advisors in St. Paul, Minnesota. During the conversation, the two discuss the origins of the Blandin Foundation’s Accelerate! Program, how facilitating team dynamics helped to breath new life into pre-recorded webinars, and why Bill believes that approach, along with an … Continue reading

CUDs are Connecting Rural Vermont – Episode 494 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 23:22:34 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Will Anderson, Program Coordinator at Vermont Communications Union Districts Association (VCUDA) and Evan Carlson, Board Chair at NEK Broadband (Northeast Kingdom, VT). During the conversation, the three discuss the origins and progress of Vermont’s Communications Union District (CUD) model, how the Department of Public Service has … Continue reading

Waverly Muni Fiber Another Success Story for Iowa – Episode 493 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 22:58:12 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jeff Magsamen, Telecom Director at Waverly Utilities in Waverly, Iowa. During the conversation, the two discuss Waverly’s journey building a municipal network, how triple play take rates have changed in the last few years, and the benefits of partnering with neighboring municipal networks to reduce startup costs. Christopher … Continue reading

Public Open Access Spurs Competition in Washington State – Episode 492 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 22:21:38 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Joe Poire, Director of Petrichor Broadband in Whitman County, Washington. During the conversation, the two discuss the unique role of Ports in Washington State, which for years have been building robust broadband infrastructure that could be used for increasing competition or extending access into unserved areas. … Continue reading

Perspectives From An Established Muni Network – Episode 491 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 21:42:04 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by PJ Armstrong, Interim General Manager at Monmouth Independence Networks (MINET) operating in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. During the conversation, the two discuss how MINET came into existence over fifteen years ago, unique perspectives from an older municipal network, progress on MINET’s recent investor-backed expansion into Dallas, Oregon, … Continue reading

Geography is Everything – Episode 490 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:41:51 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Bob Marshall, General Manager of the Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative and the Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications Company. During the conversation, the two discuss Bob’s love for the cooperative movement, how Plumas-Sierra relies on fixed wireless, cable and fiber to service their rural terrain, and how they are using … Continue reading

It’s Not a Rural Broadband Challenge, It’s a Statewide Broadband Challenge – Episode 489 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 23:37:05 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Matt Schmit, Director of the Illinois Office of Broadband and Chair of Illinois Broadband Advisory Council. During the conversation, the two discuss Illinois’ $420 million investment in broadband infrastructure as part of the Connect Illinois Broadband Grant program, the challenges in and solutions to both rural … Continue reading

Last Year and Next Year: Predictions Evaluated and Recharged – Episode 488 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 22:21:53 +0000

In this episode of the podcast, we’re back for another staff conversation about all that 2021 had to offer and serve up some predictions for the coming year. Joining Christopher on the show are Senior Reporter and Editor Sean Gonsalves, Community Broadband Outreach Team Lead DeAnne Cuellar, Senior Researcher Ry Marcattilio-McCracken, GIS and Data Visualization Specialist Christine … Continue reading

A History of Form 477 and Broadband Mapping Data – Episode 487 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 17:59:08 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Derek Turner, the research director for Free Press, to talk about the history of the federal government’s broadband data collection and how the Form 477 came to be. They unpack how this data collection process has been historically flawed and how it … Continue reading

What Does All This Money Mean? – Bonus Episode 15 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 16:36:00 +0000

For episode 15 of our bonus series, “Why NC Broadband Matters,” Christopher Mitchell is joined by Catharine Rice (Co-founder of NC Broadband Matters and Project Manager at the Coalition for Local Internet Choice) and Doug Dawson (Owner and President of CCG Consulting) dig into what all these different pots of federal funding mean communities across … Continue reading

A Look Back on the Biggest Broadband Stories of 2021 – Episode 486 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 17:45:18 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell invites the Community Broadband Networks Initiative staff onto the show to talk about what they believe were some of the biggest broadband stories of 2021. The group reminisce about what has been one of the most pivotal years for broadband infrastructure investment and … Continue reading

A Washington PUD Prioritizes Open Access Fiber After Pandemic – Episode 485 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 17:38:50 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell welcomes Willie Painter, the public affairs manager for the Lewis County’s Public Utility District (PUD), to talk about what the county has been doing to address the lack of connectivity. We reported on Lewis County PUD’s plan to connect its 33,000 members through an open access fiber-to-the-home … Continue reading

NDIA Webinar: Digital Inclusion Funding in the Infrastructure Act – Bonus Episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 18:18:19 +0000

This week, we are releasing a bonus episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, featuring a recent National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) webinar on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that recently passed in Congress. In this webinar, NDIA Policy Director, Amy Huffman breaks down the programs created by the more than $65 billion that’s been allocated to … Continue reading

What States, Communities, and Activists Need to Do to Make the Most of the Infrastructure Act – Episode 484 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 17:59:40 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell brings back a longtime favorite guest, Jon Chambers, Partner at Conexon, to talk about what is next for municipal and cooperative broadband efforts given the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The two discuss the importance of rural cooperatives when connecting some of the most underserved … Continue reading

Local Solutions for Expanding Broadband Accessibility – Episode 483 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 19:19:06 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Russ Elliot, the CEO of Siskiyou Telephone in Northern California. The two discuss the importance of small incumbent providers, which often get lumped in with bigger telecommunications companies that leave rural communities behind when building broadband infrastructure. Small incumbent providers are … Continue reading

Fort Dodge Brings FTTH to Fruition – Episode 482 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 19:24:54 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Sean Gonsalves joins regular host Christopher Mitchell in a conversation with Michael Maloney, a public finance banker and the Managing Director at D.A. Davidson based in Iowa. Maloney has spent his career working on public financing projects to hope to spur economic development, including broadband. The three … Continue reading

A Success Story in Indianola, Iowa- Episode 481 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 21:02:18 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell travels to Des Moines, Iowa for the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Telecom Conference. He speaks with Kurt Ripperger, the Fiber Superintendent for the Indianola Municipal Utilities in Iowa. The two talk about the journey of Indianola’s citywide fiber-to-the-home municipal network. While initially … Continue reading

Broadband and Beyond in the Bronx – Episode 480 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 16:33:25 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Danny Peralta, the Executive Managing Director of The Point in the Bronx, New York which has. The Point has been at the forefront of revitalizing the South Bronx’s Hunts Point neighborhood working to address environmental issues, increase access to the arts, … Continue reading

The Fight for Digital Inclusion and Equity in San Antonio – Episode 479 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:53:47 +0000

On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Deanne Cuellar, the State Program Director for Older Adult Technology Services (OATS). They explore the history of the digital divide in San Antonio and Cuellar’s role in making the city one of the nation’s leaders in digital inclusion efforts. The two also … Continue reading

Let’s Talk Fiber – Episode 478 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 18:41:24 +0000

On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell talks fiber with Gary Bolton, CEO and President of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) at the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, TX. The two discuss a recent fiber optic technician training program that FBA is rolling out, not only to fill expertise gaps and the labor shortage, but also … Continue reading

Tides Are Turning With Digital Inclusion – Bonus Episode 14 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 15:18:34 +0000

For episode 14 of our bonus series, “Why NC Broadband Matters,” we’re joined by Amy Huffman, Policy Director at National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) and Christa Vinson, Program Officer of Rural Broadband and Infrastructure at Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), to talk about the state of digital inclusion across the country. Vinson updates us on … Continue reading

The Long and Winding Road for Publicly Owned Broadband in Washington State – Episode 477 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 19:10:26 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Angela Bennink (Telecommunications Director for Kitsap Public Utility District) and Laura Loe (Executive Director of Share The Cities Community Education & Share The Cities Action Fund) from Washington state. The group discusses the struggles Public Utility Districts (PUDs) have experienced over … Continue reading

The Great Debate Over Telecommunications Competition and Regulation – Episode 476 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 19:31:14 +0000

On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by occasional guest host Sean Gonsalves, ILSR’s Senior Reporter, Editor, and Researcher to take a hard look at our philosophies around competition and telecommunications regulation. Sean briefly recaps a recent update by ILSR Researcher and Writer Jericho Casper on preemption developments over … Continue reading

Los Altos Hills Community Fiber: A Story of Community Solutions to Community Empowerment – Episode 475 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 19:25:44 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Scott Vanderlip, chair of Los Altos Hills Community Fiber, to talk about how he and other Los Altos Hills residents banded together to create a subscriber-owned network. The two discuss the challenges of building a locally-owned network from the ground up. Los … Continue reading

A Plan for Better Broadband in Syracuse and Pleasant Grove, Utah – Episode 474 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 20:44:10 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Mike Gailey (Mayor of Syracuse), Brody Bovero (City Manager for the City of Syracuse), and Scott Darington (City Manager for the City of Pleasant Grove) to talk about why they decided to work with UTOPIA to connect their communities in Utah. … Continue reading

Rethinking Rural Connectivity with Christopher Ali – Episode 473 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 20:47:21 +0000

This week, we are spotlighting episode 134 of Building Local Power, an ILSR podcast hosted by our Communication’s Manager, Jess Del Fiasco. On this episode, Jess is joined by the Community Broadband Networks Initiative’s Senior Researcher Ry Marcatillio-McCrack and Senior Reporter, Editor and Researcher Sean Gonsalves to interview Christopher Ali about his new book, Farm Fresh Broadband: The … Continue reading

One Cooperative in Oregon Hopes Broadband Will Help Revitalize A Community’s Economy – Episode 472 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 18:11:12 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, ILSR’s Senior Reporter, Editor, and Researcher Sean Gonsalves, along with Senior Researcher and Multimedia Producer Maren Machles, chat with Paul Recanzone, the general manager of Beacon Broadband, about Beacon’s plan to build out broadband where no one has before. Beacon Broadband is a wholly-owned subsidiary … Continue reading

The Writing Team Takes Over – Episode 471 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 20:19:51 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is on vacation and the writing team takes over the show to talk about what brought them to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance as well as the communities they’ve spoken to recently. Sean Gonsalves, ILSR’s Senior Reporter, Editor, and Researcher, hosts the … Continue reading

Shifting the Mindset from Scarcity to Abundance: The Infrastructure Bill and Longterm Broadband Solutions – Episode 470 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 18:12:03 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Executive Director of the ConnectMaine Authority, Peggy Schaffer to discuss strategies that might make Maine and other states successful in solving connectivity issues with the $42 billion in broadband funding the new infrastructure plan sets aside to go directly to states. States will … Continue reading

A Mixed Bag: How The Infrastructure Bill Will Impact Municipal Broadband Networks – Episode 469 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 17:16:31 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell and ILSR Senior Reporter, Editor, and Researcher Sean Gonsalves talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed the Senate today — the episode was recorded last week, before the vote. While the bill does not … Continue reading

How Activism and Community Empowerment Brought Anacortes, Washington 21st Century Broadband – Episode 468 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 18:18:40 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Bruce McDougall, Anacortes City Council Member to speak about the journey to build a 21st century infrastructure in this small community in Washington by advocating for a municipally owned and operated fiber optic network. McDougall talks about the power municipal … Continue reading

Crowdsourcing Data, Fighting for Competition and Digital Equity – Episode 467 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 20:15:40 +0000

On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Sascha Meinrath, Palmer Chair in Telecommunications at Pennsylvania State University and Director of X-Labs. The two discuss an exciting collaboration they are working on with Consumer Reports and other allied organizations that crowdsources monthly Internet bills from actual users. The aim … Continue reading

Building Connections and Digital Sovereignty at the Tribal Wireless Bootcamp – Episode 466 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 21:28:23 +0000

On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Matthew Rantanen, Director of Technology for the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association along with Maren Machles, ILSR Senior Researcher and Multimedia Producer to talk about the first iteration of the Tribal Wireless Bootcamp, which took place from June 30 through July 4. The … Continue reading

Recent Developments in Vermont and New Hampshire and the Real Broadband Challenges in America – Episode 465 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 18:26:59 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell chats with Sean Gonsalves, ILSR’s Community Broadband Senior Reporter, Editor and Researcher to catch up on some of the most interesting broadband stories in recent weeks. The two begin by discussing a recent story by Jericho Casper, ILSR Researcher and Writer, reporting more than 20 communities in … Continue reading

The Power of Anchor Institutions in Community Connectivity – Episode 464 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 22:10:46 +0000

On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell talks with John Windhausen, Executive Director of the Schools, Health, Libraries and Broadband Coalition (SHLB) and Alicja Johnson, SHLB Communication Manager. The non-profit advocates for anchor institutions to be at the table when communities are considering building municipal fiber networks. This is because these institutions are … Continue reading

“Pushed Through in the Dark of Night:” Ohio Senate Aims to Ban Municipal Broadband – Episode 463 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 20:34:17 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher is joined by Douglas Adams, the CMO of Think Marketing, a firm which handles the marketing operations for the municipal network FairlawnGig in Ohio, Ernie Staten, Director of Public Service for the city of Fairlawn, and Angela Siefer, Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. The topic of the day is … Continue reading

Historic Investment in California Broadband – Episode 462 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 19:33:36 +0000

Last month, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a historic, $7 billion plan to increase broadband access across the state. On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Ernesto Falcon (Senior Legislative Counsel) and Hayley Tsukayama (Legislative Activist) from the Electronic Frontier Foundation to talk about how the funds will be … Continue reading

How Libraries Continue to Provide Resources in the Digital Age – Episode 461 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 25 May 2021 18:40:02 +0000

On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by broadband analyst and telehealth advocate, Craig Settles; Dianne Connery, Special Projects Librarian in Pottsboro, Texas; and Adam Echelman, Executive Director of Libraries Without Boarders, to talk about how libraries are the cornerstones of information access for communities across the country. Libraries have been connecting communities to … Continue reading

Reporting on Broadband Issues in New York – Episode 460 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 19 May 2021 19:03:54 +0000

On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher and ILSR senior reporter and editor, Sean Gonsalves chat with Nate Benson, a reporter with WGRZ in Buffalo, New York, about his approach to reporting on connectivity issues afflicting the Western part of the state. Benson explains the origins and results of his Fall 2019 investigation into monopoly … Continue reading

Reporting on Broadband Issues in New York – Episode 460 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 18 May 2021 18:03:18 +0000

Building a Citizen-Centered, Smart City Public Network in Tucson – Episode 459 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 11 May 2021 15:52:11 +0000

A couple of months ago we wrote about the city of Tucson’s efforts to bridge the digital divide by building a wireless citywide network. On this episode of the podcast, Christopher talks with Collin Boyce, the city’s Chief Information Officer, to hear more about how the effort started, what they’ve learned along the way, and the impact … Continue reading

North Carolina Broadband and the Influx of Federal Dollars – Bonus Episode 13 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Thu, 06 May 2021 16:39:05 +0000

For the twelfth episode of our bonus series, “Why NC Broadband Matters,” we’re joined by Doug Dawson (Owner and President of CCG Consulting), Catharine Rice (Project Director for the Coalition for Local Internet Choice) and Gene Scott (General Manager of the Outside Service Plant for the Greenlight Network) to talk about the wave of new federal dollars reaching … Continue reading

Lessons Learned in Local Broadband Grants, and the Value of Perseverance – Episode 458 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 04 May 2021 22:16:07 +0000

On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher is joined by ILSR’s senior editor and reporter, Sean Gonsalves, Doug Seacat, Owner of Deeply Digital and Clearnetworx, and Casey Irving, Director of Business Development, about bringing world-class connectivity to households in and around the city of Ridgeway, Colorado. Around five years ago, Clearnetworx won a Colorado broadband fund grant … Continue reading

How Broadband Became a Municipal Utility in Conway, Arkansas – Episode 457 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 15:25:15 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by two representatives from Conway Corp, a municipal utility in Conway, Arkansas to hear about their commitment to providing high quality Internet access to residents over the last four decades. CEO Bret Carroll and Chief Technology Officer Jason Hansen dive into the rich history of Conway Corp, starting … Continue reading

Relationships Are Key: Partnering to Connect Minnesota – Episode 456 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 23:06:13 +0000

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by two representatives from Minnesota based CTC, a firm that started as a telephone cooperative and has become one of the most aggressive fiber network builders in greater Minnesota. CTC partners with electric cooperatives and communities to undertake internet infrastructure projects around the state. CEO and General Manager, Kristi Westbrock, and Director of … Continue reading

Speed Vs. Longevity: Rethinking How We Fund Rural Broadband – Episode 455 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 19:57:01 +0000

In this episode, we’re joined by Jonathan Chambers, a partner at connects at Connexon. Connexon has helped rural electric cooperatives build fiber to the home networks since its founding five years ago. Christopher and Jonathan talk about ideas for how to improve structuring rural broadband subsidies in a way that takes advantage of fiber infrastructure’s long … Continue reading

Advantages and Potential Pitfalls of the Emergency Broadband Benefit – Episode 454 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 21:25:22 +0000

One component of the recently passed Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 was the Emergency Broadband Benefit, a $3.2 billion program designed to get families connected to available service that they otherwise might not be able to afford. The program provides a subsidy of up to $50/month (or $75 on tribal lands) for broadband service as well as up … Continue reading

Resiliency in a Decade-Long Fight to Get Better Broadband – Episode 453 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 14:51:17 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Belle Ryder, Orono, Maine Assistant Manager and President of the nonprofit OTO Fiber Corporation. The towns of Orono and nearby Old Town began their search for better broadband more than 10 years ago, and have overcome an array of challenges in bringing a pilot project to justify future-proof … Continue reading

Chirping Soil and Autonomous Tractors: Connecting Agriculture in Nebraska – Episode 452 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 17:12:38 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher speaks with Julie Bushell, President of Paige Wireless and Co-chair of Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force. Christopher and Julie talk about the importance of reliable, symmetrical wireless data connections so farmers can deploy devices on farms which communicate across Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) protocols to bring … Continue reading

Overbuilding and the Value of Real Competition – Episode 451 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 16:43:48 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Travis Carter (CEO, US Internet), Deb Socia (President/CEO, The Enterprise Center), and Brian Worthen (President, Visionary Communications and CEO, Mammoth Networks) to talk about overbuilding. The group discusses the importance of reclaiming the term as what it really is: plain old competition. They discuss the economics of building … Continue reading

From Broadband Barriers to Section 230 – Episode 450 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 15:38:54 +0000

This week on the podcast we’re joined by Berin Szoka, President of TechFreedom, to talk about the pressing broadband issues of today and tomorrow. Christopher and Berin share what they see as the biggest barriers to universal, high-quality Internet access today, including the jurisdictional issues facing communities large and small, as well as the regulatory solutions which … Continue reading

Building a Network to Build a Network in Southwest Michigan – Episode 449 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 20:15:07 +0000

We don’t often get to spend a whole episode diving into the earliest work that communities do to set the foundation for progress in expanding high-quality broadband access down the road, but that’s what we’re talking about today. This week on the podcast Christopher is joined by Pierrette Renée Dagg, Director of Marketing and Communications … Continue reading

North Carolina’s Broadband Preemption Law Means Leaving Money on the Table – Bonus Episode 12 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 22:47:02 +0000

For the twelfth episode of our bonus series, “Why NC Broadband Matters,” we’re joined by North Carolina League of Municipalities Chief Legislative Council Erin Wynia to talk about Internet access in the state a full year into the COVID 19 pandemic, and the access gaps experienced in towns across the eastern part of the state. Erin shares … Continue reading

“This Isn’t a Game:” The RDOF Auction, Unforced Errors, and Getting Infrastructure Funding Right – Episode 448 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 15:02:53 +0000

The conclusion of the RDOF auction was met with a good deal of drama and uncertainty, leaving many of us working after the fact to understand the policy and practical impacts of its outcomes. This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Jonathan Chambers, a partner at Conexon, a network solutions provider for electric cooperatives … Continue reading

“Fiber from the Sea to the Mountaintop” with Anza Electric Cooperative – Community Broadband Bits Episode 447

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 18:43:50 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Anza Electric Cooperative General Manager Kevin Short, and Network Administrator Sean Trento. Anza Electric stretches across 550 square miles in Southern California between San Diego and Palm Springs, sandwiched between the Salton Sea and the San Jacinto Mountains. About 6 years ago they initiated a vote to see whether … Continue reading

Partnerships Bring Better Broadband to Le Sueur County, Minnesota – Episode 446 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 17:51:02 +0000

This week on the podcast we’re catching up with what’s been happening in Le Sueur County (pop. 28,000) in southern Minnesota, and path they’re on to turn the region from one of the least connected in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes to one on track to becoming among the most connected in the next couple of … Continue reading

Wrapping Up a Landmark Year for the UTOPIA Fiber Network – Episode 445 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 20:43:23 +0000

2020 was a year of explosive growth for what is now UTOPIA Fiber’s 15-city footprint, fueled by unprecedented demand. The network buried 1.7 million feet of conduit and 1.4 million feet of fiber cabling, driven by 10,000 new residential installations and over 500 new business connections. This week on the podcast Christopher is joined by CEO and … Continue reading

Reforming Rural Funding Structures for a Better Broadband Tomorrow – Episode 444 of the Community Broadband Podcast

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 17:11:42 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Larry Thompson, CEO of Vantage Point Solutions, a South Dakota-based company which provides engineering, consulting and regulatory services for ISPs of all sizes. The two talk about how the variety of subsidy and grant programs we’ve built to get broadband out into rural areas and make sure folks … Continue reading

Loveland Pulse Races Ahead – Episode 443 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 15:26:46 +0000

The Front Range in Colorado has been a hotbed of activity recently, and just before Christmas we wrote about how Fort Collins, Estes Park, and Loveland are all pursuing projects to bring better connectivity to residents in the region. This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Fiber Manager Brieana Reed-Harmel andMarketing and Communications Manager … Continue reading

Finding Our Way with the Help of Digital Navigators – Episode 442 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 15:55:41 +0000

In August we first covered the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s new Digital Navigator’s program, which provides a best-practices model for organizations looking to use local resources to help neighbors learn the skills and overcome their reluctance to getting online. This week on the podcast Christopher welcomes Paolo Balboa, Program Manager at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance … Continue reading

Predictions for 2021, Year in Review for 2020 – Episode 441 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 20:35:38 +0000

2020 is nearly over, and it’s that time of the year we sit back with a cold glass of eggnog and reflect on what was, what is, what might have been, and what will be. In this episode the Community Broadband Bits podcast the MuniNetworks team cranks up Zoom for the zillionth time this month to … Continue reading

Building Digitally Equitable Communities – Bonus Episode Ten of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 22:01:29 +0000

For the tenth episode of our special podcast series “Why NC Broadband Matters,” we’re talking about the innovative Building a New Digital Economic (BAND-NC) grant program, which provides funds to support devices, subscriptions, and digital skills training to communities across North Carolina. The program disbursed its first round of money to 29 projects across 39 … Continue reading

The Truth is in the Numbers: How RS Fiber Brings Broadband to the Farms and Families of Rural Minnesota – Episode 440 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 17:09:56 +0000

We’ve written a lot about RS Fiber, a broadband cooperative operating in two rural counties in south-central Minnesota. This week on the podcast Christopher talks with two representatives from the cooperative which serves almost three thousand members in Renville and Sibley counties. Our first guest is Jake Reiki, a corn and soybean farmer and Board Chair for … Continue reading

Organizing for Change in Kaysville, Utah – Episode 439 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 20:35:31 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Michelle Barber and Andre Lortz. Both serve on the Kaysville City Council and are members of the group Citizens for Kaysville Fiber, but today they join us to talk as regular citizens of the city of 30,000 in Utah. Kaysville has been working to improve Internet access … Continue reading

Building Momentum with CityLink in Wadsworth, Ohio – Episode 438 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 17:40:00 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Steve Lange, IT Manager for the city of Wadsworth (pop. 26,000) in eastern Ohio, which built its hybrid fiber-coax municipal network CityLink back in 1997. The two talk about the history of the network, its push to bring more competition to the town, and its operational structure — the … Continue reading

Broadband Access is a Health and Social Justice Issue — Episode 437 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 17:38:28 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jennifer Hawkins, President and Executive Director of One Neighborhood Builders (ONB), a community development organization based out of Rhode Island. She talks about about the Olneyville neighborhood, situated on the west side of Providence, and how significant health disparities in that community led her organization to jump … Continue reading

Alabama Makes a $100 Million Commitment to Getting Students Online — Episode 436 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 20:27:48 +0000

This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Maureen Neighbors, Energy Division Chief of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, about the state’s one-of-a-kind, $100 million voucher program designed and deployed for the current school year to help get and keep economically vulnerable students connected. She tells Christopher how, with the help of CTC … Continue reading

Episode 1 of Connect This! – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Bonus Episode

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 19:48:36 +0000

Despite repeated reminders from the rest of us that Hollywood will only ever give the late night slots to guys named James, Stephen, or Conan, Christopher is determined that if he just hosts enough things he’ll be able to break into the business and leave us all behind. In that spirit comes a new series … Continue reading

Sacred Wind Goes Technology Agnostic To Serve the Navajo Nation — Episode 435 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 20:00:49 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Catherine Nicolaou, External Affairs and Marketing Manager for Sacred Wind Communications, a rural local exchange carrier in NW New Mexico that has been focused on serving the Navajo Nation communities there. She shares the history of Sacred Wind, from buying copper infrastructure from Century Link 13 years ago … Continue reading

A Grassroots Effort Pushed the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative to Add Broadband to Its Charter — Episode 434 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 19:39:20 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher talks with the city of Sandwich, New Hampshire’s Broadband Advisory Committee Chair Julie Dolan and member Richard Knox. The join us to discuss the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative’s recent vote to add broadband to its charter. Sandwich is particularly poorly served in NH and they have been seeking solutions for a … Continue reading

Dark Fiber Will Bring Value to Huntsville for Decades to Come — Episode 433 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 19:50:32 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Stacy Cantrell, Vice President of Engineering at Huntville Utilities in Alabama. Huntsville’s (pop. 197,000) municipal utility serves well beyond the city boundaries, and its electric department built a major network that gets close to every house within the city limits. Stacy shares how the 1,100-mile fiber project … Continue reading

Lessons Learned with Lyndon Township — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 432

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 21:22:23 +0000

A little over three years ago in Episode 232 we heard from Lyndon Township, Michigan just after a ballot initiative passed to fund and build a municipal network. 43% of the community turned out for the vote, and the measure passed by a ratio of two to one. Today we revisit Lyndon Township Broadband, with Christopher joined by … Continue reading

In Erwin, Tennessee, an Incremental Approach Has Brought Success — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 431

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 22:44:02 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher welcomes back Lee Brown, President and CEO of Erwin Utilities, to talk about what’s been going on since we last spoke with them more than three and a half years ago. Erwin is a town of around 6,000 and the county seat of Unicoi County, Tennessee, along the state’s eastern border. The … Continue reading

Twelve Years After Launch, Wilson, North Carolina’s Greenlight Network Continues to Innovate — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 430

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 19:00:13 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher welcomes back Will Aycock, General Manager of Wilson, North Carolina’s municipal network Greenlight, and Rebecca Agner, Communications and Marketing Director for the city of Wilson. Christopher talks with the duo about what it took for the city to be named one of the ten best small towns in the country … Continue reading

Whip City Fiber’s Next Phase: Connecting Hill Towns in Western Massachusetts — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 429

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 16:45:20 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher talks with IT Manager John Leary and Customer Experience, Marketing, & Communications Manager Lisa Stowe from Westfield Gas & Electric, the municipal utility for the city of 40,000 in the southwestern quadrant of the Massachusetts. The topic of the day is Westfield’s municipally owned fiber arm — Whip City Fiber … Continue reading

How Monticello, MN’s FiberNet Weathered the Storm and Brought Community Savings — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 428

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 14:38:25 +0000

In this episode of the podcast Christopher talks with Jeff O’Neill, City Administrator of Monticello, MN, about FiberNet, which is owned by the city but operates in a public-private partnership with local telecommunications provider Arvig. Christopher and Jeff delve into the history and development of the network over the last fifteen years. They discuss how … Continue reading

Connecting A Neighborhood in Need in San Rafael, California – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 427

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 16:14:57 +0000

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed with stark clarity the impact of the digital divide across the country, and exacerbated the problem especially among the economically disadvantaged and in communities of color. With the onset of a new school year, school boards, city councils, and local governments have been distributing hotspots, equipping buses with Wi-Fi, and … Continue reading

West Des Moines is Building a Citywide Conduit System and Google Fiber is First in the Door – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 426

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 17:09:58 +0000

In July we wrote about West Des Moines’ announcement that it would build an open access citywide conduit system to spur broadband infrastructure investment, and how Google Fiber became the Iowa city’s first partner. In this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher is joined by Jamie Letzring, Deputy City Manager for West Des Moines, … Continue reading

How One City Came Together to Provide Free Broadband To Those Who Needed It Most – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 425

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 21:33:00 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Jill Levine, Chief of Innovation and Choice at Hamilton County Schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Evan Freeman, Director of Government Relations at the city’s municipal electric and fiber utility, EPB, and Deb Socia, President of the Enterprise Center. Together, the group discusses the recent landmark announcement by Hamilton County Schools … Continue reading

Is Open Access the Future? – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 424

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 18:43:56 +0000

For communities looking to improve Internet access for their citizens but that might be wary of becoming full-fledged Internet Service Providers (ISPs) themselves, open access networks offer a practical model for the future. Like roads, open access networks serve as publicly owned byways that telecommunications providers can then lease bandwidth on and offer a wide array of … Continue reading

How Electric Cooperatives in Mississippi Have Taken the Lead in Broadband Expansion — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 423

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 15:15:59 +0000

This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Ron Barnes, President and CEO Biloxi-based Coast Electric Power, an electric cooperative in Mississippi area, and Jon Chambers, Partner at Conexon, a consulting agency working with rural electric cooperatives to bring fiber to communities around the country. In January of 2019 Mississippi state law changed to allow electric cooperatives … Continue reading

“We Can’t Build It and Just Assume People Will Come”: Digital Inclusion and Equity Today — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 422

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 16:58:30 +0000

Today on the podcast we welcome Angela Siefer and Craig Settles. Angela is the founder and Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, and a tireless digital equity and inclusion advocate whose has worked to connect communities for over two decades. Craig is a nationally recognized consultant who works with public- and private-sector clients to … Continue reading

Golden State Update: Broadband Subsidies and the Future of Rural Broadband in California — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 421

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 18:33:23 +0000

This week on the podcast we welcome Ernesto Falcon and Steve Blum. Ernesto is Senior Legislative Council at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a powerhouse nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. Steve Blum is President of Tellus Ventures Associates, which provides management and business development guidance for companies working in telecommunications. You can … Continue reading

Selling Bandwidth to the Block with Althea Networks — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 420

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 19:35:41 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast Christopher speaks with Deborah Simpier, CEO of Althea. Althea offers software and tools for communities looking to build and maintain sustainable networks. Althea works by installing custom firmware on the routers of its member-operators, connecting them all together in an ad hoc network that dynamically responds to the supply … Continue reading

Tackling the Digital Divide in North Carolina- Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Nine

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 21:00:07 +0000

For the ninth episode of our special podcast series “Why NC Broadband Matters,” Christopher talks with Doug Dawson, President of CCG Consulting. Doug is a veteran advisor to small public and private telecommunications carriers and an experienced, thoughtful voice in the broadband space. During their discussion, Christopher and Doug give the various levels of government … Continue reading

Coon Rapids Municipal Utilities Hits a Fiber-to-the-Home Run in Iowa — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 419

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 21:28:11 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast Christopher speaks with Brad Honold, General Manager at Coon Rapids Municipal Utilities (CRMU). Coon Rapids is a small town in west-central Iowa, and CRMU started there with a cable TV system almost 40 years ago. Today, it remains one of the smallest municipal fiber networks, especially of … Continue reading

The Man Behind the Mask: Christopher Mitchell Reflects on Twelve Years of Progress in Broadband — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 418

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 19:05:02 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast we flip the microphones around. Christopher gets interviewed by Isfandiyar Shaheen, also known as Asfi, an experienced thinker on all Internet-related issues around the world and longtime friend of the Community Broadband Networks initiative. Asfi and Christopher have a wide-ranging discussion, including how Christopher first got involved … Continue reading

Zoom Doctors and Online Church: Staying Healthy, Safe, and Connected in Chattanooga — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 417

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 19:58:28 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher talks to Deb Socia, President and CEO, and Geoff Millener, Senior Program and Operations Officer of The Enterprise Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Deb and Geoff share the breadth and depth of the work they’ve been doing recently to advance digital inclusion efforts and respond to the Covid-19 pandemic … Continue reading

Spanish Fork Network Brings a Generation of Savings and Community to Utah- Community Broadband Bits Podcast 416

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 21:46:14 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Christopher talks with John Bowcut, Director of Information Systems and Network Director for Spanish Fork Community Network in Spanish Fork, Utah. As John approaches the end of his career he reflects on the network’s founding, its success over the last two decades, and the missed opportunities which stemmed from a … Continue reading

Colorado’s Qwest Law: A Decade and a Half Later – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 415

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 21:09:30 +0000

It’s been 15 years since Colorado passed SB 152, the state law intended to restrict communities from building and managing their own broadband networks. A great deal has happened since: more than 140 communities have voted to opt out of the law, and networks like Longmont’s NextLight have been success stories in municipal Fiber-to-the -Home (FTTH). … Continue reading

Wireless Mesh in a Concrete Jungle: How Community Networks Build Local Ties – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 414

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:24:46 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher talks to Scott Rasmussen, an organizer with the nonprofit, volunteer-run community network NYC Mesh. Scott shares his experiences connecting residential New Yorkers and local businesses across the city to fixed wireless, and the creative solutions they’ve taken to build a hyperlocal network in a cityscape of tall … Continue reading

When Three Isn’t Enough: What Rural Connectivity Options Look Like in North Carolina – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 413

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 19:22:05 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher talks to Tanna Greathouse, a Boone, North Carolina, resident operating an online business, Your Favorite Assistant, from home. Tanna shares her struggle with the lack of connectivity options in the area and what it means to have to sign up for three expensive, overlapping services — DSL, satellite, and … Continue reading

How Telecom Monopolies Killed Competition in North Carolina With HB 129, Part 2 – Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Eight

Thu, 28 May 2020 19:15:53 +0000

For the eighth episode of our special podcast series “Why NC Broadband Matters,” Christopher and his guests, Catharine Rice and Jack Cozort, continue their conversation on HB 129, North Carolina’s restrictive law that prevents local governments from investing in broadband infrastructure. The first half of their discussion focused on the years leading up to the passage of … Continue reading

How Telecom Monopolies Killed Competition in North Carolina With HB 129 – Community Broadband Bits Episode 412

Tue, 26 May 2020 20:02:24 +0000

We’ve written a lot about North Carolina’s HB 129, the anti-competition law that prevents communities in the state from investing in broadband infrastructure. This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher dives deeper into the history of HB 129 with guests Catharine Rice, co-founder of NC Broadband Matters and project manager at the Coalition for Local Internet Choice, … Continue reading

Fiber-to-the-Schoolbus: Ozarks Electric Connects Students During the Pandemic – Community Broadband Bits Episode 411

Tue, 19 May 2020 18:42:11 +0000

Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic pushed schools online, rural cooperatives and other local broadband providers have been coming up with innovative ways to connect students during this difficult time. Ozarks Electric Cooperative, with its broadband subsidiary OzarksGo, is one of the co-ops that caught our eye over the past few weeks with its creative solution. … Continue reading

Why Wi-Fi is Polite and Where It’s Going Next – Community Broadband Bits Episode 410

Tue, 12 May 2020 17:22:13 +0000

In this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we get an introduction to what this week’s guest calls “the most Southern of protocols” — Wi-Fi. Here to guide us is Heather “Mo” Williams, Manager of Solutions Engineering at Ruckus Networks, Wi-Fi engineer for Black Hat conferences, and co-host on the podcast This Week in Enterprise Tech. During her … Continue reading

A New Frontier for Broadband Funding in California – Community Broadband Bits Episode 409

Thu, 07 May 2020 18:17:09 +0000

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has worked for many years to protect privacy and civil liberties online and to support technological innovation and widespread Internet access. Ernesto Falcon, Senior Legislative Counsel at EFF, speaks with Christopher for this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. After explaining EFF’s mission, Ernesto shares his background and how he got … Continue reading

Checking in With Fort Collins Fiber Network, Connexion- Community Broadband Bits Episode 408

Tue, 05 May 2020 19:23:57 +0000

After a bitter battle with Comcast and a successful referendumto reclaim local authority back in 2017, Fort Collins, Colorado, is moving forward with its municipal fiber network, Connexion. The city is starting to connect residents to the network, so we wanted to check back in with local activists and Connexion staff to find out how it’s going. In this … Continue reading

Tullahoma Thrives With Fiber Network, Plus Straight Talk on the Pandemic- Community Broadband Bits Episode 407

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 18:01:26 +0000

We last spoke to Brian Skelton, president of Tullahoma Utilities Authority, in 2013 for episode 54 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. Since then, the Tennessee city’s municipal fiber network, LightTube, has continued to offer Internet access, voice, and video services, attracting new businesses to the region. For this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher and … Continue reading

Heroic Partners Bring Middle Mile Fiber to Northwest Colorado With Project THOR- Community Broadband Bits Episode 406

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 16:44:12 +0000

The breathtaking mountains of northwest Colorado have long attracted skiers and hikers, but broadband providers haven’t found the region’s rugged landscape and sparse population as appealing. Enter Project THOR, a middle mile fiber network developed out of a collaboration among local governments and private companies led by the Northwest Colorado Council of Goverments (NWCCOG). Over the last few … Continue reading

Digital Inclusion Saves Lives During a Pandemic- Community Broadband Bits Episode 405

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 18:09:46 +0000

Our lives have mostly moved online as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the millions of Americans who don’t have access to home broadband have been left behind. Whether it’s unavailable or just unaffordable, these families must risk their health to access essential services, like healthcare and education. This week for the Community Broadband … Continue reading

NC Needs Local Internet Choice to Tackle Pandemic – Community Broadband Bits Episode 404

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 19:23:06 +0000

The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting communities across the country in different ways. Recently, Christopher called up Scott Mooneyham, Director of Political Communications and Coordination for the North Carolina League of Municipalities, to find out how towns and cities in the Tar Heel State are faring. Christopher and Scott discuss how the spread of the novel coronavirus … Continue reading

Benefits of Telehealth Go Beyond Covid-19 in Rural NC – Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Seven

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 20:03:31 +0000

With Covid-19 cases growing across the country, it’s more important now than ever that households have access to telehealth services. For the seventh episode of the “Why NC Broadband Matters” podcast series, we spoke with Dave Kirby, president of the North Carolina Telehealth Network Association, about the role of telehealth in the healthcare system, both during … Continue reading

Think Local, Connect Global with Smart Wireless Policy – Community Broadband Bits Episode 403

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 16:21:52 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher speaks with Steve Song, a fellow at Mozilla who works to connect unserved communities across the globe. Steve shares his background starting out at a nonprofit Internet service provider in 1990s South Africa, and they discuss the negative but mostly positive effects of widespread Internet access. While acknowledging … Continue reading

How the FCC Plans to Spend $20 Billion on Rural Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Episode 402

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 19:30:35 +0000

For this episode, Christopher was joined by returning guest Jonathan Chambers to discuss the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), which will finance broadband deployment across rural America. Jonathan is a partner at Conexon, which works with rural electric cooperatives to plan, fund, and build fiber optic networks. The pair review the details … Continue reading

Lisa Gonzalez Leaves Us With a Sense of Hope – Community Broadband Bits Episode 401

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:14:32 +0000

The Community Broadband Networks team had to say a difficult goodbye recently to longtime Senior Researcher Lisa Gonzalez, who accepted a new position with the State of Minnesota. Before she left, Lisa sat down with Christopher to reflect on the end of an era. Despite some bittersweet feelings, she expresses confidence that she’s leaving the … Continue reading

Bridging Divides, Building Opportunity in Rural and Urban North Carolina – Community Broadband Bits North Carolina Bonus Episode!

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:08:17 +0000

Early last month, before the spread of the novel coronavirus turned staying home from a quiet night in into a moral imperative, Christopher traveled to North Carolina to attend the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum at North Carolina State University. While there, he interviewed Leslie Boney, Director of the Institute for Emerging Issues. He also spoke with … Continue reading

Connecting During a Pandemic With US Internet – Community Broadband Bits Episode 400

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 17:47:36 +0000

Not even a pandemic can stop this week’s guest, US Internet CEO Travis Carter, from finding ways to bring better connectivity to his company’s subscribers and the community. For the 400th episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher interviewed Travis (from six feet away) at the US Internet office outside Minneapolis, Minnesota. The pair … Continue reading

Citizens Continue to Lead the Charge in Concord, Massachusetts – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 399

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 18:04:06 +0000

When Paul Revere rode through Concord, Massachusetts, to warn the Colonists about the Red Coats, horseback was the fastest way to move information. More than 240 years later, the community that was so instrumental to founding of the United States as we know it now sends information via their own fast, affordable, reliable Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) … Continue reading

OEC Fiber Delivering the Gigabit Service People Want in Oklahoma – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 398

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 19:20:10 +0000

Norman, Oklahoma, is known for the University of Oklahoma and, with 30,000 students enrolled, one expects Internet access to be vibrant and readily available throughout the area. It hasn’t always been that way, but thanks to Oklahoma Electric Cooperative and their OEC Fiber, those who live and work in the areas around the fringes of the … Continue reading

Contending with the Homework Gap – Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Six

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 22:23:54 +0000

This is episode number six of the special podcast project we’re working on with NC Broadband Matters to share North Carolina news, challenges, and innovations about broadband in their state. Christopher went on a trip to in February to attend the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum at North Carolina State University. The event addressed a wide range of topics, … Continue reading

Talking Telehealth with Danika Tynes, Ph.D. – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 397

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 17:50:12 +0000

In February, Christopher was in North Carolina at the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum at North Carolina State University. While he was there, he had the opportunity to conduct several interviews with people engaged in research, working with boots on the ground to expand broadband, or advocating for better policy so more people have access to high-quality Internet access. One of the … Continue reading

Connecting Community Colleges for Opportunity and Development – Community Broadband Bits North Carolina Bonus Episode!

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 18:58:28 +0000

Christopher went to North Carolina earlier this month to attend the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum at North Carolina State. While he was there, he interviewed Dr. Jeff Cox, President of Wilkes Community College, and Zach Barricklow Vice President of Strategy for the college. The conversation was too good not to share as another bonus episode for the … Continue reading

Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services Offering Rural Speed, Reliability – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 396

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 20:02:18 +0000

Rural areas are taking steps to improve their connectivity and are developing high-quality Internet access on par with the best services in urban centers. When smaller communities band together, they increase their chances of developing fast, affordable, reliable community networks that serve a larger swath of people. This week, Christopher speaks with Travis Thies, General … Continue reading

Roberto Gallardo on the Complex Digital Divide – Community Broadband Bits North Carolina Bonus Episode!

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 19:44:22 +0000

In recent months, we’ve been working with nonprofit NC Broadband Matters to shed light on some of the connectivity issues in North Carolina. The group focuses on bringing broadband coverage to local communities for residents and businesses and have asked us to help them develop the series, “Why NC Broadband Matters,” which explores broadband and related issues … Continue reading

Matt Schmit Leading Broadband from Minnesota to Illinois – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 395

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 20:41:38 +0000

Minnesota’s Border to Border Broadband Development Grant Program provides funding for deployment of broadband networks in rural regions of the state. The program, which started in 2014, has helped extend necessary high-quality Internet access infrastructure to dozens of communities. Without this week’s guest, Matt Schmit, the program would never have become a reality. Matt and Christopher knew … Continue reading

Auburn Essential Services Steady as It Grows – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 394

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 21:05:39 +0000

Auburn Essential Service (AES) is one of those networks that has been serving the community for years with a steady presence and a strong commitment to the community. This week, Christopher talks with AES General Manager Chris Schweitzer about their fiber optic network, how they’re innovating, and their recipe for consistent growth. AES began with fiber … Continue reading

North Carolina Co-ops Partner for Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Five

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 16:32:49 +0000

This is our fifth episode of the podcast project we’re working on with nonprofit NC Broadband Matters to share broadband news, challenges, and innovations from North Carolina. NC Broadband Matters works to find ways to bring ubiquitous broadband coverage to residents and businesses across the state. Susan Cashion, Vice President, Chief Compliance & Administrative officer from Piedmont … Continue reading

Rural Tribal Priority Window Now Open; Advice from MuralNet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 393

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 16:20:50 +0000

On February 3rd, 2020, the FCC opened the 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window, a six month period in which federally recognized Tribes or Alaska Native Villages have the opportunity to apply for licenses to unassigned spectrum over their Tribal lands. This week on the podcast, we have two guests from MuralNet — CEO Mariel Triggs and … Continue reading

Setting the Bar High in Colorado: Longmont’s NextLight – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 392

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 21:11:22 +0000

NextLight, the municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network in Longmont, Colorado, has been serving residents and businesses in the community since 2014 and offers reliable gigabit connectivity at affordable rates. This week, Director of NextLight, Valerie Dodd, is on the show to discuss the past, present, and future of NextLight with Christopher. NextLight has implemented some special … Continue reading

Ponca City Looks Forward with Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 391

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 20:02:58 +0000

People with an interest in municipal networks usually know about Ponca City, Oklahoma’s free municipal fixed wireless network because it’s been around for years. In the summer of 2019, however, community leaders decided it was time to start offering Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) and created Ponca City Broadband. Dave Williams, Director of Technology Service from Ponca City, comes on the … Continue reading

Collaboration Across the State Line, Idaho Falls and UTOPIA Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 390

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 19:28:36 +0000

Idaho Falls has had publicly owned fiber within the community for years, but until recently, limited its use to dark fiber leases and public power purposes. Now, the community is working with UTOPIA Fiber to expand the network in order to serve all premises with Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). This week, General Manager of Idaho Falls Power and Fiber Bear Prairie … Continue reading

Back in Opelika, Alabama, with Mayor Gary Fuller – Community Broadband Bit Podcast 389

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 20:22:10 +0000

When Mayor Gary Fuller of Opelika, Alabama, was on the podcast back in 2013, the community was building their municipal Fiber-to-the-Home network. He’s back this week to talk about all the events that have occurred in his community since then; Opelika has been a whirlwind of activity which has centered around the battle to expand their … Continue reading

North Carolina’s Unique Broadband History and Lessons for Moving Forward – Community Broadband Bits Podcast, North Carolina Bonus Episode Four

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 16:19:33 +0000

We’re starting off the new year with episode four of the new podcast project we’re working on with nonprofit NC Broadband Matters. The organization focuses on finding ways to bringing ubiquitous broadband coverage to local communities to residents and businesses in North Carolina. The podcast series, titled “Why NC Broadband Matters,” explores broadband and related … Continue reading

Predictions for 2020, Reviewing 2019 – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 388

Tue, 31 Dec 2019 17:29:35 +0000

It’s the end of the year once again, which means the Community Broadband Networks team takes their places in front of the mic for the predictions show. In addition to offering our expectations for 2020, we review what happened this past year and compare it to the predictions we made at this time last year. … Continue reading

Holiday Bonus Rebroadcast – Eric Lampland on Indirect Cost Savings

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 15:54:49 +0000

It was about five years ago that we brought consultant Eric Lampland from Lookout Point Communications into the office for episode 80 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. We’ve completed more than 300 other episodes since then, but his insight still rings true on the many indirect cost savings of community broadband networks. As activity … Continue reading

Advice for Communities from Industry Guru Doug Dawson – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 387

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 19:27:54 +0000

Doug Dawson from CCG Consulting and author of the POTs and PANs: Pretty Advanced New Stuff by CCG blog met up with Christopher back in October in Alexandria, Virginia, and the two recorded this week’s podcast episode. They were attending most recent Broadband Communities event, a place where experts and community leaders gather to talk about latest developments and … Continue reading

Medina County Fiber Network and Lit Communities Reach for Ohio Residents – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 386

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 21:08:21 +0000

The Medina County Fiber Network (MCFN) has already made important strides in north central Ohio. The network, which offers dark fiber and lit services, provides important connectivity for carriers, institutions, and businesses. In this interview, we hear from CEO David Corrado, who explains how it’s time to move to residential services; he introduces us to MCFN’s partner, Lit … Continue reading

Mapping Data and Dollars – Community Broadband Bits Podcast, North Carolina Bonus Episode Three

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 20:34:10 +0000

This week is episode three of the new podcast project we’re working on with the nonprofit NC Broadband Matters, whose focus is on bringing ubiquitous broadband coverage to local communities for residents and businesses in North Carolina. The ten episode podcast series, titled “Why NC Broadband Matters,” explores broadband and related issues in North Carolina. … Continue reading

Indigenous Community Launches First Community Broadband Network in Hawai’i – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 385

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 19:48:47 +0000

For the third year, the Internet Society worked with locals to hold an annual Indigenous Connectivity Summit as a way to teach and share information. In November, participants collaborated to deploy a fixed wireless community broadband network in a small village in Hawai’i and Christopher had the chance to participate. While he was there, he interviewed Matt Rantanen, Director of … Continue reading

Rustling Up Fixed Wireless Internet Access in the Rural West – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 384

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 19:51:38 +0000

Some of the most rural areas in the country are in the American western states of Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. This week’s guest is Matt Larsen, CEO of fixed wireless Internet service provider Vistabeam. His company has made it their mission to deploy affordable, useful Internet access to the people who live in these areas where … Continue reading

Tri-County Rural Electric Delivering Connectivity, Expanding Partnerships, in Appalachians – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 383

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 17:01:58 +0000

Tri-County Electric Cooperative in north central Pennsylvania has listened to its members’ wishes and is developing a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network for Internet access. While Christopher was at the October Broadband Communities Economic Development event in Alexandria, Virginia, he met up with Craig Eccher, President and CEO of the co-op, to learn more about the project and … Continue reading

Gallops and Gigabits; Ocala Knows the Need for Speed in Florida – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 382

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 15:54:14 +0000

Whenever Christopher attends a Broadband Communities event, he returns with great stories from cities and towns across the U.S. that have invested in publicly owned Internet infrastructure. This week, we share his interview with Mel Poole, Ocala Fiber Network Director. You may automatically think of Kentucky when you consider horses, but Ocala, Florida, is considered the … Continue reading

Fiber Rich Wilson – Community Broadband Bits Podcast, North Carolina Bonus Episode Two!

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 16:37:12 +0000

Last week, we unveiled the new podcast project we’re working on with the nonprofit NC Broadband Matters, whose focus is on bringing ubiquitous broadband coverage to local communities for residents and businesses in North Carolina. The ten episode podcast series, titled “Why NC Broadband Matters,” explores broadband and related issues in North Carolina. In episode two, “Fiber Rich Wilson, … Continue reading

Envisioning the Future with Jon Sallet from the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 381

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:12:40 +0000

In late October 2019, Christopher travelled to the D.C. area to attend a Broadband Communities Economic Development event and while he was there, he sat down with Executive Director Adrianne Furniss and Senior Fellow Jon Sallet from the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. This week, we get to sit in on their conversations about the recent … Continue reading

Analyzing FCC Data Collection with Derek Turner from Free Press – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 380

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 16:21:04 +0000

In August 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that they would begin to restructure their data collection techniques forming the basis of national broadband availability maps. The nonprofit Free Press submitted comments, as did the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and other organizations that consider correct mapping data a key element to expanding access to broadband. In this episode … Continue reading

Overbuilding Encourages Competition – Community Broadband Bits Podcast, North Carolina Bonus Episode One!

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 14:53:19 +0000

We’re pleased to bring you the first episode from a special bonus series of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast titled “Why NC Broadband Matters.” The series is a collaboration with the nonprofit NC Broadband Matters, whose focus is on facilitating the expansion of ubiquitous broadband coverage to local communities for residents and businesses. We’ll be working with NC … Continue reading

Observations from Tech Writer Karl Bode – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 379

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 18:13:30 +0000

If you’re a regular reader of MuniNetworks.org, you’ve seen Karl Bode’s name and it’s almost certain you’ve read his work elsewhere. Karl has had his finger on the pulse of telecom, broadband, and related legislative events for a long time. This week, Karl comes on the show to talk about how his career trajectory led … Continue reading

South Bend, Indiana, Integrates Technology and Innovation with a Practical Approach – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 378

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 15:55:40 +0000

South Bend, Indiana, is a mid-sized city of around 100,000 people where they are making practical use of their dark fiber network and technology. In episode 378 of the podcast, Christopher talks with Denise Linn Riedl, Chief Innovation Officer. Denise describes many of the “non-sexy” ways the community and her department are using technology to … Continue reading

Crazy Talk Rears Its Head Again – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 377

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 18:20:10 +0000

Hey, Community Broadband Bits fans, it’s time for Crazy Talk again! This time, our Communications Specialist Jess Del Fiacco joins Christopher and I to address recent insanity attacking municipal networks. “What IS Crazy Talk,” you say? Every once in awhile, anti-municipal network initiatives get wind of particular projects in local communities and make extra efforts … Continue reading

The Internet Society Leads Charge to Connect, Collaborate for Decades – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 376

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 14:10:48 +0000

The history of the Internet Society (ISOC) reaches back to the early 1990s when a group of early Internet pioneers, realizing the power of connectivity, developed an organization aimed at bringing safe and secure Internet access to everyone. Since then, ISOC has worked in policy, deployment, and the difficult task of creating collaborations. This week, we have … Continue reading

Inside the Connect America Fund with Carol Mattey – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 375

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 15:44:46 +0000

The Connect America Fund (CAF) from the federal government has been both praised and criticized as a mechanism to expand rural broadband deployment. In this episode of the podcast, Principal of Mattey Consulting Carol Mattey talks in depth with Christopher about the program. Carol was a Deputy Bureau Chief in the Wireline Competition Bureau at the FCC to help develop … Continue reading

Exploring Eastern Tennessee’s BrightRidge Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 374

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 19:27:17 +0000

Even though the state of Tennessee adopted legislation long ago to discourage municipal networks, local communities in the state are finding ways to deliver high-quality Internet access via public utilities. This week, Chief Broadband Officer from BrightRidge Stacy Evans visits with Christopher. They talk about the power utility and their expansive broadband project in eastern Tennessee. BrightRidge … Continue reading

Innovating for Community Benefits in Clarksville, Tennessee – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 373

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:20:45 +0000

This week, we have a returning guest from Tennessee to tell us about the many positive changes occurring in Clarksville, home of CDE Lightband. Christy Batts, Broadband Division Director at the network joins Christopher; her last appearance on the podcast was in 2013. This time, Christy describes how the community network has been innovating for better services and finding … Continue reading

Pew Puts State Broadband Policy in One Place – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 372

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 16:40:04 +0000

For community leaders, advocates, and researchers who follow broadband policy, trying to stay up-to-date on the many variations of state policy across the U.S. is a daunting task. As approaches change, the work becomes more complicated. Now, the Pew Charitable Trusts has launched a new tool that helps keep all that information sorted and accessible … Continue reading

Deep Dive Into 5G with PCMag Mobile Expert – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 371

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 13:45:07 +0000

When we released our Pocket Guide to 5G Hype, we expected to see some reactions from others on the unrealistic expectations about 5G. When this week’s guest contacted us because he disagreed with some of the Pocket Guide content, however, we knew we should bring him on the show. Sascha Segan, PCMag.com’s lead mobile analyst has seen generations of mobile … Continue reading

Realtors a Voice for Property Owners as Colorado Advances Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 370

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 16:43:50 +0000

Multiple studies in recent years indicate that properties with fast, reliable Internet access sell faster, bring in a higher price, and are in demand by potential buyers. Properties with slow or no Internet access languish. In Colorado, where the market is competitive and broadband is available in a good portion of the state, organizations like … Continue reading

South Dakota Fiber All About the Local – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 369

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 19:25:39 +0000

When rural Internet access providers work together to reach common goals, they improve their chances of succeeding. Groups such as the South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA) help members get organized and pursue common needs together. The SDTA also provides a way for entities to connect with each other, research common challenges, and discover solutions. This week, … Continue reading

The State of State Preemption, Nineteen is the Number – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 368

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 19:29:15 +0000

An increasing number of local communities are investigating ways to improve connectivity through municipal networks. Some of these communities must find a way to overcome state laws that preclude them from investing in broadband infrastructure, or have established requirements that make doing so prohibitive. Recently, we’ve seen reports on state laws that inflate the number of … Continue reading

Clarksville, Arkansas, Building Millennial Mecca with Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 367

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 16:25:59 +0000

John Lester, General Manager of Clarksville Connected Utilities in Arkansas, was on our show several years ago to talk about his work in Chanute, Kansas. Since then, he’s moved on to Clarksville to bring the community’s infrastructure up-to-date with fiber. In this interview, John brings along Brian Eisele, President and CEO of the Clarksville – Johnson County Chamber of Commerce, … Continue reading

Top Experts Sound Off on Sprint and T-Mobile Merger – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 366

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 19:07:14 +0000

The Sprint / T-Mobile merger has been in process for about a year now, with a series of odd, dramatic twists and turns. Recently, a group of state attorneys general sued to stop the transaction. This week, Christopher talks with telecom policy experts Gigi Sohn and Blair Levin to get their takes on the whole … Continue reading

Rio Blanco Exceeds Expectations in Colorado – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 365

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 18:48:10 +0000

Rio Blanco County in western Colorado is more than 3,200 square miles with a population of only about 6,400 people in the entire county. Due to the low population density and rural nature of much of the county, large corporate Internet access providers have not felt motivated to invest in broadband access. Thanks to public … Continue reading

David Young Shares the Story of Lincoln – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 364

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 16:04:04 +0000

This week, we’re bringing another podcast interview that Christopher conducted while at Mountain Connect in Colorado. David Young, former Fiber Infrastructure and Right-of-Way Manager for the city of Lincoln, Nebraska, sat down to reminisce about the city’s network that began as conduit and has evolved into citywide Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). David has moved on to Kansas City in … Continue reading

Mammoth Networks Big on Connecting the West – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 363

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 18:16:56 +0000

Summer is the time for the Mountain Connect Broadband Development Conference, one of the events that Christopher is sure to attend every year. This year, it was held in Dillon, Colorado, and while he was enjoying the scenery, he collected a series of interviews. This week we hear from Brian Worthen, CEO of Mammoth Networks. With … Continue reading

Building a New Path Toward Tribal Connectivity – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 362

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 18:17:53 +0000

Matt Rantanen, director of technology at the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association and director of the Tribal Digital Village Network, has been working for years to get tribal communities connected to broadband. In his conversation with Christopher, he talks about his experience with creative wireless solutions, the potential of the Educational Broadband Service (EBS) to get folks connected, … Continue reading

5G Absurdity, Ammon Affordability, Speed Realities, and USF Caps – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 361

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 17:46:00 +0000

This week, Communications Specialist Jess Del Fiacco interviews Christopher about some of the many events that we’ve been following lately. Jess and Christopher start off the show with a healthy dose of outrage as they comment on an advert from Verizon that takes the 5G hype just a little too far. Next they discuss a … Continue reading

SiFi Speaks on Fullerton Open Access Project – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 360

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 18:43:19 +0000

This spring, SiFi Networks and Fullerton, California, announced that they will be working together to deploy an open access Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network across the city of 140,000 people. SiFi will fund and build the network and has already signed up two providers to offer Internet access service to the public. This week, Christopher speaks with … Continue reading

An Inside Perspective on Urban Fiber Deployment: US Internet’s Travis Carter – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 359

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 15:53:17 +0000

We regularly share stories about new fiber optic networks from local communities, cooperatives, and even local independent Internet access companies. Once in a while, we like to get an idea of what practical matters affect deployment and this week, we brought Travis Carter on the show to share his experiences. Travis, CEO of US Internet, … Continue reading

Firefly Fiber All the Buzz in Central Virginia – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 358

Tue, 28 May 2019 18:01:06 +0000

The Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC) announced in January 2018 that they had solidified plans to deploy fiber across 14 counties for smart grid operations and to bring Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to the region. The project, dubbed Firefly Fiber Broadband, is underway, and we’ve got President and CEO Gary Wood along with Communications and Member Services Manager Melissa Gay on the … Continue reading

Nimble Customer-centric Approach Sets Ting Apart – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 357

Tue, 21 May 2019 16:54:33 +0000

In early April while Christopher was at the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, he recorded a series of interviews for the podcast. We’ve been sharing them over the past two months. This week we’re presenting his conversation with Director of Market Development and Government Affairs Monica Webb and Vice President for Networks Adam Eisner … Continue reading

Legislative Intent in Arkansas: A Talk With Senator Davis – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 356

Tue, 14 May 2019 20:21:41 +0000

It’s mid-May and while some states’ legislatures are still in session, other’s have already debated new legislation, voted, and adopted new laws. This week, we talk with one Senator from Arkansas who, along with her colleagues, are interested in bringing better broadband to rural areas of her state, Breanne Davis. During the 2019 session, she … Continue reading

Talking Rural Broadband, the Internet, and Media with Dr. Christopher Ali – Broadband Bits Podcast 355

Tue, 07 May 2019 18:19:43 +0000

The Austin, Texas, 2019 Broadband Communities Summit was about a month ago, but we’re still enjoying the experience by sharing Christopher’s onsite podcast interviews. This week, he and University of Virginia Assistant Professor Christopher Ali have an insightful conversation about rural broadband, media, and the Internet — and we get to listen in. Dr. Ali works in … Continue reading

Highland, Illinois, Always Working for A Better Community Network Experience – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 354

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 19:41:47 +0000

As part of our series of interviews conducted during the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas, earlier in April, we’re sharing Christopher’s interview with Angela Imming. Angela is the Director of Technology and Innovation for the city of Highland, Illinois, home to Highland Communication Services (HCS). HCS has been serving the community for almost 10 years … Continue reading

Doug Dawson Shares Surprises and Safe Bets – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 353

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 19:44:37 +0000

Doug Dawson, President of CCG Consulting and author of the POTS and PANS blog, was willing to sit down with Christopher for episode 353 of the podcast this week. Christopher interviewed Doug in Austin, Texas, at the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit. They discussed all sorts of happenings in the telecommunications and municipal network space. In addition to 5G … Continue reading

Telemedicine Today: More Than Sending X-rays – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 352

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 19:10:51 +0000

This week, we have another interview that Christopher recorded while he was at the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas. Dr. Robert Wack from Westminster, Maryland, where the town is partnering with Ting Internet, sat down for a conversation on telemedicine. As the United States’ healthcare system continues to degrade, hospitals, doctors, and other caregivers are … Continue reading

Spillover and Sharing for Better Connectivity – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 351

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 15:31:43 +0000

There are recognizable and obvious benefits that occur when a fiber is deployed in a community. New access to high-quality connectivity, educational opportunities for students in schools, better reliability, jobs from new employers, and possible ISP competition. Spillover effects also occur, but they may not be as obvious. This week’s guest, entrepreneur Isfandiyar Shaheen, has … Continue reading

Those Bewitching Broadband Bills; States Making Moves – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 350

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 19:17:34 +0000

Interest in community broadband and broadband service from cooperatives has grown significantly within the past few years. This legislative session, lawmakers in states such as Vermont, North Carolina, and Arkansas, have decided that they’d like to start contributing to new ways to bring better Internet access to their constituents. This week, Christopher and Jess Del … Continue reading

FCC Considers Retroactive Rule Change for Viasat – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 349

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 19:14:58 +0000

Over the past few years, Partner Jonathan Chambers of Conexon has become our “go-to guy” for FCC conversations. This week, he joins us to talk about a recent issue that revolves around the Connect America Fund Phase II auction and one of the grant recipients, Viasat. With former experience working at the FCC in the Office of … Continue reading

Examining the Internet and Machine Learning with David Weinberger – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 348

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 19:58:09 +0000

We bring listeners many stories from communities across the country who are taking steps to improve connectivity and find better ways to access the Internet. This week, Christopher and his guest talk about why we value the Internet. Author David Weinberger is also a Senior Researcher at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society … Continue reading

Comedian Tackles Connectivity – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 347

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 15:26:14 +0000

On a typical episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, you’ll hear from a guest whose community may be in the process of deploying a publicly owned fiber network, or an elected official who has championed a broadband-friendly policy for their city or town. Sometimes we talk to local business leaders or cooperative board members … Continue reading

Minnesota Homegrown Connectivity, Christensen Communications – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 346

Tue, 05 Mar 2019 20:04:53 +0000

Brent Christensen, Chief Operating Officer of Christensen Communications, came into our Minneapolis office to sit down and have a chat with Christopher this week for podcast 346. Their interview comes a short time after Christopher and several other Institute for Local Self-Reliance staff took a tour of the Christensen Communications facilities. Brent has an additional role … Continue reading

Small Town, Big Connections With Marshall FiberNet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 345

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:22:41 +0000

This week, Marshall FiberNet’s Customer Service and Marketing Manager Jessica Slusarski talks to Christopher about the town’s investment in their community broadband network. Quiet and quaint Marshall, Michigan, didn’t expect to become one of the state’s communities with the best Internet access, but here we are. Like many other small towns where big incumbent providers didn’t want … Continue reading

Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative Steps Up, Offers FTTH in Missouri’s Bootheel – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 344

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 19:07:58 +0000

Missouri is one of the states where electric cooperatives are taking the lead in bringing high-quality Internet access to rural areas. This week, we talk with Jack Davis, Vice President of IT and Special Projects at Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative. The co-op is in the midst of deploying Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to members in their service area, located in Missouri’s … Continue reading

Conversing with Crawford: Community Broadband Bits Podcast 343

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 21:14:01 +0000

Harvard Professor, author, and broadband champion Susan Crawford has been incredibly busy ever since she released her latest book Fiber: The Coming Tech Revolution — And Why America Might Miss It. Fortunately for us and our listeners, she hasn’t been too busy to take some time for Community Broadband Bits listeners. She’s here this week to … Continue reading

RiverStreet Networks Reaching Across Rural North Carolina – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 342

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 19:10:05 +0000

While in North Carolina at the recent Let’s Connect! speaking tour, Christopher sat down with Greg Coltrain, Vice President of Business Development of RiverStreet Networks. Greg participated in panel discussions in all three communities where the community meetings occurred: Albemarle, Fuquay-Varina, and Jacksonville. RiverStreet Networks is the product of evolution of what began as Wilkes Communications. They’ve … Continue reading

Open Broadband Opening Up Rural Possibilities – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 341

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 20:33:34 +0000

It’s cold in our Minneapolis office this week, but two of our staff — Christopher Mitchell and Katie Kienbaum — are off enjoying mild January weather in North Carolina. They’re conversing with the good folks in three different communities, where they also met up with this week’s podcast interviewee, Alan Fitzpatrick, CEO of Open Broadband. Alan … Continue reading

Oregon’s MINET: New Approach, New Expansion – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 340

Tue, 22 Jan 2019 19:38:51 +0000

Before the Oregon communities of Monmouth and Independence banded together to form MINET, many people in the community were accessing the Internet via old dial-up connections. This week, MINET’s General Manager Don Patten comes on the show to discuss the past, present, and future of the network that has revolutionized connectivity in the far western cities … Continue reading

Getting Your Community Off to A Quick Start With CN Quickstart – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 339

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 21:31:45 +0000

In September 2018, we announced that we would begin working with NEO Partners LLC to bring the Community Networks Quickstart Program to local communities interested in exploring the possibilities of publicly owned broadband networks. For this week’s podcast, Christopher talks with the people behind the program, Glenn Fishbine and Nancy DeGidio. Glenn and Nancy have combined their talents to … Continue reading

Taking Control Through Software Defined Networks – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 338

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 18:05:15 +0000

Many of us are accustomed to Internet access from companies that own the infrastructure, offer only a few options, and are one of a small number of providers. For the most part, we’ve learned to accept that model, but will it ever change? This week’s guest, President of EntryPoint Networks Jeff Christensen, explains why that model is broken … Continue reading

Predictions for 2019, Year in Review for 2018 – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 337

Wed, 26 Dec 2018 15:40:43 +0000

We left our crystal ball, tarot cards, and astrology charts at home, but that won’t stop us from trying to predict what will happen in 2019 for this week’s annual predictions podcast. Each year, we reflect on the important events related to publicly owned broadband networks and local connectivity that occurred during the year and … Continue reading

Telehealth: Promoting Healthier People and Stronger Local Economies – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 336

Tue, 18 Dec 2018 20:48:21 +0000

Many of our regular listeners will recognize this week’s guest voice. Craig Settles has been operating as an industry analyst and consultant since 2006. He’s also host of the Gigabit Nation radio talk show and Director of Communities United for Broadband. In recent years, Craig has focused much of his attention on telehealth and the ways communities large … Continue reading

Possibilities, Challenges, Risks : Chicopee, Massachusetts, Considers A Muni – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 335

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 20:28:32 +0000

By the time a local community is ready to light up their municipal fiber optic network, they’ve already invested several years’ worth of debate, investigation, and energy. While deploying a network is certainly a complicated task, educating the community, growing support, and helping elected officials determine the best approach is equally difficult. What’s it like … Continue reading

Organizing for Better Broadband in the Portland, Oregon, Region – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 334

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 20:46:38 +0000

This week on the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, we hear from Russell Senior and Michael Hanna from Portland, Oregon. Russell is President of the Personal Telco Project and Michael is a Data Engineer for Multnomah County; both are on the Board of the Municipal Broadband Coalition of America. In this interview Christopher, Russell, and Michael … Continue reading

Beyond Mapping With VETRO FiberMap – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 333

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 20:00:53 +0000

Whether it’s a local government or ISP that chooses to invest in fiber optic infrastructure accurate, dependable, mapping is critical before, during, and after initial deployment. This week’s guests deliver that service through VETRO FiberMap. CEO Will Mitchell and COO Sean Myers join Christopher to discuss their mapping platform, the creative ways they use it, and their … Continue reading

After 15 Years, OptiLink Still Innovating in Dalton, Georgia – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 332

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 19:27:38 +0000

Dalton, Georgia’s OptiLink has served the community for around 15 years, making it one of the first citywide Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) municipal networks. In this interview, Chief Technical Services Officer of OptiLink and for Dalton Utilities Hank Blackwood talks with Christopher about the past, the present, and the immediate future of OptiLink. Hank describes the original purpose for … Continue reading

UTOPIA Is Not A Dream, It’s a Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 331

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:41:15 +0000

When anti-muni groups have taken aim at publicly owned networks, they’ve often put UTOPIA in their crosshairs. The Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency has had times of struggle, but those days seem to be over. The network is expanding, subscribers are touting the benefits that come with the choice of an open access network, and other communities … Continue reading

Catching Up in Cali with Jory Wolf – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 330

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 20:00:22 +0000

This week, Christopher presents the last of the interviews he conducted while at the 2018 Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference in Ontario, California, in October. As long as he was in the Golden State, he decided to check in with Jory Wolf, Vice President of Digital Innovation at Magellan Advisors. Jory may work in the consulting field now, … Continue reading

Political Will and Local Broadband Initiatives – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 329

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 18:31:36 +0000

While Christopher was in Ontario, California at the 2018 Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference, he took advantage of the opportunity and recorded several discussions with experts to share with our Community Broadband Bits Podcast audience. This week, we’re presenting his conversation with Deb Socia, Executive Director of Next Century Cities, and Bob Knight, Executive Vice President and … Continue reading

Getting Up to Speed With Sandy, Oregon – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 328

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 19:21:43 +0000

For the next few days, Christopher is at the 2018 Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference in Ontario, California. As he always does while he’s out of the office, rubbing elbows with folks from the field, he’s recording some interviews with people like this week’s guest, General Manager of SandyNet and IT Director for the City of Sandy, Oregon. … Continue reading

Revisiting Reedsburg: LightSpeed’s All-Gig Telecommuter Paradise – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 327

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 15:55:13 +0000

It’s been a while since we last visited with Reedsburg Utilities Commission General Manager Brett Schuppner. He’s back on the show again to help us spread the word about this Wisconsin town’s decision to switch all their muni network subscribers to affordable gigabit connectivity and to eliminate all other tiers. Brett and Christopher get into … Continue reading

Small Town Does Fiber Bigger In Texas – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 326

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 16:31:39 +0000

We don’t often get the opportunity to interview people from Texas, so when we heard about Mont Belvieu’s gigabit fiber optic network we knew we had to have them on the show. When we learned that four officials from the east Texas town would join us we said, “Even better!” City Manager Nathan Watkins, Director of Broadband … Continue reading

Colorado Community WISP Picks Up Slack When Incumbent Fails to Deliver – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 325

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:46:08 +0000

When Fairpoint wouldn’t give folks in Crestone, Colorado, what they needed after repeated requests, they decided to take care of it themselves. By 2012, Ralph Abrams and his band of Internet pioneers had created Colorado Central Telecom, providing affordable, dependable fixed wireless service to premises throughout the region at much faster speeds than Fairpoint could ever … Continue reading

Great Lakes Energy’s Big Plan for Big Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 324

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 15:44:04 +0000

Great Lakes Energy (GLE) in Michigan decided in late 2017 to approve a plan to incrementally deploy Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to cooperative members, beginning with a pilot project in Petoskey. This week, Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Energy Optimization from GLE joins Christopher to talk about what could possibly become the largest FTTH project in the … Continue reading

Building Digital Equity in Detroit – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 323

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 20:13:45 +0000

This week on the podcast, we get insight into a community network that puts extra emphasis on the word “community.” Diana Nucera, Director of the Detroit Community Technology Project (DCTP) talks with Christopher about how the people in her city and their diversity are the driving forces behind the connectivity they have created. Diana and Christopher review … Continue reading

Stop the Spoof, Resist the Robocall – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 322

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 19:29:57 +0000

Caller ID spoofing, robocalls, and general spam phone calls are one of the hassles of 21st century life. This week on Community Broadband Bits, Christopher and Richard Shockey of Shockey Consulting talk about how the problem has progressed and what leaders in telecommunications are doing about it. As we transition from our old telephone system … Continue reading

Analyzing the Auction With Jonathan Chambers – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 321

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 18:38:46 +0000

A year ago, we last had Jonathan Chambers of Conexon on the podcast to discuss the pros and cons of the Connect America Fund. Since then, the FCC has held an auction to expand connectivity in rural areas as part of the Connect America Fund Phase II (Auction 903) and recently released news of the winning … Continue reading

Neighbors Investing Through Neighborly – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 320

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 17:04:52 +0000

Plenty of local communities are interested in the possibilities of creating publicly owned Internet infrastructure but pause when it comes to funding. This week on the podcast, Christopher interviews Jase Wilson, CEO, and Lindsey Brannon, Head of Public Finance, from Neighborly. The firm is working with local communities and using an innovative approach to financing publicly owned … Continue reading

A Monkeybrainey Plan to Improve Connectivity in San Francisco Public Housing – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 319

Tue, 21 Aug 2018 19:11:08 +0000

Communities who want the best for their citizens typically recognize the importance of digital equity and often take steps to develop digital inclusion programs. Last year on the podcast, we invited folks from the ISP Monkeybrains to explain how they were working with the city of San Francisco to develop a way to provide high-speed … Continue reading

Are CAF II Investments Helping Rural Minnesota? Blandin Report Looks at the Data – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 318

Fri, 17 Aug 2018 13:54:57 +0000

In the most recent report from the Blandin Foundation, Researcher Bill Coleman from Community Technology Advisors and his crew put boots to the ground to examine the results of Connect America Fund (CAF II) investments. Bill recently visited our office in Minneapolis to discuss the report with Christopher for episode 318 of the podcast. You … Continue reading

Sometimes Things Don’t Go As Planned – Pardon Our Podcast Delay

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 15:52:02 +0000

They say the “finger of fate” is fickle, but this week it was our recording equipment that turned on us. Unfortunately, time constraints and prior commitments didn’t allow Christopher the opportunity to make a useable recording of his interview with Bill Coleman from Community Technology Advisors Bill was going to be our guest for episode … Continue reading

Mapping Monopolies and Making Recommendations – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 317

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:28:06 +0000

If you haven’t already taken a look at our most recent report, now is your chance to get some insight before you download it and dive in. Profiles of Monopoly: Big Cable and Telecom, written by our Hannah Trostle, recently left ILSR to attend grad school, and Christopher Mitchell, transforms FCC Form 477 data into … Continue reading

Mason County PUD 3 Uses Innovation for Strategic Deployment – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 316

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:43:27 +0000

When we spoke with Justin Holzgrove, Mason PUD 3 Telecommunications & Community Relations Manager, back in October 2017, we discussed how the public utility district in Washington was about to embark on expanding its services. This week, Justin is back and he’s joined by Isak Finer, who works as Chief Marketing Officer for COS Systems. … Continue reading

Vistabeam Internet: Driven to Connect Rural Communities – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 315

Tue, 24 Jul 2018 18:09:58 +0000

When you hear founder and CEO Matt Larson talk about his company Vistabeam Internet, you’ll understand he and his team received the 2018 Provider of the Year Award at Mountain Connect. At the conference in June, Matt sat down with Christopher to discuss what it’s like to be in his shoes — starting up and operating a … Continue reading

DMEA Co-op Serving Up Broadband and Innovation in Colorado – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 314

Tue, 17 Jul 2018 11:17:46 +0000

An increasing number of local communities in Colorado are finding ways to improve rural connectivity. The Delta Montrose Electric Association (DMEA), a cooperative bringing electricity to approximately 28,000 members in southwest Colorado, is in the midst of Elevate, their Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network that will connect all co-op members. We’ve brought co-op Board Members John Gavan and … Continue reading

Catching Up With Terry Huval from Lafayette – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 313

Tue, 10 Jul 2018 19:59:02 +0000

We’ve been following the community of Lafayette, Louisiana, and their LUS Fiber community network from the early days. Director of Utilities Terry Huval was one of the people responsible for bringing high-quality Internet access to the community back in 2009. Terry is about to retire so we wanted to have one more conversation with him … Continue reading

At the State Level With Tony Neal-Graves in Colorado – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 312

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 19:26:04 +0000

The State of Colorado has made some changes in the past few years that are improving broadband deployment, especially in rural areas. In this episode of the podcast, Christopher talks about some of those changes with Tony Neal-Graves, Executive Director of the Colorado Broadband Office. While Christopher was in Vail at the Mountain Connect event, … Continue reading

Larimer County, Colorado, Interpreting Early Feasibility Results – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 311

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 17:50:58 +0000

Late last year, Larimer County, Colorado, commissioned a broadband feasibility study to examine the possible solutions toward better connectivity across its more than 2,600 square miles. This week, three guests from Larimer County are here to discuss the community’s plan as it’s taking shape, Broadband Program Manager Drew Davis, Director of Economic and Workforce Development Jacob Castillo, … Continue reading

Cortez Discovering Future Possibilities With Muni Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 310

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 21:35:11 +0000

Cortez, Colorado, has been serving public facilities, community anchor institutions (CAIs), and businesses officially since 2011. In 2015, they expanded to bring fiber connectivity to more businesses; today, seven providers offer services on their open access infrastructure. Now, Cortez is ready to take the next step by offering retail services to residents as an ISP; … Continue reading

Making A Broadband Utility in Maine – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 309

Wed, 06 Jun 2018 16:21:24 +0000

The Maine towns of Baileyville and Calais are known for their beautiful scenery and their clean rural lifestyle; soon the region will also be known for its broadband. The two communities have joined togetherto form the Downeast Broadband Utility (DBU) in order to develop a regional fiber optic network for businesses and residents. Julie Jordan, Director of DBU … Continue reading

Postmortem in Wyoming: Cheyenne Mayor on Interrupted Legislation – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 308

Tue, 29 May 2018 17:41:57 +0000

Local communities considering investment to improve connectivity for businesses and residents have many factors to consider, including state laws. The best laid plans for broadband can be torpedoed if state legislators are influenced enough by incumbent lobbyists to pass laws that complicate local authority or funding. This week, we hear about Wyoming from Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr. … Continue reading

Don’t Forget the Financing! – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 307

Tue, 22 May 2018 15:58:13 +0000

When municipalities and other local governments are planning for publicly owned Internet infrastructure, they must coordinate many moving pieces to get the project going and to keep it on a successful track. In this interview, Christopher and Tom Coverick, Managing Director at KeyBanc Capital Markets, discuss one of the most important components of community network planning: finance. … Continue reading

Doug Dawson, Broadband Industry Guru – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 306

Tue, 15 May 2018 17:28:46 +0000

Doug Dawson and his firm, CCG Consulting, recently marked their 20th year working in the telecommunications industry. Prior to establishing the firm, Doug already had significant experience in the field, having worked in the industry since 1978. Doug belongs to a small cadre of professionals who have the technical expertise and policy knowledge to set them … Continue reading

Digging Into the Details With RVA Market Research & Consulting – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 305

Tue, 08 May 2018 18:32:03 +0000

RVA Market Research & Consulting is a firm known for its ability to provide detailed review, analysis, and forecast for Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) deployment. They also offer information on the needs and desires of current and potential subscribers regarding other telecommunications issues. This week, RVA Founder Michael Render visits with Christopher about the firm’s work and discoveries. … Continue reading

Grassroots for Better Connectivity in Cambridge, Massachusetts – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 304

Wed, 02 May 2018 22:17:50 +0000

As Christopher rubbed elbows with other broadband advocates, policy wonks, and industry professionals at the Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas, he had the opportunity to interview several people we’ve been wanting to bring on the show. Saul Tannenbaum from Cambridge, Massachusetts, was at the event and he talked with Christopher about the citizen’s group, Upgrade … Continue reading

State Legislatures Take Action On Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 303

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 17:58:45 +0000

We’re a little off kilter these days when it comes to state legislation. Typically, we spend our efforts helping local communities stave off bills to steal, limit, or hamstring local telecommunications authority. This year it’s different so Christopher and Lisa sat down to have a brief chat about some of the notable state actions that … Continue reading

HBC Spreads The Know-How: Working With Others To Improve Rural Connectivity

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 19:22:28 +0000

For episode 302 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher carries on his conversation with Gary Evans, retired President and CEO of Hiawatha Broadband Communications (HBC), an independent ISP in Minnesota. This is the second opportunity for Christopher and Gary to talk about HBC’s historical role in bringing high-quality connectivity to rural areas. Be sure … Continue reading

Wireless And Wired; US Internet Knows Both – Community Broadband Bits 301

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 20:31:15 +0000

Deploying, maintaining, and operating a wireless network is easy, right? You just put up your equipment, sign up subscribers, and start raking in the dough, right? Not even close, says Travis Carter, one of the co-founders of US Internet and our guest for episode 301 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. He should know — he’s deployed … Continue reading

Neighbors Helping Neighbors For Fiber In Rural Tennessee: Newport And Morristown Join Forces – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 300

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 19:45:37 +0000

An increasing interest in publicly owned network projects has also spurred an increase in creative collaborations as communities work together to facilitate deployment, especially in rural areas. This week, we talk with Sharon Kyser, Marketing and Public Relations Manager for Newport Utilities (NU) in Newport, Tennessee, and Jody Wigington, General Manager and CEO of Morristown Utility Systems (MUS), also … Continue reading

Straight Talk About 5G; Potential, Limitations, Hype – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 299

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 20:48:07 +0000

If we want to talk technical stuff on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we know Eric Lampland is one of the best guys to call. Eric is Founder and Principal of Lookout Point Communications. Earlier this month, he and Christopher presented information about 5G at the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Telecommunications Conference. They took … Continue reading

Central Vermont Internet: Communities Commit To Communications Union District – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 298

Tue, 20 Mar 2018 18:36:57 +0000

Earlier this month, twelve towns in central Vermont chose Town Meeting Day to ask local voters whether or not they want to band together to improve connectivity. Each community chose to participate in forming a regional Communications Union District, which will allow them to plan, bond for, and develop regional Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) infrastructure. For episode … Continue reading

Hiawatha Broadband Communications: One Of The Small Players That Helped Shape The Internet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 297

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 15:32:24 +0000

Before the days when Comcast, AT&T, and CenturyLink were some of only a few ISPs for subscribers to choose from, much of the country received Internet access from small Internet access companies. In episode 297 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher talks with one of the pioneers in bringing the Internet to everyday folks, … Continue reading

Fibering Up Emmett, Idaho – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 296

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 20:33:44 +0000

Emmett, Idaho’s Systems Administrator Mike Knittel joins Christopher for episode 296 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast this week. Mike explains how the city of about 7,000 has taken a similar approach as other municipalities by first investing in Internet infrastructure to unite the city’s needs. We get to hear their story.Emmett, however, has taken … Continue reading

Santa Cruz County Moving Beyond Incumbent Inaction – Community Broadband Bits 295

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 21:32:57 +0000

When community leaders in Santa Cruz County, California, decided to take steps to spur economic development, they knew they needed to improve local connectivity. For episode 295 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Policy Analyst Patrick Mulhearn from County Supervisor Zach Friend’s office talks with Christopher this week about the steps they’ve taken and their … Continue reading

Virginia’s Eastern Shore Broadband Authority Steadily Expands Fiber Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 294

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 19:30:13 +0000

When the Eastern Shore of Virginia needed better Internet access, in part to ensure NASA could achieve its mission, Accomack and Northampton counties created the Eastern Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority. Its Executive Director, Robert Bridgham joins us for episode 294 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.We talk about why they used an Authority and … Continue reading

Arlington Expands Internet Access for Low-Income Households – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 293

Tue, 13 Feb 2018 18:57:02 +0000

In Virginia, Arlington has found new ways to use its municipal network to reduce the digital divide. Katie Cristol, Chair of the Arlington County Board, and Jack Belcher, County Chief Information Officer, join us for episode 293 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast to explain what they are doing.We discuss how a new residential development, … Continue reading

FairlawnGig Keeps Businesses in Town, Attracts More – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 292

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 15:42:24 +0000

We are checking back in with Ernie Staten, Deputy Director of Public Service in Fairlawn, Ohio now that their muncipal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network – FairlawnGig – is built out and they are still building the citywide Wi-Fi network that will accompany it. We previously talked with Ernie when the network was being built two years … Continue reading

Wilson Tackles Digital Divide with Pay Ahead Option – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 291

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 17:55:27 +0000

It was just a year ago that we highlighted a nation-leading digital inclusion effort from Wilson’s Greenlight municipal fiber network in North Carolina. That was their fourth time on the podcast, owing to the many ways Wilson has developed in ensuring its fiber network investment is benefiting the community. See also podcast episodes 171, 110, … Continue reading

Wrestling With Redlining in Cleveland, Lessons For All

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 19:43:24 +0000

Early last year, Connect Your Community and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance released a well-researched and compelling case that AT&T had engaged in digital redlining of Cleveland, refusing to upgrade Internet access to neighborhoods with high poverty rates. In episode 290 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we check in to learn more and discuss … Continue reading

Retail Muni Fiber Networks Charge Less – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 289

Wed, 17 Jan 2018 18:16:56 +0000

Do municipal fiber networks offer lower prices than the their competitors? Yes, almost always, according to a study from Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center called Community-Owned Fiber Networks: Value Leaders in America.David Talbot, a Fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, joins us for episode 289 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast to … Continue reading

North Dakota’s Exceptional Fiber Networks – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 288

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 21:44:25 +0000

With only about 757,000 residents and more than 710,000 square miles North Dakota is ranked 53rd in population density among U.S. states, territories, and Washington DC. There may not be many people there, but North Dakota has some of the best connectivity in the United States. Why? Rural cooperatives and independent companies have made continued … Continue reading

The Challenge of Mobile Only – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 287

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:22:51 +0000

With the Federal Communications Comission Republicans poised to redefine broadband to include slow, unreliable, and often bandwidth-capped mobile service, we talk with two high school students from southeast Ohio, Herron Linscott and Lilah Gagne, that have succeeded despite the lack of fixed broadband access in their homes. Soon the FCC may include those homes as … Continue reading

2017 in Review and a Preview of 2018 – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 286

Tue, 26 Dec 2017 14:36:14 +0000

It is that time of year – as 2017 draws to a close, we pulled Nick, Hannah, Lisa, and myself back into a podcast to talk about the predictions we made one year ago on episode 234. And despite having to deal with our failed predictions from last year, we dive right into making more … Continue reading

Catching up with Lincoln on Fiber, 5G, and US IGNITE – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 285

Tue, 19 Dec 2017 22:36:04 +0000

David Young is a veteran of our Community Broadband Bits podcast, having been interviewed in episodes 182, 228, and 238. For reasons that are beyond this interviewer, he still has a job in Lincoln as the Fiber Infrastructure and Right of Way Manager. Just kidding David – you are such a friendly person I cannot help … Continue reading

Discussing the Digital Divides On Road to Digital Equity – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 284

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 20:11:35 +0000

If everyone subscribed to Internet access, the business models for supplying it would be much easier. But there are strong reasons for why many are locked out of Internet access today, a subject we explore with National Digital Inclusion Alliance Executive Director Angela Siefer in episode 284 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. We discussed what … Continue reading

Reinventing Burlington Telecom – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 283

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 17:44:39 +0000

We're continuing the interviews Christopher conducted while at the November Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference in Atlanta; this week, he's talking with Stephen Barraclough, General Manager for Burlington Telecom (BT) in Vermont. Stephen has worked diligently to reinvigorate and preserve the publicly owned network that, regardless of troubles, has been popular with subscribers.Christopher and Stephen had their … Continue reading

Organizing For a Community Network, Against Big Cable – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 282

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 22:35:22 +0000

Fort Collins, like more than 100 communities in Colorado, had already opted out of the state law that requires a referendum prior to a city or county investing in an Internet network, even with a partner. But it went back to another referendum a few weeks ago to amend its city charter to create a telecommunications … Continue reading

Another Perspective on Policy From American Action Forum – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 281

Wed, 29 Nov 2017 14:49:59 +0000

Christopher went to Atlanta for the Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference in early November, and while he was there, he touched base with this week’s guest Will Rinehart. Will is the Director of Technology and Innovation Policy at the American Action Forum, a DC nonprofit organization that’s been around since 2009.Will and Christopher don’t always … Continue reading

NC Hearts Gigabit – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 280

Tue, 21 Nov 2017 21:38:55 +0000

NC Hearts Gigabit is a grassroots group recently launched in North Carolina that aims to dramatically improve Internet access and utilization across the state. We caught up with Economic Development Consultant Christa Wagner Vinson, CEO of Open Broadband Alan Fitzpatrick, and Partner of Broadband Catalysts Deborah Watts to discuss what they are doing. We discuss their … Continue reading

Lessons From the Nation's Oldest Open Access Fiber Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 279

Wed, 15 Nov 2017 16:02:14 +0000

Grant County's Public Utility District was, along with some nearby PUDs, among the very first deployers of Fiber-to-the-Home networks shortly after the turn of the millennium. And per Washington's law, they built an open access network that today has more than twenty service providers.Grant County PUD Project Specialist Russ Brethrower joins us for Community Broadband … Continue reading

Intelligent Communities In Dublin, Ohio, And Beyond – Community Broadband Bits Episode 278

Tue, 07 Nov 2017 19:35:37 +0000

As an increasing number of communities invest in and explore the advantages of publicly owned networks, Christopher finds himself making more trips to cities and towns across the country. In addition to sharing what we discover about all the communities we research, he absorbs what he can from others who also document the way local … Continue reading

Kit Carson Fibers up New Mexico – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 277

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 19:00:00 +0000

The Kit Carson Electric Cooperative serves rural north central New Mexico and has been an early investor in a fiber-optic network that has brought high quality Internet service to a state largely stuck with 90's era DSL from incumbent CenturyLink. Luis Reyes, CEO of Kit Carson, joins us for episode 277 to discuss how the utility … Continue reading

Allband All-in For Rural Michigan Internet Access – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 276

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 22:01:57 +0000

After being told by the large telephone incumbent that he could pay a nominal fee in rural Michigan to get phone service, John Reigle built a home. And when the telephone company changed its mind after quoting an outrageous price, he created a cooperative that is building fiber networks in a very rural region of Michigan. General … Continue reading

Garrett County Builds Better Connections By Combining Technologies in Rural Maryland – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 275

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:50:42 +0000

Maryland may be home to our nation’s bustling, urban capital, but on the other side of the state are the Appalachians and many rural communities that struggle with poor Internet access. One of those communities is Garrett County. Residents, businesses, and institutions have limped along for years using outdated connections. Some people don’t have any … Continue reading

Mason PUD 3 Responds to Muni Fiber Demand with Fiberhoods – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 274

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 16:47:43 +0000

Mason County Public Utility District 3 covers a large area with a lot of people that have poor Internet access. If “PUD” didn't give it away, it is located in Washington State on the Olympic Peninsula and had already been investing in fiber as an electric utility for monitoring its internal systems.Mason PUD 3 Telecommunications & … Continue reading

Louisville To Save Big With Embattled Anchor Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 273

Wed, 04 Oct 2017 13:50:41 +0000

Back in June, Louisville had a close call with missing a key opportunity to build municipal fiber to local anchor institutions at a substantially reduced cost. An anti-muni broadband group pushed hard to disrupt the project but city staff educated metro council-members and moved forward with a unanimous vote. Louisville Chief of Civic Innovation Grace Simrall and … Continue reading

Referendum Lights Up Lyndon Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 272

Tue, 26 Sep 2017 19:01:52 +0000

Michigan's Lyndon Township set a local election turnout record in August when voters supported a measure to build a municipal fiber network by 2:1 margin. The initiative was largely organized and supported by the Michigan Broadband Cooperative, a local effort to improve Internet access in the community. To better understand their approach, organizing, and future plans, we … Continue reading

Fiber For All and More – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 271

Tue, 19 Sep 2017 17:57:50 +0000

After a friendly coup in the offices of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Hannah has taken the podcast host chair from Christopher for episode 271 of the Community Broadband Bits. Hannah grills Christopher on where he has recently traveled, interesting lessons, and recent news around community broadband. (Christopher mentions a great event in Pittsfield – … Continue reading

Uncommon Knowledge of Common Carriage – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 270

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 19:08:39 +0000

The modern fight over network neutrality isn't a few years old. It is well over 1,000 years old across a variety of infrastructures and is totally wrapped up in a legal concept known as common carriage that has governed many kinds of “carriers” over the years. Few, if any, are as conversant in this subject … Continue reading

Holland's Muni Fiber Pilot Expands in Michigan – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 269

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 17:04:14 +0000

Holland is expanding its pilot area for municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) services in Michigan's Dutch outpost. To explain the past, present, and expected future of muni fiber in Holland, Broadband Services Manager Pete Hoffswell for the Board of Public Works, joins us in episode 269 of the Broadband Bits podcast.The city has some 25 years of … Continue reading

Jon Chambers: Rethinking The Rules on The Connect America Fund – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 268

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 18:51:27 +0000

Jon Chambers, a partner at Conexon, returns to visit us this week to talk about rural connectivity and the approaching Connect America Fund (CAF) auction. Conexon works with electric cooperatives to establish high-quality Internet networks for members, typically in rural areas where national providers don’t offer the kinds of services communities need.Having spent time at the … Continue reading

Spiral Investing in Rural California While AT&T Invests in Sacramento – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 267

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 19:46:35 +0000

With the right policies and local investment, Spiral Internet could bring high quality Internet access to much of northern California. Spiral is a small private company and its CIO, Michael Anderson, talks with us today for episode 267 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. We discuss Spiral's enthusiasm for open access fiber networks and how the … Continue reading

Benoit Felten of Diffraction Analysis Talks Global Strategies – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 266

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 18:13:14 +0000

When policy and decision makers discuss how to improve connectivity in the U.S., they often compare Internet access in other parts of the world to connectivity in America. We can learn from efforts in other places.Benoit Felten, CEO of Diffraction Analysis, has analyzed business models, approaches, and infrastructure development all across the globe. His company has … Continue reading

Pasadena Benefits From Municipal Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 265

Tue, 08 Aug 2017 19:13:18 +0000

It shouldn't be surprising that the city that is home to CalTech and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory needs high-quality connectivity. Those institutions are part of the reason Pasadena began investing in its own fiber network.To learn the other reasons and how they went about it, Pasadena's Telecom & Regulatory Administrator Lori Sandoval joins us on Community Broadband … Continue reading

Connecting San Francisco Low-Income Housing with Monkey Brains – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 264

Tue, 01 Aug 2017 16:29:57 +0000

After we saw April Glaser's article on a local San Francisco ISP connecting low-income housing to high-quality Internet access, we knew we wanted to learn more. Preston Rhea is the Senior Field Engineer for Monkey Brains and someone we knew from his work with the Open Technology Institute at New America. He joins us with … Continue reading

Dark Fiber Brightens Downtown Business Climate in Eugene – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 263

Wed, 26 Jul 2017 14:51:58 +0000

Eugene is a good example of recent public-public partnerships developing to expand fiber optic Internet access. The city of 166,000 in Oregon helped finance a downtown dark fiber network by the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB), which is publicly owned but has an independent governing board from the city. Eugene's Economic Development Planner Anne Fifield … Continue reading

Microsoft Supercharges TV White Spaces – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 262

Tue, 18 Jul 2017 16:51:44 +0000

After a recent announcement from Microsoft committing to building rural networks using TV white spaces [NYT, Ars Technica stories], we asked Public Knowledge Senior Vice President and long-time TVWS enthusiast Harold Feld to explain the significance. We discuss what TVWS are and why this announcement is such a big deal given that we have previously covered multiple … Continue reading

Sonic Suggests Dark Fiber for Munis – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 261

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 19:19:18 +0000

Sonic is one of the best ISPs in the nation – well beloved by its California subscribers and policy geeks like us in part because of its CEO and Co-Founder, Dane Jasper. Dane combines a tremendous amount of technical and business knowledge in a thoughtful and friendly personality. And while we don't always agree, we are always … Continue reading

Broadband Planning and How Government Creates Markets – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 260

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 18:58:22 +0000

Just what does it take to have a market? It may be more complicated than you think — and in large part because of the things most of us don't notice that governments do. We discuss this and the role of broadband planners with Alex Marshall on Community Broadband Bits podcast 260. Alex is the author … Continue reading

Ammon Examines Muni Fiber Impact – Community Broadband Bits 259

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 17:52:50 +0000

For episode 259 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we are going back to the well in Ammon, Idaho – one of the most creative and forward-thinking fiber network deployments in the country. Strategic Networks Group has completed a study examining the impact of Ammon's open muni fiber network on local businesses and residents.To discuss … Continue reading

Roosevelt Institute Argues for Better Broadband Policy – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 258

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 18:49:35 +0000

As the telecommunications and broadband market has become more and more consolidated, it has drawn more attention, leading to more attention from people that actually care about functioning markets. Enter the Roosevelt Institute and their report, Crossed Lines: Why the AT&T-Time Warner Merger Demands a New Approach to Antitrust.Roosevelt Institute Senior Economist and Fellow Marshall … Continue reading

Chattanooga Fiber Surpasses Expectations, Offers Lessons – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 257

Tue, 06 Jun 2017 19:59:23 +0000

One of the very many treats at Mountain Connect this year was a keynote from Chattanooga EPB's Director of Fiber Technology, Colman Keane. (Watch it here.) After discussing their remarkable successes, we snagged an interview with him (he was last on the show for episode 175).We discuss whether or not Chattanooga is an appropriate role … Continue reading

Colorado Chooses to Subsidize DSL Rather than Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 256

Tue, 30 May 2017 18:30:34 +0000

In an exciting milestone, this is podcast 100000000. Or 256 in decimal – you know, for the squares. While at the always-amazing Mountain Connect event in Colorado, I snagged an interview with Doug Seacat of Deeply Digital and Clearnetworx. They sought a grant from the Colorado Broadband Fund to deploy fiber and wireless to underserved Ridgway … Continue reading

Considering PPPs, Marketing For Munis – Broadband Bits Podcast 255

Tue, 23 May 2017 17:00:07 +0000

While attending the Broadband Communities Summit in Dallas, Christopher had the opportunity to interview some of the people he’s been wanting get on the show, including Kyle Hollifield, Senior Vice President from Magellan Advisors.Magellan and Kyle have been working with a growing list of communities across the country exploring opportunities to improve local connectivity. In addition … Continue reading

NYC Works With Grassroots for Low-Income Access – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 254

Tue, 16 May 2017 19:06:55 +0000

Some time ago, when speaking with Joshua Breitbart, the Senior Advisor for Broadband to the New York City CTO Miguel Gamiño, he mentioned to me that any subset of the issues they face with regard to improving Internet access in New York City is itself a massive issue. Joshua joins us to elaborate on that … Continue reading

Great Community Advice and Colorado Update – Broadband Bits Podcast 253

Thu, 11 May 2017 19:28:16 +0000

Bonus episode! We did several interviews while at the Broadband Communities Summit and Dallas, so we are publishing two episodes this week. Diane Kruse joined us for today's discussion, episode 253, with an update about progress around community broadband in Colorado and great advice for communities considering an investment.Diane is the CEO and President of … Continue reading

Update on Westminster's High Profile PPP Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 252

Wed, 10 May 2017 17:35:23 +0000

If you picked up the Institute for Local Self-Reliance dictionary, under “public-private partnership,” it would say “See Westminster and Ting fiber-optic network.” We discussed it with Westminster City Council President Robert Wack in episode 100 of Community Broadband Bits and he rejoins us for episode 252 to update us on the progress they have made.We … Continue reading

ECFiber Connecting Rural Vermonters To The Speed They Need – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 251

Wed, 03 May 2017 16:26:03 +0000

We’ve been covering the East-Central Vermont Community Fiber-Optic Network (ECFiber) since 2009; it has come a long way from inception. ECFiber is a group of rural Vermont towns that are working together to deploy a regional network to offer high-quality Internet access to communities typically stuck with slow, unreliable connections such as DSL and dial-up. In … Continue reading

Policies to Make Markets Work – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 250

Tue, 25 Apr 2017 15:06:50 +0000

The larger focus of our work in the Community Broadband Networks Initiative is to ensure communities have the networks they need. Our guest for Community Broadband Bits episode 250 is an expert in how markets break and the policies that make them work. Gary Reback is a well known Silicon Valley lawyer and Of Counsel at … Continue reading

Rural Electric Co-ops as Reluctant Warriors for Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 249

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 18:25:06 +0000

As we continue to cover the growing movement of rural electric cooperatives to bring high quality Internet networks to their members, we wanted to bring Alyssa Clemsen-Roberts back on the show. Alyssa was last on the show for episode 109 and has since moved from the Utilities Telecom Council to Pedernales Electric Co-op in Texas.Though Pedernales … Continue reading

LanCity Connect Partnership Brings Gig to Southeast Pennsylvania – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 248

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 21:23:12 +0000

Located in southeast Pennsylvania, Lancaster will soon have some of the fastest Internet access in the entire state due to its partnership with a local telecommunications firm, MAW Communications. We reported on many details about this approach here, but Community Broadband Bits podcast episode 248 offers an in-depth look.Lancaster Business Administrator Patrick Hopkins and MAW … Continue reading

Using Fiber for Smart Grid and the Pole Problem in Nashville – Community Broadband Bits 247

Tue, 04 Apr 2017 16:55:12 +0000

While at the annual Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Broadband Conference, I forced Ken Demlow to be our guest on Community Broadband Bits Podcast 247. Ken is the Sales Director for Newcom Technologies, where he has worked with many different fiber-optic deployments on the ground and is a fun guy to talk to more generally.Our discussion focuses … Continue reading

Feasibility Study? How to Start a Community Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 246

Tue, 28 Mar 2017 19:38:50 +0000

After discussing this issue time and time again, with community after community, we finally recorded our thoughts on how communities should get started when considering a community network. Eric Lampland, the guy behind Lookout Point Communications, is our guest on Community Broadband Bits podcast episode 246. We talk about common mistakes and the importance of developing … Continue reading

netBlazr Offering Blazing Fast Fixed Wireless – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 245

Tue, 21 Mar 2017 18:39:13 +0000

Like other urban centers in the U.S., Boston is filled with multi dwelling units (MDUs) and buildings that house multiple business tenants. Obtaining high-quality connectivity in such an environment can be a challenge, especially if choices are limited to just one or two incumbents with little or no competition. With the advancement of new fixed … Continue reading

West Plains Builds Network to Preserve Jobs – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 244

Tue, 14 Mar 2017 19:11:09 +0000

West Plains is one of the many population centers of rural regions that have been left behind by big cable and telephone companies. Located in the scenic Ozarks of southern Missouri, they are taking their digital future into their own hands with a modest fiber-optic investment.City Administrator Tom Stehn strolls by our podcast this week … Continue reading

What's NEXT In North Arkansas? – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 243

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 18:46:11 +0000

As an increasing number of rural electric cooperatives are working to bring high-quality Internet access to their members, we’re learning more about new projects and the people behind them. This week, we talk with the CEO of the North Arkansas Electric Cooperative, Mel Coleman. As an added bonus, we get Mel’s insight as President of … Continue reading

Susan Crawford's Road Trip – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 242

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 18:06:29 +0000

Susan Crawford has come back to the podcast to tell us about her recent travels in North Carolina and Tennessee, talking to people on the ground that have already built fiber-optic networks or are in the midst of figuring out how to get them deployed.Susan is a professor at Harvard Law, the author of The … Continue reading

The Cable UnBundling Challenge – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 241

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 14:52:19 +0000

One of the most recurring complaints about cable television is the bundles – people resent having to pay for channels that they do not watch. Especially when those cable prices go up consistently. The cable companies tend to absorb most of the blame and anger for this model, but they aren't entirely responsible.To explain how … Continue reading

United Fiber Tackles Missouri's Most Rural – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 240

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 16:30:23 +0000

The most rural area of Missouri is getting a Fiber-to-the-Home network from the United Electric Cooperative, which has created United Fiber and is expanding across its footprint and to adjacent areas that want better Internet access. Chief Development Officer Darren Farnan joins us to explain why his co-op has taken these steps.We discuss how they … Continue reading

Small Cells, Fiber, and Local Governments – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 239

Tue, 07 Feb 2017 21:10:13 +0000

After last week's podcast on Lincoln and its small cell policy, we wanted to offer a longer discussion about small cell wireless technology and the policy around it. Crown Castle is a firm focused on enabling wireless solutions and Acquisitions Manager in Corporate Development Strategy Duffy Newman joins us for episode 239 of the Community … Continue reading

Small Cells Yield Big Results In Lincoln – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 238

Wed, 01 Feb 2017 18:27:05 +0000

We’ve been covering happenings in Lincoln, Nebraska for several years now. The city’s Right of Way Manager David Young joins us for episode 238 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. David is a returning guest; this week, he’s here to talk about Lincoln’s new venture into small cell technology.The state imposes restrictions on municipalities in … Continue reading

Kitsap Residents Demand Fiber – And Get it – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 237

Tue, 24 Jan 2017 17:44:14 +0000

When we first learned of the Lookout Lane fiber-optic project in the Kitsap Public Utility District in Washington, we knew we wanted to learn more. Kitsap PUD General Manager Bob Hunter and Telecommunications Superintendent Paul Avis join us for episode 237 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.KPUD has historically focused on water and wastewater services … Continue reading

Wilson Greenlight, Public Housing Authority Solve Access Gap – Community Broadband Bits Episode 236

Tue, 17 Jan 2017 17:46:07 +0000

From our research, we believe the municipal fiber-optic network in Wilson, North Carolina, has the best low-income Internet access program in the nation. Called Greenlight, the fiber network has led to job growth and been a financial success. And now it also offers $10 per month 50 Mbps symmetrical Internet access to those living in … Continue reading

Erwin Deploys Phased Fiber Plan – Community Broadband Bits 235

Tue, 10 Jan 2017 22:00:49 +0000

Nestled in the Cherokee National Forest on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, not far from Virginia, is Erwin. Erwin Utilities runs the water, wastewater, and electricity for the town of 6,000 and long wanted to invest in a fiber network. After years of following industry trends, they developed a plan to build it … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits Podcast Will Be Back Next Week

Tue, 03 Jan 2017 16:11:10 +0000

Due to illness during the past few weeks, Christopher has been out of commission, in a podcasting sense. He’s on the upswing now, but we’ve decided to give him the week off so he can come back strong for the first podcast of 2017.In the mean time, we hope you will expand your ILSR podcast … Continue reading

2016 Review, 2017 Predictions – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 234

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 19:22:08 +0000

It's that time of year – for reflection of the past and thinking about the future. Lisa, Nick, Hannah, and I discuss the previous year and then make some predictions for next year.Along the way, we have some banter and occasionally an insightful comment if you listen hard enough.Read the transcript of the show here. We … Continue reading

Bozeman Unique Fiber Model Gets Good Start – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 233

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 17:20:17 +0000

This week, we return to Bozeman's unique model in Montana to get an update now that the network is up and running. President of Bozeman Fiber Anthony Cochenour and city of Bozeman Economic Development Director Brit Fontenot join us again to discuss their unique approach. We last spoke with them on episode 142.We discuss how … Continue reading

Osage and the Iowa Legislature – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 232

Tue, 13 Dec 2016 16:20:44 +0000

Located in northwest Iowa, Osage has been an innovative utility leader with forward-looking investments in both telecommunications and clean energy with wind and solar. Osage Municipal Utilites General Manager Josh Byrnes joins us for Community Broadband Bits podcast 232. He is also in the midst of retiring after 3 terms in the Iowa Legislature. Osage built … Continue reading

San Francisco Proposal For Tenant ISP Choice – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 231

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 16:17:41 +0000

Cities across America are implementing policies that create friendly environments for Internet Service Providers in order to encourage competition. In San Francisco, the Board of Supervisors is now considering legislation that will create choice for residents or businesses in multi-welling units, or MDUs. In episode 231, Mark Farrell, a member of the Board of Supervisors, joins … Continue reading

The Deep History of Chattanooga's Fiber Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 230

Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:40:33 +0000

In a break from our traditional format of 20-30 minutes (or so), we have a special in-depth interview this week with Harold Depriest, the former CEO and President of Chattanooga's Electric Power Board. He recently retired after 20 incredibly transformative years for both Chattanooga and its municipal electric utility. We talk about the longer history behind … Continue reading

Rural Electrics Solve Rural Internet Access Problems – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 229

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 06:00:00 +0000

Rural electric co-ops have started delivering high quality Internet access to their member-owners and our guest this week on Community Broadband Bits episode 229 is dedicated to helping these co-ops to build fiber-optic networks throughout their territories. Jon Chambers is a partner at Conexon and was previously the head of the FCC's Office of Strategic Planning and … Continue reading

City of Lincoln Conduit Spurs FTTH, School Network Innovation – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 228

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 17:00:00 +0000

When we last spoke to people from Lincoln, Nebraska, about their innovative conduit program to improve Internet access, we focused on how they had done it – Conduits Lead to Competition, podcast 182. For this week and episode 228 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we focus more on the community benefits their approach has led … Continue reading

Madison Starts Muni Fiber Effort, Considers Citywide Effort – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 227

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 17:00:00 +0000

The second-largest city in Wisconsin and the home of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, is pursuing a path-breaking municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) strategy. They have already started by deploying fiber to several low-income neighborhoods and working with local ISP ResTech to offer services.Madison CIO Paul Kronberger joins us for Community Broadband Bits episode 227 to discuss their plan. … Continue reading

Pinetops Threatened by Hurricane and NC Legislature – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 226

Tue, 01 Nov 2016 17:00:00 +0000

Pinetops, a town of about 1,300 outside Wilson, North Carolina, is suffering a double calamity as Hurricane Matthew has left floods and incredible damage in its wake. Less natural but no less frustrating is the unforced error by the North Carolina Legislature in effectively prohibiting municipal broadband networks.This week, we have a doubleheader interview with … Continue reading

Midwest Energy Cooperative Connects Rural Michigan – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 225

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 17:00:00 +0000

Telephone and electric cooperatives are making strides in bringing high-quality connectivity to rural areas while national providers stay in the city. This week we speak with two gentlemen from rural southwest Michigan’s Midwest Energy Cooperative: President and CEO Bob Hance and Vice President of Regulatory Compliance Dave Allen.The electric cooperative has embarked on a project to … Continue reading

H.R. Trostle On Co-ops, Munis, Connectivity In North Carolina – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 224

Tue, 18 Oct 2016 19:00:00 +0000

In June, North Carolina released a report pronouncing that 93 percent of the state has access to broadband speeds. At the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, our Research Associate H.R. Trostle, who has been examining reporting data in North Carolina for the past year, came to some very different conclusions. In episode 224, she and Christopher … Continue reading

Update on Utah's Open Access UTOPIA – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 223

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 14:54:33 +0000

In the north central region of Utah, eleven communities are now served by a regional open access fiber-optic network operated by the Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency or UTOPIA. UTOPIA’s Executive Director, Roger Timmerman, and Mayor Karen Cronin from member community, Perry City, take time to speak with us for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode 223.One … Continue reading

Carrier-Grade Fiber in Centennial, Colorado – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 222

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 16:38:55 +0000

Located in the Denver metro region and shaped like a barbell, Centennial has effectively used dig once policies to build conduit and fiber assets that have attracted Ting to the community. Tim Scott is the Director of Fiber Infrastructure for the city and joins us on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast episode 222. Centennial took advantage … Continue reading

Virginia's Roanoke Valley Opens Fiber Access – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 221

Tue, 27 Sep 2016 14:59:10 +0000

Having few options for high-quality telecommunications service, Virginia's Roanoke Valley formed a broadband authority and is building an open access fiber-optic network with different options for ISPs to plug-in. In addition to being our guest on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode 221, Frank Smith is the Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority CEO and President. We discuss their … Continue reading

Medina County Aims to Be Mecca of Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 220

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 21:01:02 +0000

Medina County has built a fiber network to connect its core facilities and leases its fiber to multiple ISPs to improve connectivity in its communities. David Corrado, CEO of the Medina County Fiber Network, joins us to discuss their approach on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode 220. We discuss how the Port Authority became the lead … Continue reading

Saint Louis Park is Prepared for the Fiber Future – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 219

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 16:48:02 +0000

Saint Louis Park, a compact community along the west side of Minneapolis, has built an impressive fiber network, a conduit system, and several deals with developers to ensure new apartment buildings will allow their tenants to choose among high speed Internet access providers. Chief Information Office Clint Pires joins me for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast … Continue reading

Eliminate the Digital Divide – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 218

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 16:35:37 +0000

After his daughter asked how her classmates could do their school homework if they did not have a computer or Internet access at home, Pat Millen's family formed E2D – a nonprofit organization called Eliminate the Digital Divide. This week, Pat and I talk about their strategy, which was created in the footprint of North … Continue reading

North Carolina and Tennessee Lose in 6th Circuit – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 217

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 13:19:46 +0000

It has been several weeks, but Lisa and I wanted to answer any lingering questions people may have about the results of the Sixth Circuit case reviewing the FCC's action to remove state-created barriers to municipal networks. We devoted Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode 217 to the case and aftermath. The Sixth Circuit ruled against the … Continue reading

Just What is the Internet? Community Broadband Bits Podcast 216

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 17:36:59 +0000

The Internet is one of those things that is right there in front of our face but can be hard to define exactly. Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Episode 216 answers that question and picks up right where episode 213 left off with Fred Goldstein, Principal of Interisle Consulting Group. Having already discussed the regulatory decisions that … Continue reading

Open Cape Works With Communities for Last Mile – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 215

Tue, 16 Aug 2016 14:49:35 +0000

Cape Cod's OpenCape is the latest of the stimulus-funded middle mile broadband projects to focus on expanding to connect businesses and residents. We talk to OpenCape Executive Director Steve Johnston about the new focus and challenge of expansion in episode 215 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. Steve has spent much of his first year … Continue reading

Middle Mile vs Last Mile – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 214

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 14:02:58 +0000

As the next President considers how to improve rural Internet access, the administration will have to decide where to focus policy. Some at NTIA – the National Telecommunications Information Administration, a part of the federal Department of Commerce – have argued for more middle mile investment. NTIA oversaw major investments in middle mile networks after … Continue reading

Smart FCC Decisions Helped Create the Internet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 213

Tue, 02 Aug 2016 22:03:26 +0000

We originally planned this episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast to answer the question of “What is the Internet?” But as we started talking to our guest, Principal of Interisle Consulting Group Fred Goldstein, we quickly realized we first had to dig into a little bit of history. This is not the story of … Continue reading

Tiny Mt Washington Builds Fiber-to-the-Home – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 212

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 14:00:45 +0000

Overlooked by the incumbent telephone company, Mount Washington in the southwest corner of Massachusetts is becoming one of the smallest FTTH communities in the country by investing in a municipal fiber network. A strong majority of the town committed to three years of service and the state contributed $230,000 to build the network after a … Continue reading

Fort Collins Mayor on Fort Collins Fiber Future – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 211

Tue, 19 Jul 2016 15:03:57 +0000

Fort Collins is a thriving community of over 150,000 and the home of Colorado State University. Despite gorgeous vistas and many high tech jobs, Fort Collins basically has the same cable and DSL duopoly the majority of communities suffer from. But they are making plans for something better. Mayor Wade Troxell joins us this week … Continue reading

In Minnesota, Alexandria Connects Businesses – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 210

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 19:21:13 +0000

When the cable and telephone companies refused to offer dial-up Internet service 20 years ago in Alexandria, Minnesota, the municipal utility stepped up and made it available. For years, most everyone in the region used it to get online. Now, the utility has focused its telecommunications attention on making fiber-optic telecommunications services available to local … Continue reading

Discussing (Ranting) Consolidation – Community Broadband Bits Episode 209

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 19:00:00 +0000

In celebration of Independence Day, we are focused this week on consolidation and dependence. At the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, we are very focused on independence and believe that the consolidation in the telecommunications industry threatens the independence of communities. We doubt that Comcast or AT&T executives could locate most of the communities they serve … Continue reading

CityLink Telecommunications in Albuquerque Prefers Open Access – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 208

Tue, 28 Jun 2016 17:29:15 +0000

A small telecommunications company in Albuquerque embodies much of the philosophy that has powered the Internet. And CityLink Telecommunications President John Brown credits Vint Cerf for some of that inspiration. John Brown joins us for episode 208 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, where we talk not just about how enthusiastic he is for open … Continue reading

Ammon's Network of the Future – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 207

Tue, 21 Jun 2016 16:36:38 +0000

On the heels of releasing our video on Ammon, Idaho, we wanted to go a little more in-depth with Bruce Patterson. Bruce is Ammon's Technology Director and has joined us on the show before (episodes 173 and 86). We recommend watching the video before listening to this show. We get an update from Bruce on … Continue reading

Glenwood Springs Shares Lessons Learned – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 206

Tue, 14 Jun 2016 14:01:35 +0000

Last week, while at my favorite regional broadband conference – Mountain Connect, I was asked to moderate a panel on municipal fiber projects in Colorado. You can watch it via the periscope video stream that was recorded. It was an excellent panel and led to this week's podcast, a discussion with Glenwood Springs Information Systems … Continue reading

Whip City Fiber Expanding – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 205

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 15:06:45 +0000

Last month we wrote wrote about the Whip City Fiber Pilot project in Westfield, Massachusetts expanding and this week we interview two people from Westfield Gas & Electric about the effort. Aaron Bean is the Operations Manager and Sean Fitzgerald is the Key Accounts and Customer Service Manager. We discuss their pilot project, how they … Continue reading

Over 100 Years of Muni Telecom in Churchill County – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 204

Tue, 31 May 2016 15:34:39 +0000

For more than 100 years, Nevada's Churchill County has been operating its own telecommunications system, Churchill Communications. In recent years, they upgraded the vast majority of the county from copper to fiber offering a gigabit connection to the Internet. Churchill Communications General Manager Mark Feest joins us this week for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Episode 204. … Continue reading

Tennessee Potential Partnership Between Morristown Muni and AEC Co-op – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 203

Wed, 25 May 2016 13:52:23 +0000

In Tennessee, this month marks 10 years of Morristown Utility Systems delivering fiber-optic triple-play service to the community, including great Internet access. But those living just outside the city and in nearby cities have poor access at best. MUS General Manager and CEO Jody Wigington returns to our show this week and we also welcome … Continue reading

Meeting the American Cable Association – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 202

Tue, 17 May 2016 15:01:11 +0000

The American Cable Association (ACA) represents over 800 small and medium-sized cable companies around the United States, including many municipal cable and fiber-optic networks. This week, we talk with ACA President and CEO Matt Polka about what they do and how small cable companies are vastly different from the big companies like Comcast and Charter. … Continue reading

Fairlawn Focuses on Citywide Gig Infrastructure – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 201

Tue, 10 May 2016 16:48:47 +0000

On the outskirts of Akron, just south of Cleveland, the community of Fairlawn is building a citywide wireless and fiber optic network using an interesting model. Most of the citywide municipal Internet networks in the U.S. have been built by communities with a municipal electric power company. Fairlawn has no such utility, not even a … Continue reading

Crazy Talk from Another Telco-Funded Think Tank – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 200

Tue, 03 May 2016 20:14:29 +0000

This week, we discuss a report with zero credibility from the State Government Leadership Foundation, which was written by a well-known telco economist from the Phoenix Center. Entitled, “The Impact of Government-Owned Broadband Networks on Private Investment and Consumer Welfare,” the report [pdf] makes so many factual errors that one wonders just how much these … Continue reading

Valparaiso Embraces Dark Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 199

Tue, 26 Apr 2016 15:51:00 +0000

When Valparaiso, Indiana looked into solutions for a business that needed better Internet connectivity than incumbent providers were willing to reasonably provide, it quickly found that many businesses were lacking the access they needed. The market was broken; this wasn't an isolated incident. Correction: Lisa misspeaks in the intro, saying Valparaiso is northeast of Chicago. … Continue reading

A New Cooperative Model for Fiber to the Farm – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 198

Tue, 19 Apr 2016 18:53:05 +0000

When we launched this podcast in 2012, we kicked it off with an interview from Minnesota's farm country, Sibley County. We were excited at their passion for making sure every farm was connected with high quality Internet access. After the project took a turn and became a brand new cooperative, we interviewed them again in … Continue reading

Webpass and Its Fixed Wireless Seek Fix for Landlord Abuses – Community Broadband Bits Episode 197

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 16:24:36 +0000

San Francisco is one of the rare cities that has multiple high quality ISPs competing for market share, though the vast majority of people still seem to be stuck choosing only between Comcast and AT&T. This week, we talk to a rising ISP, Webpass, about their success and challenges in expanding their model. Charles Barr … Continue reading

Service Unavailable: The Failure of Competition – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 196

Wed, 06 Apr 2016 15:31:42 +0000

If you are paying close attention to discussions about broadband policy, you may have come across Fred Pilot's reminders that competition is not a cure-all for our Internet access woes across the United States. The blogger and author joins us for episode 196 of Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary]. Fred Pilot's new book, Service Unavailable: America's Telecommunications … Continue reading

Montgomery Sees Job Gains in Alabama After Establishing Internet Exchange – Community Broadband Bits Episode 195

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 15:15:19 +0000

In a partnership with the Department of Defense, the city of Montgomery has created Alabama's first Internet Exchange. This week, project manager for Montgomery Cyber Connection, Ben Venable, joins us to discuss this project and the gains the community is already seeing from it. The effort is a true partnership between General Steven Kwast at … Continue reading

ISP US Internet Gets More Respect Than Rodney Dangerfield – Community Broadband Bits 194

Tue, 22 Mar 2016 17:58:24 +0000

In Minneapolis, a small and privately owned ISP has been steadily building fiber across the city and developing a stunning reputation for great customer service, low and predictable pricing, and generally being a great company to do business with. Co-founder Travis Carter of US Internet joins us for episode 194 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] … Continue reading

One Touch Make Ready and Wireless Innovation in Louisville – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 193

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 14:10:00 +0000

When we asked Ted Smith, Chief Innovation Officer of Louisville, Kentucky, to join us for episode 193 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Bits podcast, we expected to talk about the one touch make ready policy they had enacted (and AT&T has since sued to stop). We did, but we ended with a focus on how … Continue reading

The FCC's Pro-Competition Agenda – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 192

Tue, 08 Mar 2016 19:26:00 +0000

This week we welcome Gigi Sohn, Counselor to Chairman Wheeler of the Federal Communications Commission, to Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] for episode 192. Before joining the FCC, Gigi was a founder of Public Knowledge. Gigi discusses the pro-competition agenda that Chairman Wheeler has advanced, including the efforts to ensure communities can decide locally whether to build … Continue reading

Exploring the Huntsville Fiber Model – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 191

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 17:49:24 +0000

Last week, we were excited at the announcement from Huntsville Utilities in Alabama. Huntsville is building a municipal dark fiber network to every premise in its territory that will be open to multiple service providers. Google has already committed to using it to bring real connectivity to the community. In this week's episode, 191, we … Continue reading

Rural Broadband Expansion Ignores Economic Development Potential in Minnesota – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 190

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 23:44:28 +0000

For years, many rural communities suffered from a broadband donut hole problem – the investment in better-than-dial-up was in the population center, leaving a donut of poor access around it. Now policy to reverse that in places like Minnesota is perversely creating the opposite problem, to the detriment of the entire community. This week on … Continue reading

Muni Fiber Tennessee Twofer: Columbia and Pulaski – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 189

Wed, 17 Feb 2016 02:06:21 +0000

We cover a lot of Tennessee ground in this week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast – episode 189 – from a cable network to muni Fiber-to-the-Home; Columbia to Pulaski. Wes Kelley, the Executive Director of the Columbia Power and Water Systems is our guest to talk about Columbia's cable and Pulaski's fiber. He cut his teeth … Continue reading

North Carolina Coop Fibers Up Rural Counties and More – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 188

Tue, 09 Feb 2016 18:08:44 +0000

North Carolina is increasingly split between those in urban areas, where some private sector providers are investing in next-generation gigabit networks, and rural areas where the big providers have no plans to invest in modern networks. But coming out of Wilkes County, a cooperative ISP called Wilkes Communications and River Street Networks is taking fiber … Continue reading

Andrew Blum Decides to Visit the Internet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 187

Tue, 02 Feb 2016 21:05:53 +0000

We head directly into the Internet this week with Andrew Blum, author of the book Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet. We wrote about it when it was published back in 2012. It is as relevant today as then – buy it from your local bookstore. In our discussion, we talk about … Continue reading

Why Schools Need Big Bandwidth – Community Broadband Bits Episode 186

Tue, 26 Jan 2016 21:03:27 +0000

The St Vrain Valley School District, north of Denver and including the Longmont area, is transitioning from a shared gigabit network to dedicated 10 Gbps links for schools. Just what does it do with all that bandwidth? School District Chief Technology Officer Joe McBreen tells us this week in Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast episode 186. … Continue reading

Local Governments and Internet Access Debate – Community Broadband Bits Episode 185

Tue, 19 Jan 2016 18:04:01 +0000

For this week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, we are trying a discussion/debate format between myself, Christopher Mitchell, and Ryan Radia, Associate Director of Technology Studies at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. We have debated previously and prefer a style of seeking to flesh out the argument rather than merely trying to win it. We start by … Continue reading

North Carolina Organizes for Local Internet Choice – Community Broadband Bits Episode 184

Tue, 12 Jan 2016 18:02:55 +0000

The Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC) has its first local chapter with the formation of CLIC-NC. Catharine Rice, who is both part of CLIC-NC and the Project Director for CLIC, explains what is happening on episode 184 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Podcast. We remind listeners what CLIC is and the goals of CLIC-NC … Continue reading

Thoughts on 2015, Predictions for 2016 – Community Broadband Bits Episode 183

Tue, 05 Jan 2016 17:19:32 +0000

Given all the exciting events of 2015 and our hopes for 2016, we decided to do another year end / year beginning show that looks both backward and forward. Unfortunately, our timing did not allow for Lisa to join us in the recording, but Christopher Mitchell is joined by communications staff at the Institute for … Continue reading

Conduits Lead to Competition – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 182

Tue, 22 Dec 2015 20:10:03 +0000

As we noted in a preliminary story last week, the city of Lincoln has crafted a collection of conduits allowing greater competition for advanced telecommunications services. As we discuss this week in episode 182 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, they have also crafted a smart policy to continue expanding the conduit system. To better … Continue reading

Hudson Adds Velocity to Help Local Businesses – Community Broadband Bits Episode 181

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 15:57:10 +0000

When Hudson, Ohio, businesses couldn't get the connectivity they needed from the incumbent cable and telephone companies, the local government stepped up to provide what it calls a “service” rather than a “utility.” Hudson City Manager Jane Howington joins me this week to explain their approach in Episode 181 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. … Continue reading

Maine House Representative Pushes for Better Internet Access – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 180

Tue, 08 Dec 2015 12:33:10 +0000

Eleven months ago, we noted the incredible energy in the Maine Legislature around improving Internet access. Maine State Representative Norm Higgins joins us this week for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Podcast episode 180. Rep. Norm Higgins, a newcomer to the Legislature, pushed hard for legislation to encourage municipal open access networks as well as removing barriers … Continue reading

Local Internet Improvement Districts in New Hampshire – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 179

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 20:01:05 +0000

Local governments in New Hampshire are quite limited in how they can use public financing to invest in fiber optic networks, but Hanover is exploring an approach to create voluntary special assessment districts that would finance open access fiber optic networks. Town Manager Julia Griffin joins us for Community Broadband Bits Episode 179 to explain … Continue reading

Colorado's Unique Environment of Local Collaboration – Community Broadband Bits Episode 178

Tue, 24 Nov 2015 16:08:31 +0000

A few weeks back, Colorado voters overwhelmingly chose local authority and community networks over the status quo Internet connections. Approximately 50 local governments had referenda to reclaim authority lost under the anti-competition state law originally called SB 152 that CenturyLink's predecessor Qwest pushed into law in 2005. This week, Virgil Turner and Audrey Danner join … Continue reading

Self-Financed EC Fiber Continues to Grow – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 177

Tue, 17 Nov 2015 21:55:47 +0000

Carole Monroe is back on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] for Episode 177 this week, to discuss the East Central Vermont Fiber network and its unique financing model. Carole is now the General Manager for EC Fiber. She previously joined us for episode 36 to discuss FastRoads in New Hampshire. And we previously discussed EC Fiber with … Continue reading

Maine Model for Muni Fiber – Dark and Open – Community Broadband Bits Episode 176

Wed, 11 Nov 2015 14:18:52 +0000

An interesting confluence in events in Maine have resulted in what some are calling the “Maine model” of fiber optic networks that are available to multiple Internet Service Providers to encourage competition and high quality services. The CEO of GWI, Fletcher Kittredge, joins us this week to explain this model and where it is currently … Continue reading

Chattanooga Crushes It – Marketing, Technology, and Nearby Communities – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 175

Tue, 03 Nov 2015 17:06:42 +0000

Chattanooga returns to the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast this week in episode 175 to talk about their 10 Gbps upgrade, the fibervention campaign, TN4Fiber, and having surpassed 75,000 subscribers. For so much content, we have three guests joining us from Chattanooga's Electric Power Board (the EPB in EPB Fiber): Danna Bailey is the VP of … Continue reading

Exploring Early Stages of Building Municipal Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Episode 174

Tue, 27 Oct 2015 22:36:16 +0000

When communities consider building their own network, they are often venturing outside their areas of expertise and have to get advice from consultants and industry experts. This week, we talk with two guests from Vantage Point, an employee owned engineering and consulting firm that works with a variety of clients, from private companies to municipalities … Continue reading

Muni Fiber in Idaho Helps 911 Dispatch and First Responders – Community Broadband Bits Episode 173

Tue, 20 Oct 2015 14:22:04 +0000

Ammon, Idaho, continues to quietly build a future-looking open access fiber network. Though the City won't be providing services directly to subscribers, the network it is building and the model it has created could revolutionize public safety. I just spent several days with them shooting our next video on community fiber networks (look for that … Continue reading

Open Access Engineering Options – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 172

Tue, 13 Oct 2015 14:53:45 +0000

The holy grail of Internet access for many of us continues to be a situation in which multiple providers can compete on a level playing field, which should lower costs to subscribers and encourage innovation. Often called open access, this may involve a municipality building a fiber optic network and making it available on a … Continue reading

Wilson Business Thrives With Muni Fiber Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 171

Tue, 06 Oct 2015 19:04:41 +0000

When Wilson decided to build its municipal fiber network in North Carolina, it found a strong opponent in Tina Mooring, store manager of Computer Central. One of the local business' sources of revenue was connecting people to the Internet and they were fearful that they would lose customers to what became Greenlight, the municipal fiber … Continue reading

Spanish Fork Building Gig Fiber over Cable Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 170

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 21:01:46 +0000

The Spanish Fork Community Network has long been among the most successful community broadband projects. And now that the community has finished paying off the debt of the network, they are using the net income to upgrade to a fiber network that will be capable of delivering a symmetrical gigabit to anyone in town. John … Continue reading

Explaining Right-of-Way Basics – Community Broadband Bits Episode 169

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 19:49:24 +0000

For this week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary], we are delving into an area of law and practice that is quite important for Internet network deployment but tends to be dry and confusing. Not for us today though, we have Sean Stokes, a Principal at Baller Herbst Stokes & Lide, joining us to explain Right-of-Way basics. We … Continue reading

Salisbury Fibrant Launches 10 Gbps Citywide – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 168

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 15:38:15 +0000

Salisbury's municipal FTTH network, Fibrant is the first citywide 10 Gbps network in the nation. Located in North Carolina, Salisbury is also one of very few municipal citywide fiber networks that was built by a city without a municipal electric plant. This week, Salisbury Director of Broadband and Infrastructure, Kent Winrich, joins us for Episode … Continue reading

The Benefits of, Lessons From, SandyNet – Community Broadband Bits Episode 167

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 11:30:41 +0000

Two of the stars from our video on SandyNet in Oregon, join us this week for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode 167. Sandy City Council President Jeremy Pietzold and IT Director Joe Knapp (also SandyNet General Manager) tell us more about the network and recent developments as they finish connecting the majority of the City to … Continue reading

Danville's Incremental Strategy Pays Off – Community Broadband Bits Episode 166

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 12:14:04 +0000

Danville, Virginia, has long been one of the municipal network approaches that we like to highlight. Built in a region hard hit by the transition away from tobacco and manufacturing economies, the open access fiber network called nDanville has led to many new employers coming to town and has shown the benefits of a low-risk, … Continue reading

Policies for Better Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 165

Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:14:03 +0000

Back in July, Next Century Cities released a short report, Connecting 21st Century Communities: A Policy Agenda for Broadband Stakeholders, exploring various policies and approaches that will improve Internet access. The brief is organized into sections on local government, state government, federal government, philanthropy, and community. For this week on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary], Lisa Gonzalez … Continue reading

More Details on the Northwest Open Access Network – Community Broadband Bits Episode 164

Tue, 18 Aug 2015 12:05:31 +0000

Just a few short weeks ago, we interviewed Dave Spencer, the Chief Operating Officer for the Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet) in Washington. We offered a good overview, but got some requests for more details so Dave returns this week for a more focused discussion in episode 164. We discuss the specific services that are … Continue reading

Modest Investment Yields Results in Steamboat Springs – Community Broadband Bits Episode 163

Tue, 11 Aug 2015 17:00:25 +0000

When Steamboat Springs resolved to improve Internet access for key community anchor institutions and businesses, they decided to make an economical investment in a carrier neutral facility to allow multiple ISPs to invest and compete with each other. In episode 163 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Podcast, Tim Miles explains what that means and how … Continue reading

Holyoke Success Spurs Interest in Mass Muni Networks – Community Broadband Bits Episode 162

Tue, 04 Aug 2015 16:11:35 +0000

A few weeks back, we noted an excellent new report on Holyoke Municipal Light Plant in Massachusetts published by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society. This week, we discuss the report and lessons learned from it with David Talbot, Fellow at the Berkman Center. David gives us some of the key takeaways from the … Continue reading

Longmont Gig Finds Many Takers – Community Broadband Bits Episode 161

Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:56:59 +0000

The community reaction to Longmont's NextLight gigabit municipal fiber network in Colorado has been dramatic. They are seeing major take rates in the initial neighborhoods, driven in part by the opportunity for a $50/month gigabit connection if you take service within three months of it becoming available in the neighborhood. This week, Longmont Power & … Continue reading

Illinois Munis Partner with Local ISP for Gigabit Network – Community Broadband Bits Episode 160

Tue, 21 Jul 2015 20:22:42 +0000

The southern Illinois cities of Urbana and Champaign joined the University of Illinois in seeking and winning a broadband stimulus award to build an open access urban FTTH network. After connecting some of the most underserved neighborhoods, the Urbana-Champaign Big Broadband (UC2B) network looked for a partner to expand the network to the entire community. … Continue reading

NoaNet Touches Every County in Washington State – Community Broadband Bits Episode 159

Tue, 14 Jul 2015 14:37:20 +0000

The Northwest Open Access Network in Washington has a long history of expanding high quality Internet access into rural areas and now reaches into every county in the state. NoaNet is a nonprofit organization originally formed by local governments and now operating over 2,000 miles of fiber. This week we talk with Dave Spencer, NoaNet … Continue reading

Rural Rio Blanco County Builds Open Access Fiber, Wireless – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 158

Tue, 07 Jul 2015 14:42:54 +0000

Rio Blanco County is a large, rural county in northwestern Colorado that has two population centers. The county has a sharp plan for building FTTH to the population centers and wireless across most of the county to improve Internet access in a region the national carriers have little interest in. In this week's episode, we … Continue reading

KC Fiber Innovates in North Kansas City – Community Broadband Bits Episode 157

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 12:24:23 +0000

Every now and then, we stumble across something, read it twice, and then decide we need to verify it. In North Kansas City, a municipal fiber network operating in partnership with KC Fiber, is delivering a gig to residents at no ongoing charge after a reasonable one-time fee. To get the story, our interview this … Continue reading

Connecting Georgia's Munis – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 156

Tue, 23 Jun 2015 16:42:38 +0000

For years, we have urged municipal networks to cooperate in various ways to lower costs. For instance, by building a shared middle mile network to aggregate their bandwidth and get a better deal due to the higher volume. So it came as a [no-glossary]bit[/no-glossary] of a shock that Georgia Public Web has been helping many … Continue reading

Maine Island Stranded Without Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 155

Tue, 16 Jun 2015 21:14:40 +0000

Many communities feel like they are an island without proper connectivity but Islesboro, Maine, is literally an island… without proper connectivity. This week, we talk with Page Clason, Manager of the Broadband Internet Working Group for the island that is moving toward a fiber solution to expand high quality Internet access. We discuss the differences … Continue reading

Recent Advances in the Wireless Future – Community Broadband Bits Episode 154

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 17:30:09 +0000

After reading “Amtrak's Lessons for Access to the Airwaves,” I knew we wanted to talk to Michael Calabrese and Patrick Lucey of the Open Technology Institute at the New America Foundation to discuss wireless policy. Unfortunately, scheduling challenges kept Patrick off the this show but we do have a great discussion for this week's Community … Continue reading

Upgrade Seattle on Need For Better Access – Community Broadband Bits Episode 153

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 18:04:26 +0000

We were excited to begin writing about the Upgrade Seattle campaign back in January and this week we are presenting a discussion with several people behind the campaign for episode 153 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. We are joined by Sabrina Roach, Devin Glaser, and Karen Toering to discuss what motivates the Upgrade Seattle … Continue reading

Santa Fe's Targeted Fiber Investment – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 152

Tue, 26 May 2015 19:18:03 +0000

After Santa Fe found its residents and businesses were often paying the same rates for connections at half the speed of peers in Albuquerque, the City began investigating the local broadband market. This week on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary], Sean Moody joins us to discuss the situation and what Santa Fe is doing to spur more … Continue reading

Small ISPs and Paperwork – Community Broadband Bits Episode 151

Tue, 19 May 2015 19:21:53 +0000

Back in March, I spoke at the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Telecom conference, which is always an event with interesting people. While there, I met Doug Hammer and Krista Allen of Harlan Utilities. With just over 5,000 people, Harlan is small but they actually have better Internet and cable choices than most of us, … Continue reading

Ensuring Security on Community Networks – Community Broadband Bits Episode 150

Tue, 12 May 2015 12:36:00 +0000

This week, we are focusing on security concerns for community networks. Community networks tend to be small, with limited staff to keep track of the many challenges of running a network. Our guest this week on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] is Weston Hecker, Senior Systems Security Analyst and Pen Tester for KLJ. After defining what penetration … Continue reading

The Latest on Wired West Rural Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 149

Tue, 05 May 2015 11:23:07 +0000

Our second episode of Community Broadband Bits featured an interview with Monica Webb, Chair of the Wired West Board and Spokesperson. Three years later, we are excited to have Monica on the show again to update us on their recent progress. As we recently noted, the state has decided to contribute significantly to the capital … Continue reading

Comcast Merger Wrap-up and Anti-Monopoly Policy – Community Broadband Bits Episode 148

Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:17:05 +0000

In the aftermath of the Comcast/TWC merger being effectively denied by the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission, we thought it was a key moment to focus on antitrust/anti-monopoly policy in DC. To discuss this topic, we talk this week with Teddy Downey, Executive Editor and CEO of the Capitol Forum as well as … Continue reading

In Reedsburg, Expansion Weighed After Muni Fiber Success – Community Broadband Bits Episode 147

Tue, 21 Apr 2015 14:22:54 +0000

The first gigabit city in Wisconsin, Reedsburg, has a municipal fiber network operated by the city-owned electric utility. This week, we talk with General Manager of the Utility Commission, Brett Schuppner. Reedsburg fiber goes back to 2003, which makes it one of the oldest FTTH networks in the nation. Located about an hour outside of … Continue reading

Improving Mid-Atlantic Internet Access – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 146

Tue, 14 Apr 2015 17:15:37 +0000

When we last wrote about the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative, it was a coop focused on open access middle mile connections. Now it has become the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation and is starting to work on some plans to expand open access last mile access. This week, we speak with MBC President and CEO Tad Deriso … Continue reading

Muni Networks, Digital Liberty, and Surveillance – Community Broadband Bits Episode 145

Wed, 08 Apr 2015 01:43:59 +0000

As more communities become service providers in order to provide a needed service to local businesses and residents, they are taking on an important responsibility to safeguard the data and privacy of subscribers. Unlike big providers like AT&T or big cable companies, municipal providers tend not to engage in data mining or violating their users' … Continue reading

Opportunities and Challenges as Lafayette Considers Muni Fiber Expansion – Community Broadband Bits Episode 144

Tue, 31 Mar 2015 16:47:44 +0000

After we heard that Lafayette's LUS Fiber was considering expanding to some nearby communities, we knew we had to set up an interview with Terry Huval, Director of the Lafayette Utilities System in Louisiana. In our interview this week, Terry and I discuss Lafayette's success, the legacy of the law creating special barriers that only … Continue reading

Explaining the FCC Muni Order Removing State Barriers – Community Broadband Bits Episode 143

Tue, 24 Mar 2015 15:17:05 +0000

After anticipating this moment for many months, we have a ruling from the FCC that has restored local authority to build and expand networks in North Carolina and Tennessee. Though we have already pulled out the key passages for readers, we wanted to discuss the decision with Jim Baller of Baller, Herbst, Stokes, & Lide. … Continue reading

Bozeman's Public-Private Approach In-Depth – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 142

Tue, 17 Mar 2015 21:08:56 +0000

In Montana, local businesses and the city of Bozeman have been working on a public-private partnership approach to expanding Internet access that is likely to involve the city building an open access fiber network. We discuss their approach this week with Brit Fontenot, Economic Development Director for the city of Bozeman; David Fine, Bozeman Economic … Continue reading

Reaction to the FCC Decisions, Dissent, and Next Steps – Community Broadband Bits Episode 141

Tue, 10 Mar 2015 13:22:57 +0000

After the FCC decisions to remove barriers to community networks and to reclassify Internet access as a Title II service to enforce network neutrality rules, Lisa and I spend some time discussing the decision and reactions to it. We also discuss my presentation at Freedom to Connect, where I offer some thoughts on what communities … Continue reading

Rural Electric Co-Mo Coop Goes Gig – Community Broadband Bits Episode 140

Tue, 03 Mar 2015 14:21:20 +0000

As high quality Internet has become more essential for business and quality of life, those who realized that the existing telecom providers had no intention to invest in better connections in their rural Missouri communities began to ask their electric cooperative – Co-Mo – to step up and do it. This week, we talk with … Continue reading

Mesa's Focus on Dig Once and Fiber Leases Pays Off – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 139

Tue, 24 Feb 2015 21:32:02 +0000

Arizona's city of Mesa is one of the largest communities in the nation to benefit from the city taking role in ensuring conduit and fiber are available throughout the area. This week we talk with Alex Deshuk, the city's Manager of Technology and Innovation that was brought on in 2008. We talk about how Mesa … Continue reading

Answering Questions About Title II and Munis – Community Broadband Bits Episode 138

Tue, 17 Feb 2015 14:55:37 +0000

As we near the FCC open meeting at the end of next week, when it will decide on both the Chattanooga and Wilson petitions regarding their wish to expand as well as a proposal to reclassify Internet access a Title II service in order to ensure it can maintain the same open Internet we have … Continue reading

Rural Colorado Internet Access and Mountain Connect – Community Broadband Bits Episode 137

Tue, 10 Feb 2015 21:33:23 +0000

Last year was the first year I attended Mountain Connect, an event in the Rockies west of Denver that discusses approaches to improving Internet access. Historically, they focused on rural communities but as co-chair of the event Jeff Gavlinski notes in our discussion this week, they are expanding it to include more urban issues as … Continue reading

Greater Minnesota Partnership Focuses on Non-Metro Need – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 136

Tue, 03 Feb 2015 20:35:54 +0000

Like many states, Minnesota has a major metro area that generally has higher quality Internet access than non-metro communities. The Greater Minnesota Partnership, a coalition of businesses, chambers, nonprofits, and cities from across the state, have made improving Internet access a major priority in their efforts to influence the state legislature. This week, we talk … Continue reading

OneCommunity's Middle Way – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 135

Tue, 27 Jan 2015 21:47:16 +0000

OneCommunity is a nonprofit organization in northeastern Ohio that has connected thousands of community anchor institutions with high capacity connections. Created as OneCleveland before expanding, it has remained a rather unique approach to expanding high quality Internet access. This week, CEO Lev Gonick joins us to talk about OneCommunity and its contributions to the region. … Continue reading

Ting Delivering FTTH Is Great News for Community Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Episode 134

Tue, 20 Jan 2015 15:41:14 +0000

In recent weeks, we have been excited to see announcements from Ting, a company long known for being a great wireless provider (both Lisa and I are customers), that is now getting into FTTH deployments. The first announcement was from Charlottesville where it acquired another company. Last week they announced a partnership with Westminster, Maryland. … Continue reading

Howard County Fiber Encourages New Jobs, Competition in Maryland – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 133

Tue, 13 Jan 2015 16:58:05 +0000

While at the Broadband Communities Economic Development conference in Springfield last year, I had the good fortune to catch a panel with Chris Merdon, the CIO of Howard County, Maryland. Howard County has become an Internet Service Provider, not just to itself, but to private firms as well. To improve Internet access for businesses, it … Continue reading

Public or Private Ownership? Community Broadband Bits Episode 132

Tue, 06 Jan 2015 19:25:46 +0000

Ever since the last time I spoke with Blair Levin on Episode 37, I have wanted to have him back for a friendly discussion about public or private ownership of next generation networks. Though Blair and I entirely agree that local governments should be free to decide locally whether a community broadband network investment is … Continue reading

Year in Review, Expectations for 2015 – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 131

Tue, 30 Dec 2014 20:24:25 +0000

For our final Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode of 2014, we review some of the notable events and news we covered and we discuss some predictions for 2015. Lisa Gonzalez and Rebecca Toews join me in this discussion. Read the transcript from this call here. We want your feedback and suggestions for the show – please … Continue reading

Can you Satirize Poor Customer Service from Big Cable Companies – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 130

Tue, 23 Dec 2014 15:54:25 +0000

Given all the horrible experiences people have had over the telephone with massive cable companies, it isn't clear that one can design a skit to parody such a conversation. Each time someone calls one of these companies is a parody in and of itself. However, given that this is a holiday week, we decided to … Continue reading

Connecting For Good in Kansas City – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 129

Tue, 16 Dec 2014 22:33:27 +0000

We have seen a lot of claims about Kansas City – whether Google Fiber's approach is increasing digital inclusion, having no impact, or possibly even increasing the digital divide. This week on our Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, we are excited to have Michael Liimatta, President of a Kansas City nonprofit called Connecting for Good, that … Continue reading

Open Access and Incumbent Challenges – Community Broadband Bits Episode 128

Tue, 09 Dec 2014 21:50:55 +0000

The open access approach, which generally refers to multiple service providers offering services across the same physical network, remains a challenge for those who want to implement it. Though many communities would prefer to focus on the infrastructure rather than selling services directly in competition with existing providers, most find the approach is not feasible. … Continue reading

Reflections on European Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Episode 127

Tue, 02 Dec 2014 17:15:55 +0000

I was recently invited to speak in Brussels on the experience of U.S. cities and fiber optic investment. Videos from the seminar are available here. I took some extra time around the seminar to visit Amsterdam and then Bruges in Belgium. On this week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, Lisa and I discuss broadband in the … Continue reading

Michigan's First Gigabit Village – Community Broadband Bits Episode 126

Tue, 25 Nov 2014 15:53:00 +0000

The small village of Sebewaing has become the first gigabit village in the state of Michigan. Superintendent of Sebewaing Light and Water utility Melanie McCoy joins us to discuss the project on episode 126 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. With approximately 1,800 people, Sebewaing has cracked the code for a small local government to … Continue reading

Susan Crawford on the Responsive City – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 125

Tue, 18 Nov 2014 12:56:15 +0000

Susan Crawford, author of Captive Audience and now co-author of The Responsive City: Engaging Communities Through Data-Smart Governance joins us for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] #125. We discuss the idea of a Responsive City. Susan contrasts her visions of a Responsive City with more traditional notions of a “smart” city and notes that having fiber throughout … Continue reading

Using the Franchise to Organize Against Comcast – Community Broadband Bits Episode 124

Tue, 11 Nov 2014 12:57:28 +0000

We first became aware of the Media Mobilizing Project through our work with the

Aurora's Nonprofit Approach with Muni Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Episode 123

Tue, 04 Nov 2014 17:48:54 +0000

Aurora, Illinois, has been named one of the “Smart 21” most intelligent communities of 2015 according to the Intelligent Community Forum. We have been tracking Aurora for a few years and wrote about OnLight, its nonprofit ISP, that we wrote about earlier this year. With some 200,000 people, it is the second largest city in … Continue reading

Bob Frankston Returns to Community Broadband Bits Podcast – Episode 122

Tue, 28 Oct 2014 20:37:31 +0000

For this week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, we are excited to have Bob Frankston back on the show. Frankston has spent a long time thinking about connectivity and we previously explored his thoughts on episode 14. In this episode, we talk a lot about how to think about what he terms “connectivity” rather than telecommunications. … Continue reading

Next Century Cities – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 121

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 22:32:20 +0000

This week, we helped to launch Next Century Cities, a collaborative effort of local governments that are making smart investments and partnerships to ensure their communities have fast, affordable, and reliable Internet access. Deb Socia is the Executive Director of Next Century Cities, coming to it from a nonprofit organization she developed in Boston called … Continue reading

Responding to Crazy Talk: Arguments Against FCC Restoring Local Authority – Community Broadband Bits Episode 120

Tue, 14 Oct 2014 15:03:09 +0000

Lisa Gonzalez and I have been wading though all kinds of crazy talk since the cities of Wilson and Chattanooga filed petitions with the FCC to strike down state laws that prevent them from offering Internet access to their neighbors. In our first episode of Crazy Talk since way back in episode 72, we deal … Continue reading

State of Minnesota's Border to Border Broadband Fund – Community Broadband Bits Episode 119

Tue, 07 Oct 2014 14:13:19 +0000

Earlier, this year, the Minnesota Legislature established a “Border to Border” Broadband fund to expand Internet access to the least connected in the state. Senator Matt Schmit and Representative Erik Simonson led the effort to establish the fund that is now administered by Danna Mackenzie. All three of them join us this week to discuss … Continue reading

Connecticut Communities Want Better Internet Access – Community Broadband Bits Episode 118

Tue, 30 Sep 2014 20:01:25 +0000

While in Springfield, Massachusetts for the Broadband Communities Municipal Broadband and Economic Development event, I met several of the people that have been working on an initiative that aims to bring better Internet access to many in Connecticut. Two of them, Connecticut Consumer Counsel Elin Katz and Broadband Policy Coordinator Bill Vallee join me this … Continue reading

Dakota County is Fiber Rich Thanks to Dig Once Approach – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 117

Tue, 23 Sep 2014 18:36:46 +0000

Calls for “dig once” policies have resonated for years. The general idea is that we can more fiber and conduit in the ground at lower prices if we coordinate to include them in various projects that already disturb the ground. In the south Twin Cities metro in Minnesota, Dakota County has been tweaking its dig … Continue reading

Reflections on the Internet Governance Forum – Community Broadband Bits Episode 116

Tue, 16 Sep 2014 14:17:52 +0000

This week, Lisa Gonzalez interviews me about my recent trip to the Internet Governance Forum in Istanbul, Turkey. The IGF is an opportunity for anyone concerned with Internet Governance on planet Earth to discuss the perceived problems and possible solutions. It uses a multi-stakeholder format, which means that governments, businesses, civil society, and academics are … Continue reading

First Muni Fiber Net in Maine – Community Broadband Bits Episode 115

Tue, 09 Sep 2014 11:22:08 +0000

By building a fiber line to allow some local businesses to get next-generation Internet access, Rockport became the first municipal fiber network in the state of Maine. Town Manager Richard Bates joins us for episode 115 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. We discuss the financing behind the network and their partnership with local Internet … Continue reading

Sallisaw: The First Muni Fiber Network in Oklahoma – Community Broadband Bits Episode 114

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 12:02:22 +0000

Sallisaw is one of many small municipal FTTH networks that most people are not familiar with. For a decade, they have been quietly meeting their community's needs with DiamondNet. For this week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary], we learn more about it in a conversation with Assistant City Manager Keith Skelton and Network Communications Supervisor Danny Keith. … Continue reading

Muni Fiber in Rural Massachusetts – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 113

Tue, 26 Aug 2014 12:23:28 +0000

Though much of western Massachusetts has poor access to the Internet, the town of Leverett is in the midst of fiber build that will offer a gigabit to anyone who wants it. Peter d'Errico, on the town Select Board, has been part of the project from the start and Chairs the Broadband Committee. He joins … Continue reading

Missoula Pursues Open Access Fiber for Jobs – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 112

Tue, 19 Aug 2014 14:56:24 +0000

After having met City Councilmember Caitlin Copple at last year's Broadband Communities event in Austin and seeing the progress Missoula, Montana, has made in considering a municipal fiber network, I knew we should ask her to be on the show. This week, she joins me and Karen Palmer, the Director of Operations for a local … Continue reading

Muni Fiber as Real Estate – Community Broadband Bits Episode 111

Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:52:22 +0000

Hunter Newby is back for his second appearance on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] to discuss his thoughts on carrier neutral approaches to spur our economy with more investment in better networks. We just talked with Hunter in episode 104 on carrier neutral approaches to middle mile networks. Now we discuss these types of approaches within communities … Continue reading

Understanding the Wilson and Chattanooga FCC Petitions – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 110

Tue, 05 Aug 2014 12:17:59 +0000

Given the exciting development of the FCC opening comment on petitions from Wilson, NC and Chattanooga, TN to restore local authority to their states, Lisa and I decided to take over this week's podcast of Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary]. We talk about the petitions, some background, and interview Will Aycock from Wilson's Greenlight Gigabit Network and … Continue reading

Rural Utilities Building Broadband Networks – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 109

Tue, 29 Jul 2014 12:30:56 +0000

If you have doubts that we can or will connect rural America with high quality Internet connections, listen to our show today. Alyssa Clemsen-Roberts, the Industry Affairs Manager at the Utilities Telecom Council, joins me to talk about how utilities are investing in the Internet connections that their communities need. Many of these utilities are … Continue reading

The Past and Future of Muni Fiber in Boulder – Community Broadband Bits Episode 108

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 19:21:26 +0000

Boulder is the latest Colorado community to recognize the benefits of using city-owned fiber to spur job growth and improve quality of life. Boulder Director of Information Technology Don Ingle joins us for episode 108 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. We discuss the many ways in which Boulder has benefited from community owned fiber … Continue reading

Holly Springs Finds Savings with Muni Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Episode 107

Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:28:41 +0000

Holly Springs, a town of about 25,000 in the Triangle region of North Carolina, has built its own network to connect community anchor institutions and has an interest in using it to spur economic development and other community benefits but a 2011 law pushed by Time Warner Cable makes some of that more difficult. City … Continue reading

Early Lessons from Longmont – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 106

Tue, 08 Jul 2014 14:25:35 +0000

Longmont is about to break ground on the citywide FTTH gigabit network but it is already offering services to local businesses and a few neighborhoods that started as pilot projects. Vince Jordan, previously a guest two years ago, is back to update us on their progress. Until recently, Vince was the Telecom Manager for Longmont … Continue reading

Reflections on Mountain Connect Rural Broadband Conference – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 105

Tue, 01 Jul 2014 12:45:10 +0000

With so many people on vacation this week for Independence Day, we decided to take it easy and reflect on my trip to Colorado to discuss rural broadband at the Mountain Connect conference. Lisa and I reflect on the event and what other states can learn from Colorado. Though the Colorado legislature previously bowed to … Continue reading

Fiber as Real Estate – Allied Fiber on Episode 104 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 24 Jun 2014 19:11:13 +0000

I recall first hearing about Alled Fiber a few years back and not thinking much about it. It seemed like another operator focused on connecting wireless towers and building long haul fiber… but then I heard Hunter Newby's presentation at Mountain Connect in Colorado. When he noted the need to have infrastructure that financiers could … Continue reading

A Short CLIC Background – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 103

Tue, 17 Jun 2014 16:43:04 +0000

This week, Lisa and I discuss the Coalition for Local Internet Choice, CLIC, that was announced last week. This is a short episode that aims to answer some of the common questions about CLIC, including why we felt it was necessary to create this coalition now. You can still sign up to become a member … Continue reading

Illinois' Monticello Local Partnership Leads to Big Savings – Community Broadband Bits Episode 102

Tue, 10 Jun 2014 16:29:41 +0000

Following up on Lisa's in-depth story on Monticello, Illinois, we asked Vic Zimmerman to join us for episode 102 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary]. We talk about how rural Monticello started by reaching out to the existing service providers, only to be stalled for months and then years. Eventually they realized they would have to … Continue reading

Understanding Title II and Network Neutrality – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #101

Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:36:28 +0000

With all of the recent media discussions around network neutrality, reclassification, and “Title II,” we decided to spend this week talking with Matt Wood, Policy Director for Free Press to simplify some key issues. For all the hub-bub around reclassification and dramatic claims that it represents some kind of fundamental policy shift, the truth is … Continue reading

Story Behind Westminster's Pending Open Access Fiber Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 100

Tue, 27 May 2014 18:50:41 +0000

For our 100th episode, we are excited to share a conversation with Dr. Robert Wack, city council member and driving force behind a planned open access fiber network in Westminster, Maryland. Westminster has just decided that instead of a fiber pilot project, they are going to move ahead with the first phase of a larger … Continue reading

Catching Up with the RS Fiber Coop in Minnesota – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #99

Tue, 20 May 2014 18:46:46 +0000

In the nearly two years since we launched this podcast with an interview from Minnesota's rural Sibley County, the project has evolved significantly but the need for better Internet access remains a constant. Today, we interview Coop Vice-Chair Cindy Gerholz and Winthrop Town Manager Mark Erickson to get an update on the fiber-to-the-farm project. The … Continue reading

Rural Colorado's Cortez Fiber Network Serves Region – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode #98

Tue, 13 May 2014 14:46:43 +0000

Located in rural southwest Colorado, Cortez is just 20 miles from the famous four corners of the US southwest. When incumbents were either unwilling or unable to provide modern services in the region, Cortez stepped up with a plan. This week, Cortez General Services Director Rick Smith joins us to share how they incrementally built … Continue reading

Connecting Arlington, From Anchors to Businesses – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #97

Tue, 06 May 2014 20:00:47 +0000

Located just outside Washington DC, Arlington is the dense, high tech county that houses the Pentagon. This week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast features Arlington County CIO Jack Belcher. Having already built a top-notch fiber network to connect community anchor institutions, the County is now preparing to improve connectivity for local businesses. We discuss a range … Continue reading

Peering: Then and Now on Community Broadband Bits Podcast #96

Tue, 29 Apr 2014 12:27:51 +0000

This week we are welcoming Scott Bradner, a long time doer, writer, and thinker on Internet matters. Thanks to a listener request, we had already recorded an interview last week discussing peering before the news broke that the FCC would be allowing paid prioritization peering arrangements, which many have said represents the end of network … Continue reading

Montrose Moves Toward Muni Network -Community Broadband Bits Podcast #95

Tue, 22 Apr 2014 14:53:07 +0000

Nestled in a valley in the Colorado rockies, the city of Montrose has voted overwhelmingly to reestablish local authority over whether to build a municipal fiber network. With nearly 20,000 people, Montrose does have cable service from Charter and DSL from CenturyLink but neither service is meeting local needs. Virgil Turner, Director of Innovation and … Continue reading

Advice for Starting a Community Network – Community Broadband Bits Episode #94

Tue, 15 Apr 2014 18:19:51 +0000

The Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast this week focuses on what people can do to start building a grassroots effort for a network in their community. John St Julien of Lafayette, Louisiana, returns to the show to discuss what they did and ideas for others to follow. John was last on the show for episode 19, … Continue reading

Benefits of Increased Broadband Utilization – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #93

Tue, 08 Apr 2014 19:42:30 +0000

While in Iowa for the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities telecom conference, I had a chance to interview Michael Curri, the Founder and President of Strategic Networks Group – SNG. He and I have long had great discussions at events around the country and I attempted to recreate some of the key points in this … Continue reading

Understanding the Georgia Communications Cooperative – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #92

Tue, 01 Apr 2014 16:17:42 +0000

While at the SEATOA Conference in Raleigh last week, I met Mike Foor, the President and CEO of the Georgia Communications Cooperative (GCC). Given the important role GCC is playing in expanding great Internet access in rural Georgia, we wanted to interview him for Community Broadband Bits. Back in episode 46, we spoke with Paul … Continue reading

To Overbuild or Underbuild? A Rural Policy Conundrum – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #91

Tue, 25 Mar 2014 15:31:23 +0000

Lisa Gonzalez and I, Christopher Mitchell, are back in studio for a short conversation about the implications of a municipal network or a coop receiving subsidies from government to engage in overbuilding, where it builds a fiber network in an area already served by slow DSL and cable networks. This has become an important issue … Continue reading

Exploring Santa Monica's Incremental Fiber Approach – Community Broadband Bits Episode 90

Tue, 18 Mar 2014 21:28:52 +0000

Just a few weeks after releasing our case study of Santa Monica's City Net, we have an opportunity to interview Jory Wolf, CIO of Santa Monica, and the chief driver of City Net. This is episode #90 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. We talk about how City Net got its start with a smart … Continue reading

History of the Quickly Subverted 1996 Telecommunications Act – Community Broadband Bits Episode 89

Tue, 11 Mar 2014 18:37:49 +0000

If all had gone according to the plan behind the 1996 Telecommunications Act, we would have lots of competition among Internet service providers, not just cable and DSL but other technologies as well. Alas, the competing technologies never really appeared and various incarnations of the FCC effectively gutted the common carriage requirements at the heart … Continue reading

Overview of Stockholm's Stokab – Community Broadband Bits Episode #88

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 20:59:13 +0000

Having just returned from a short trip to Sweden, Lisa Gonzalez and I discuss what I learned and how Stockholm has become one of the most connected cities on the planet. We talk about how Stockholm built a massive dark fiber network that has enabled competition at the service layer, the status of telecommunications in … Continue reading

Processes for a Gigabit Community: Community Broadband Bits Episode 87

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 15:03:50 +0000

More communities are today considering how they can improve Internet access in their community than at any other time. Having a gigabit is quickly becoming the standard – not because we all need 1,000 Mbps but because we know that everything we want to do is possible on a gigabit connection. Video games aren't going … Continue reading

How Ammon, Idaho, Builds Digital Roads – Community Broadband Bits Episode 86

Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:11:24 +0000

Ammon, a town of 14,000 in southeast Idaho, has been incrementally building an open access, fiber optic network that has connected community anchor institutions and is starting to become available to local businesses. Ammon Technology Director Bruce Patterson joins us to explain how the community has moved forward with its model for improving Internet access. … Continue reading

Fork in the Road For UTOPIA: Forward or Backward? Community Broadband Bits Episode #85

Tue, 11 Feb 2014 14:50:15 +0000

The Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency, which we have written about many times, is at a crossroads. An Australian corporation specializing in infrastructure is prepared to infuse $300 million into the project but the Utah Legislature may prohibit it from expanding and even from using existing connections outside member cities. We asked Jesse Harris of … Continue reading

A Roadmap for the FCC To Ensure Local Authority to Build Networks – Community Broadband Podcast #84

Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:32:54 +0000

When the DC Circuit Court handed down a decision ruling against the FCC's Open Internet (network neutrality) rules, it also clarified that the FCC has the power to overrule state laws that limit local authority to build community networks. Harold Feld, Senior Vice President for Public Knowledge, joins us for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Episode #84 … Continue reading

The Real Threats from Monopoly – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #83

Tue, 28 Jan 2014 14:57:36 +0000

When we think about the threat of monopoly, we almost always focus on how monopolies can raise prices beyond what is reasonable. But there are many threats from monopolies and many are much more dangerous to a free society than higher prices. This week, monopoly expert Barry Lynn joins us for the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] … Continue reading

Meet Russellville, Kentucky's Broadband Speed Leader – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #82

Tue, 21 Jan 2014 15:49:31 +0000

The municipal electric utility in Russellville has launched Kentucky's first citywide gigabit service on its FTTH network. [no-glossary]Russellville[/no-glossary] Electric Plant Board General Manager Robert White joins us to share their motivations for building a fiber network. The utility had originally offered some telecommunications services over a wireless system but recognized the need for a more … Continue reading

Public Access Media and Community Owned Networks – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #81

Tue, 14 Jan 2014 14:54:13 +0000

After a listener suggested we do a show on the modern role of public access media, we decided to reach out to Mike Wassenaar, now a senior development officer at Free Press and formerly the Executive Director of Saint Paul Neighborhood Network, a great example of the promise of public access. Mike and I talk … Continue reading

Justifying a Network with Indirect Cost Savings – Community Broadband Bits Episode 80

Wed, 08 Jan 2014 00:05:09 +0000

Today, Lisa and I are joined by Eric Lampland for a discussion of how a community could justify building a community owned network from the indirect benefits that it would create, including the savings that each household realizes from competition driving down prices. Eric Lampland is the CEO and principal consultant of Lookout Point Communications, … Continue reading

Don Means on Libraries and White Spaces – Community Broadband Bits Episode 79

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 20:32:35 +0000

This week, Don Means joins us to talk about public libraries, their role in the modern era, and an interesting pilot project involving several libraries and white spaces wireless technology. Don is the coordinator of the Gigabit Libraries Network and has a passion for both libraries and expanding Internet access to all. We offer some … Continue reading

Bob Frankston Encore Interview – Community Broadband Bits Episode #78

Tue, 24 Dec 2013 13:32:53 +0000

For those looking for our weekly podcast over the holiday break, we decided to recut one of our early interviews with Bob Frankston, a favorite of Lisa's, and put it back in the feed. We ran the original interview for episode 14 of our Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast and again now for episode 78. Frankston … Continue reading

In Indiana, Auburn Built Fiber Network Incrementally – Community Broadband Bits Episode 77

Tue, 17 Dec 2013 16:51:45 +0000

When a major employer in Auburn, a town of 13,000 in northeast Indiana, told the local government that it would have to move jobs to a different location unless it had improved Internet access, the local government first encouraged it to work with the telephone company. But when that telephone company, headquartered far from Auburn, … Continue reading

Solar Powered Wireless on the Reservation – Community Broadband Bits Episode #76

Tue, 10 Dec 2013 20:51:18 +0000

When it comes to building a community owned wireless network, few have more experience than Matthew Rantanen, our guest for the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast this week. Rantanen has an impressive list of titles, two of which are Director of Technology for the Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association (SCTCA) and Director of the Tribal Digital … Continue reading

Cedar Falls Shows Long Term Muni Network Success: Community Broadband Bits Episode #75

Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:30:38 +0000

Cedar Falls Utilities operates one of the oldest community owned networks in the nation. It started as a cable network in the 90's, upgraded to FTTH recently, and this year began offering the first citywide gigabit service in Iowa. CFU Communication Sales Manager Kent Halder and Network Services Manager Rob Houlihan join me for Community … Continue reading

Billy Ray on the Origins of the First Muni Broadband Network: Community Broadband Bits Episode #74

Tue, 26 Nov 2013 15:56:44 +0000

Last month, we unveiled a video teaser of our interviews in Glasgow, Kentucky over the summer regarding its municipal broadband network. This week our podcast features a few clips from those interviews with Billy Ray, the Superintendent of Glasgow's Electric Plant Board. He offers more context on the history of their network, including how they … Continue reading

Common Cause, Network Neutrality, and the FCC Come Together in Episode 73 of Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 19 Nov 2013 20:07:08 +0000

We welcome Todd O'Boyle of the good government group Common Cause to our Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast this week. He is the Director of the Media and Democracy program there, which recently released an explanation of network neutrality in comic form, which we discuss in our discussion. We also talk about the impression of municipal … Continue reading

Responding to “Crazy Talk” Volume 4 – Community Broadband Bits Episode #72

Tue, 12 Nov 2013 21:04:05 +0000

We are back with the fourth volume of our responding to “Crazy Talk” theme on the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. The source of this week's crazy talk is a public relations executive for Time Warner Cable, following an interview I did on WUNC in North Carolina. Lisa Gonzalez, myself, and our colleague John Farrell react … Continue reading

Education SuperHighway Wants Better Broadband for Schools – Community Broadband Bits Episode #71

Tue, 05 Nov 2013 21:07:05 +0000

This week's podcast features an interview with Education SuperHighway CEO Evan Marwell to discuss how we can make sure all schools have the Internet access they need to succeed. Education SuperHighway has a plan for connecting all schools with a fiber connection while also decreasing the need for long term federal funding of school connectivity. … Continue reading

Wilson's Greenlight Leads North Carolina in Connectivity: Community Broadband Bits Episode #70

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 12:26:27 +0000

Greenlight, a muni FTTH network in eastern North Carolina's city of Wilson, is proving to be a powerful tool in attracting new residents and businesses. We spoke with General Manager Will Aycock about the network and how it has benefited the community. Our interview covers a number of subjects, including how the network is attracting … Continue reading

Mark Creekmore Takes on Windstream – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #69

Tue, 22 Oct 2013 03:52:26 +0000

Earlier this year, Mark Creekmore transitioned from a frustrated DSL customer to a champion for better Internet access in Georgia. A concerned citizen and tech consultant, Mark joins us for the latest Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. He discusses his history with Windstream and the steps he went through to improve his Internet access. Along with … Continue reading

Longmont Prepares to Vote on Fiber Bonds – Community Broadband Bits Episode #68

Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:20:47 +0000

As Longmont prepares to vote on November 5, we are paying special attention to question 2B, which will authorize the city utility to issue revenue bonds to finance the FTTH network already being built. The successful referendum from 2011 gave the City authority to build the network and this referendum, if successful, will finance a … Continue reading

Jim Baller Returns for Vol 3 of Muni Network History – Community Broadband Bits Episode #67

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 13:55:27 +0000

We are excited to continue our history series with Jim Baller of the Baller Herbst Law Firm. This is Jim's third time on the program, having joined us for Episode 57 and Episode 63. We continue our discussion with a recap of the events of 2004, including Jim's work with Lafayette to find a compromise … Continue reading

Poulsbo Wireless Mesh Pilot Extends Internet in Washington – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #66

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 19:30:59 +0000

With a population of over 9,000 just across Puget Sound from Seattle, Poulsbo is a town with a lot of commuters and a vision for improved access to the Internet to allow more to reduce the physical need to travel. City Councilmember Ed Stern joins us for the 66th episode of Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] to … Continue reading

In Western Mass, Holyoke Gas and Electric Brings Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Episode #65

Tue, 24 Sep 2013 15:40:02 +0000

Holyoke Gas & Electric has been connecting community anchor institutions and local businesses in Western Massachusetts with fiber networks for years. Rather than using exception access to the Internet as a competitive advantage over more poorly connected neighbors, the Municipal Light Plant (in the parlance of Massachusetts law) is helping nearby towns to establish their … Continue reading

WindomNet Creates Jobs, Benefits for SW Minnesota – Community Broadband Bits Episode #64

Tue, 17 Sep 2013 17:34:51 +0000

The small town of Windom in southwest Minnesota has long been one of the smallest FTTH networks in the nation. I have long wanted to bring WindomNet General Manager Dan Olsen on our show because it has some of the best anecdotes in the world of community owned networks. We finally got him! To understand … Continue reading

Jim Baller on the History of Municipal Networks, Part II on Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 10 Sep 2013 11:35:45 +0000

Jim Baller is back again for the second show in our series on the history of municipal broadband networks. He is the President of the Baller Herbst Law Group in Washington, DC, and a long time advocate for both community owned networks specifically and better access to the Internet for all more generally. We kicked … Continue reading

Countering Crazy Talk, Volume 3, for Episode #62 of Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tue, 03 Sep 2013 13:06:56 +0000

Lisa Gonzalez and I are back with another back and forth reaction to some of the crazy claims made by opponents of community owned Internet networks. This is something we started with Episode 50 and continued in Episode 55. For volume 3 of our Crazy Talk series, we address some recent claims made in opinion … Continue reading

Prometheus Joins Us to Discuss Community Radio and Internet – Community Broadband Bits Episode 61

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 14:50:27 +0000

The Prometheus Radio Project is an impressive grassroots organization that has successfully opened the radio airwaves to communities after big corporations had effectively locked up unused radio channel for years. Prometheus Policy Director Sanjay Jolly joins us for Episode #61 of our Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. Our conversation ranges from the recent history of pirate … Continue reading

Spanish Fork Discusses Stunning Success – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #60

Tue, 20 Aug 2013 19:54:37 +0000

The Spanish Fork Community Fiber Network (SFCN) is an incredibly successful HFC cable network in Utah. It delivers television, telephone, and Internet access at incredibly low rates to most of the community despite competition from Comcast. Located south of Provo, Spanish Fork has a population of 35,000. Director of Information Systems and SFCN Director John … Continue reading

Chattanooga's EPB Fiber on Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode #59

Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:41:07 +0000

Chattanooga's EPB Fiber is the highest profile community network in the U.S. It was the first network in the nation to offer a symmetrical gigabit tier to every last address in the community. On today's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, Danna Bailey joins us to discuss the network. Danna Bailey is EPB's Vice President of Corporate … Continue reading

Lakeland Dark Fiber In Depth – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #58

Tue, 06 Aug 2013 20:46:33 +0000

In Florida, Lakeland is one of several communities that has built a dark fiber network in a low-risk bid to expand connectivity for anchor institutions and to spur economic development. City of Lakeland Fiber Optics Supervisor Paul Meyer joins us for episode #58 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. Meyer explains why Lakeland began offering … Continue reading

Jim Baller Discusses Municipal Broadband History – Community Broadband Bits Episode #57

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 12:54:16 +0000

Jim Baller has been helping local governments to build community owned networks for as long as they have been building them. He is the President of and Senior Principal of the Baller Herbst Law Group in Washington, DC. Jim joins us for Episode #57 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast to discuss some of the … Continue reading

Shafter Fiber Network, Then, Now, and Next – Community Broadband Bits Episode #56

Tue, 23 Jul 2013 14:10:53 +0000

Last week, we discussed how Shafter's plans in California for a community fiber network changed with the Great Recession. Today we have an interview with Shafter Assistant City Manager Scott Hurlbert with an expanded discussion of how the community adjusted and what its next steps will be. Shafter transitioned from leased T1 lines to a … Continue reading

Responding to More “Crazy Talk” – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #55

Tue, 16 Jul 2013 16:31:50 +0000

Following up on our first “Responding to Crazy Talk” episode last month, we decided to publish a second edition this week. Again, Lisa Gonzalez and I respond to real arguments made by those who oppose community owned Internet networks. Today, we used three arguments from a debate in 2011 that included myself, Jim Baller, Jeff … Continue reading

Tennessee Town Tullahoma Tells us Why They Built a Network – Community Broadband Bits Episode #54

Tue, 09 Jul 2013 12:22:17 +0000

For our 54th episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, we are back in Tennessee to interview Brian Skelton, General Manager of the Tullahoma Utilities Board. They built the network in 2008 and have weathered the tough economy, meeting the business plan while greatly benefiting the community. This is a particularly content-rich interview, covering the … Continue reading

Waverly Waits 13 Years to Build Fiber Network – Community Broadband Bits Episode #53

Tue, 02 Jul 2013 12:47:25 +0000

Waverly, a town of 10,000 in Iowa, decided to create a city owned telecommunications utility with a successful referendum vote in 2000 but has only recently decided to move forward with a major investment to offer services. Mike Litterer, Interim General Manager of Waverly Light and Power, joins us to discuss the project. Following the … Continue reading

IP Transition Catches Fire Island – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode #52

Tue, 25 Jun 2013 11:39:52 +0000

We welcome Harold Feld, Senior Vice President of Public Knowledge back to the show to discuss the latest update in the so-called IP Transition. Back in episode 32, Harold explained the five fundamental protections needed for our telecommunications system. Today he returns to discuss the ways in which some of the islands devastated by Sandy … Continue reading

Catching Up on Clarksville – Community Broadband Bits Episode #51

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:51:15 +0000

Clarksville is the fifth largest city in the state but was among the first networks in nation to offer symmetrical fast connections with a 10 Mbps basic offering when it launched. Christy Batts, Broadband Division Manager of Clarksville Department of Electricity, joins us to share some of the lessons learned and successes from Clarksville, which … Continue reading

Responding to “Crazy Talk” – Community Broadband Bits Episode #50

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:03:55 +0000

For our 50th episode, we're trying something new: Lisa and I respond to three common claims made by opponents of community owned networks. We owe these three particular arguments to the Executive Director of the trade association of Wisconsin telephone companies. Each of the clips we respond to come from claims he made at a … Continue reading

Understanding the Lifeline Program – Community Broadband Bits Episode #49

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:20:27 +0000

The United States has long recognized that everyone should have access to a telephone and has established a variety of government programs to achieve that end. In recent months, the Lifeline program has come under attack and some have labeled it the “Obamaphone” program. In this week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, Sarah Morris joins us … Continue reading

Exploring Conduit Policies – Community Broadband Bits Episode #48

Tue, 28 May 2013 13:27:17 +0000

At any conference dealing with building broadband networks, one hears talk of open trench policies or “dig once” approaches. For today's episode of Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary], City Manager Scott Lazenby of Sandy, Oregon, joins us to talk about how Sandy has proactively placed conduit underground for fiber use. We discuss the instances where it is … Continue reading

Unraveling the Public-Private-Partnership in San Leandro – Community Broadband Bits Episode #47

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:53:44 +0000

The city of San Leandro has formed a partnership with a local company now named Lit San Leandro to expand business access to the Internet. We talk with San Leandro's Chief Innovation Officer Deborah Acosta and Judi Clark, a consultant with Lit San Leandro, to learn more about their approach. San Leandro already had conduit … Continue reading

North Georgia Network Brings Gig to Schools, Jobs to Region – Community Broadband Bits Episode #46

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:13:53 +0000

The North Georgia Network was the first recipient of a BTOP (Broadband Technology Opportunities Program) stimulus grant in the nation and has been an interesting success story. For the latest episode of our Community [no-glossary]Broadband Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, President and CEO Paul Belk of the NGN joins us to discuss the history, present, and future of … Continue reading

Andrew Cohill Explains Common Mistakes in Community Networks – Community Broadband Bits #45

Tue, 07 May 2013 15:41:44 +0000

This is a show I have been wanting to do for years – discussing some of the common mistakes that have been make by community owned networks. Offering broadband and other telecommunications services is a difficult business for any entity, public or private and all network owners make mistakes. The vast majority of these errors … Continue reading

Kentucky Coalition Takes Down AT&T Bill to Remove Consumer Phone Protections – Community Broadband Bits #44

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:36:44 +0000

Episode #44 of our Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast expands on our story exploring a major victory over bad AT&T-driven legislation in Kentucky. We welcome Mimi Pickering of Appalshop and Tom FitzGerald of the Kentucky Resources Council. We discuss why the AT&T-authored bill to gut consumer protections was bad for Kentucky and how a terrific coalition … Continue reading

Carroll County Explains Many Benefits of County Owned Fiber – Community Broadband Bits #43

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:26:51 +0000

Chief Information Officer for the Carroll County Public Schools Gary Davis joins me to explain why the Carroll County Government, Public Schools, Public Library, and Community College partnered to build their own fiber optic network. He is also the Chairman of the resulting Carroll County Public Network (CCPN) of Maryland. The story starts the same … Continue reading

Catching Up on UC2B in Illinois – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #42

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:52:41 +0000

The home of the first web browser (Mosiac) is now building an exciting open access network – the twin cities of Urbana-Champaign received a stimulus award for UC2B (2B = Big Broadband). Episode #42 of Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] features Carol Ammons of the U-C Indepedent Media Center and Brandon Bowersox-Johnson, who is on the policy … Continue reading

Sascha Meinrath Causes a Commotion on Community Broadband Bits #41

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:42:01 +0000

Sascha Meinrath, Director of the Open Technology Institute (OTI) at the New America Foundation, joined me at the National Conference for Media Reform to discuss what OTI does and to discuss the Commotion Wireless project. Commotion is a project that is making it easier for anyone to build wireless mesh networks that allow for secure, … Continue reading

Opelika Builds First Full Fiber Network in Alabama – Community Broadband Bits Episode 40

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:23:07 +0000

Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller and Jennifer McCain, partner of the Motive Group discuss why this Alabama town is the first to build its own fiber optic network in the state. In short, Opelika had long been fed up with the services offered by Charter Cable and Charter was not amenable to meeting the community’s needs. They decided to … Continue reading

Moultrie City Manager Discusses Origins of CNS Network in Georgia for Community Broadband Bits Episode 39

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:36:20 +0000

Mike Scott, City Manager of Moultrie in Georgia, joins us for Episode #39 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast to share the origins of the Community Network Services (CNS) network that joins four towns in four counties in rural southwest Georgia. In this interview, Mike Scott shares some of the benefits of the network for … Continue reading

In Washington, Mt. Vernon Attracts Businesses with Open Access Network – Community Broadband Bits Episode 38

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:41:09 +0000

Nearly 20 years ago, a small community between Seattle and Bellingham, Washington, began building a fiber optic network to connect key municipal facilities. In the years since, Mt Vernon has expanded the network to many community anchor institutions and businesses locally, including in two nearby towns. Information Systems Director Kim Kleppe and Community & Economic … Continue reading

Blair Levin Discusses Gig.U and More for Community Broadband Bits Episode #37

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:37:28 +0000

Blair Levin is Executive Director of Gig.U. Prior to that, he was in charge of developing the National Broadband Plan and long before that was Chief of Staff for the FCC during the Clinton Presidency. He's had a lot of experience in telecommunications policy but here we focus on what can be done to move … Continue reading

Carole Monroe Explains New Hampshire's Fast Roads Initiative – Community Broadband Bits #36

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:48:31 +0000

The New Hampshire Fast Roads Initiative is bringing great Internet access to rural New Hampshire. Project CEO Carole Monroe joined us for this week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. Fast Roads is the culmination of years of local organizing and several efforts to improve access to the Internet in the region. The project is already benefiting … Continue reading

Morristown Explains Why it Built a Fiber Network for Itself – Community Broadband Bits #35

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:04:12 +0000

Morristown, Tennessee, is one of very few communities where anyone in town can immediately get a gigabit delivered to their home and business. General Manager and CEO Jody Wigington of the municipal electric utility, Morristown Utility Systems, joins me to discuss why they built their network and how it is has benefited the community. The … Continue reading

Dewayne Hendricks Explains the Forgotten National Information Infrastructure – Community Broadband Bits #34

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:57:06 +0000

Have you heard of the National Information Infrastructure, or the NII? Most of us either haven't, or have forgotten we once knew what it could be. Dewayne Hendricks joins us to remind us what it was and why we should care. It's “kind of a big thing.” Since we conducted this interview, unlicensed spectrum issues … Continue reading

Billy Ray, Community Broadband Pioneer, Joins us For Community Broadband Bits #33

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:44:38 +0000

Glasgow was a true pioneer in community owned broadband networks, starting with its own cable plant in the 1980s. Billy Ray, CEO of Glasgow Electric Plant Board, has been an inspiration for municipal broadband networks — one can't dig into the early history of LUS Fiber in Louisiana without running into something from Billy Ray, … Continue reading

The Five Fundamentals for Future Telecommunications – Community Broadband Bits Podcast #32

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:24:05 +0000

Harold Feld, Senior Vice President of Public Knowledge, is back on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] to discuss five fundamental rules necessary to ensure we have a great telecommunications system that benefits everyone. Harold first appeared on our show in episode 23. Harold explains the Five Fundamentals here and includes a link to their full filing [pdf]. … Continue reading

Scarlett McGrady Explains Virginia's Wired Road

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:44:24 +0000

The Wired Road is an ambitious fiber optic and wireless project offering Internet access to several underserved areas in rural Virginia. For the 31st episode of our Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Bits podcast, Scarlett McGrady joins me to discuss its history and impact on the region. McGrady is the Director of the Grant Community Computing Center … Continue reading

Jason Bird Explains how Princeton Kept Jobs in Community with Publicly Owned Fiber Network

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:36:52 +0000

Jason Bird is the Electrical Superintendent at the city of Princeton Utilities in Illinois. He joins us for the 30th episode of our Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Podcast to explain why Princeton built a rather unique network. Princeton has built a fiber network to connect some of the local businesses and uses broadband over power lines … Continue reading

Susan Crawford, Captive Audience, and How to Kill the Cable Monopoly

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:30:42 +0000

Susan Crawford, author of the just-released Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age, is our guest for the 29th episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Podcast. A former adviser to President Obama, she has been a leading figure in the struggle to preserve an open Internet. Susan has long … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 28 – Bruce Kushnick

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 20:43:18 +0000

If you think the United States cannot afford to take a fiber optic cable to just about every home in the country, you might be surprised to find out that we have already paid for it. We just haven't received it. Our first podcast guest in 2013, Bruce Kushnick of the New Networks Institute, explains … Continue reading

Best of 2012 Community Broadband Bits

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:42:27 +0000

I meant to post this over the Holiday Break but it fell through the cracks. So, at the beginning of 2013, here are some of our best moments from the 2012 Weekly Podcast, Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary]. Read the transcript from this episode here. We want your feedback and suggestions for the show – please e-mail … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 26 – Josh Wallace, Palo Alto

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:49:45 +0000

This week, Josh Wallace from the City of Palo Alto Utilities joins us to talk about the City's dark fiber network for episode 26 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Podcast. Josh describes how the dark fiber network connects businesses, offering incredibly high capacity connections at affordable flat rate pricing. The utility charges an upfront fee … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 25 – Dewayne Hendricks Returns

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 18:21:53 +0000

Dewayne Hendricks has returned for his second appearance on the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Podcast, continuing our discussion about the potential for wireless technologies to improve how we access the Internet. We recommend listening to his first appearance in episode 18 before this one. Here, we take up the old wired vs. wireless debate, but quickly … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 24 – Dr Browder of Bristol, Tennessee

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 15:37:49 +0000

Dr Browder runs Bristol Tennessee Essential Services, the municipal utility on the southern side of Bristol's Virginia border. For our 24th Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, he tells us how they built a FTTH network and how it has helped the community. Like so many others, they started by seeking to ensure maximum reliability of the … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 23 – Harold Feld from Public Knowledge

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:05:57 +0000

One hundred years after Teddy Roosevelt and AT&T agreed to the Kingsbury Commitment, Harold Feld joins us on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast to explain what the Kingsbury Commitment was and why it matters. In short, AT&T wants to change the way telecommunications networks are regulated and Harold is one of our best allies on this … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 22 – Jason Grey from Danville, Virginia

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:42:47 +0000

While I was in Danville, Virginia, for the Broadband Community Magazine Economic Development Conference, I had a chance to sit down with Jason Grey, nDanville Network Manager. This interview is our 22nd episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. Jason and I met five years ago when I first visited Danville to learn about its … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 21 – Benoit Felten on Stokab

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:44:06 +0000

For this week's Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary], we venture outside the U.S. to interview Benoit Felten of Diffraction Analysis about the Stokab muni fiber network in Stockholm, Sweden. Stokab appears to be the most successful open access fiber network in the world. Benoit has just published a case study of Stokab and is an expert on … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 20 – Amalia Deloney

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:21:52 +0000

Amalia Deloney (follow on Twitter) joins us for our 20th Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast to discuss how her work with the Media Action Grassroots Network and the Center for Media Justice overlaps with our focus on community broadband networks. We talk about the digital divide, particularly in relation to the attempted merger between AT&T and … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 19 – John St. Julien from Lafayette

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Today we invited John St. Julien, of Lafayette Pro Fiber fame, on episode 19 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. John was an essential piece of the organizing effort in Lafayette's efforts to build its own community fiber network. In many ways, he has worked to ensure the “community” piece is emphasized over the “fiber” … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 18 – Dewayne Hendricks

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:56:48 +0000

Dewayne Hendricks is a serial entreprenuer, innovator, and wireless expert. Wired magazine labeled him a broadband cowboy back in 2001. And he is our guest on the 18th episode of Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary]. Our discussion focuses on the promise of wireless technologies and how a few entrenched interests in DC (the big broadcasters and wireless … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 17 – Joe Knapp of Sandy, Oregon

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:27:28 +0000

Sandy has run a wireless network for over eight years and has just announced a partnership with i3 to bring FTTH to everyone using i3's technology to run trunk fiber lines through existing waste water and storm water pipes. We previously wrote about Sandy here. Joe Knapp, the IT Director for the city of Sandy … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 16 – JD Lester and Larry Gates – Chanute, Kansas

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:35:13 +0000

Following the release of our case study on Chanute, Kansas, we have an interview with City Manager JD Lester and Director of Utilities Larry Gates for our 16th podcast — Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary]. JD Lester and Larry Gates discuss Chanute's network and its impact on their rural community. As detailed in the case study, Chanute … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 15 – Geoff Daily – FiberCorps

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 18:30:33 +0000

Geoff Daily is an old friend of ours at Community Broadband Networks and he joins us for our 15th installment of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] audio show. He created a nonprofit organization, FiberCorps in Lafayette, Louisiana, to maximize usage of the LUS Fiber network owned by the community. Geoff and I discuss the importance of … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 14 – Bob Frankston

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:57:31 +0000

Our fourteenth episode of Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] is an interview with Bob Frankston, who has made many important contributions to the development of both computers an telecommunications. His bio is here, but this is his present passion: My current interest is moving beyond the 19th century concept of telecom to community owned infrastructure. This would … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 13 – Curtis Dean of Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:54:06 +0000

Curtis Dean, the Telecommunications Services Coordinator for the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, joins us for our 13th Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. Curtis explains why Iowa has so many municipal utilities and why 28 of them offer some form of telecommunications service. We talk about why making sure everyone in rural areas has access to … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 12 – Todd Murren with SpringNet, Missouri

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:50:57 +0000

The 12th episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bit[/no-glossary]s podcast features an interview with Todd Murren of SpringNet, in Springfield Missouri. SpringNet delivers blazing broadband over Ethernet to businesses in the community. We talk about Missouri's strong restrictions on local authority around broadband and the history of SpringNet. We also discuss how SpringNet has led to … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 11 – Steve Reneker of Riverside California

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:46:33 +0000

In our 11th episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, we interview Steve Reneker — the Chief Innovation Officer & Executive Director of SmartRiverside — of Riverside, California. We discuss why Riverside built its own wired and wireless networks and how it is using them to improve the efficiency of local government operations and increase … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 10 – Vince Jordan from Longmont, Colorado

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:05:50 +0000

The tenth episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast features Vince Jordan, Telecom Manager for Longmont Power and Communication in Colorado. We have long followed the trials and tribulations of this community as they fought through two referenda against Comcast's deep pockets. Now they are expanding their network to connect businesses and residents. You can … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 9 – Leslie Nulty with ECFiber in Vermont

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:59:03 +0000

The ninth episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast features Leslie Nulty, from the East Central Vermont Fiber Optic Network, commonly called ECFiber. ECFiber is using a unique financing arrangement, wherein debt is sold to those in the community as the network slowly expands. They have already raised over $1 million dollars and are providing … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 8 – Jim Moorehead of Mendocino County, California

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:35:58 +0000

The eighth podcast in our Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] series is a discussion with Jim Moorehead, the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Broadband Alliance of Mendocino County in California. Mendocino is a large, rural county in the northern part of the state that has been left behind by major incumbent providers including AT&T, Comcast, … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 7 – Mary Beth Henry of Portland, Oregon

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:50:39 +0000

For the 7th Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, we talk with Mary Beth Henry from Portland, Oregon. Mary Beth is the Director of the Portland Office for Community Technology and Mt Hood Cable Regulatory Commission, as well as a past president of NATOA. Our discussion covers the long struggle to ensure local businesses and residents had … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 6 – Cheryl Leanza of Progressive States Network

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 17:53:28 +0000

Our sixth episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast features a discussion with Cheryl Leanza, broadband consultant with Progressive States Network. Cheryl has been very active in legislative battles at the state level, where she has helped to defend the public against anti-consumer deregulation led by AT&T, CenturyLink, and cable lobbyists. We touched on the … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 5 – Catharine Rice of SEATOA

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:30:10 +0000

For our fifth episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast, we have a discussion with Catharine Rice of SEATOA – the Southeastern Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors. We discuss legislation in North and South Carolina designed to stop communities from building their own networks. Catharine Rice has been a strong advocate for local authority, … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 4 – Kevin Kryzda, CIO of Martin County, Florida

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:15:37 +0000

The fourth episode of Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bit[/no-glossary]s features Kevin Kryzda from Martin County, Florida. We discuss their county-owned network that is saving millions of dollars for the community — as detailed in our case study published last month. Activists that want to encourage publicly owned broadband in their communities should familiarize themselves with the cost … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 3 – UTOPIA and XMission

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:48:07 +0000

For the third Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bit[/no-glossary]s podcast, we decided to do a double interview, perhaps making up for skipping last week due to our Independence Day holiday. In this show, we talk with Todd Marriott from the UTOPIA open access network in Utah. The second interview is with a provider on the network: Pete Ashdown, … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits 2 – Wired West Podcast

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:25:14 +0000

In our second podcast, we have interviewed Monica Webb with the Wired West Initiative in rural western Massachusetts. Like our first podcast, this should be an excellent resource for those who are still in the early stages of community broadband and seeking ideas or inspiration. We continue to be interested in your feedback and suggestions … Continue reading

First Community Broadband Bits Podcast – Sibley County Fiber to the Farm

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:30:34 +0000

In our excitement to produce this podcast, we forgot to credit Fit and the Conniptions for the intro/outro music. Much thanks for releasing their music under a creative commons license that allows us to use it for this purpose. If you like their sound, buy an album! We have decided to start a podcast- a … Continue reading

Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Innovative Services and Trailblazing Low-Income Programs in Chattanooga – Episode 539 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

HiLighting Hillsboro, Oregon – Episode 538 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Training to Build the Networks We Want at Broadband Bootcamps – Episode 537 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Market Dynamics, Regulations, and Historic Fiber Investments in Europe – Episode 536 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Predictions for 2023 – Episode 535 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

What Can We Expect to See in 2023? – Episode 534 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Christopher Mitchell’s Ask Me Anything – Episode 533 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Year in Review 2022 – Episode 532 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Data-Driven Policy Solutions – Episode 531 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

A Layered Approach to Universal Access in Virginia – Episode 530 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Crazy Talk on Fiber Deployments – Episode 529 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Maps, Maps Everywhere – Episode 528 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Hope and Change – Episode 527 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Teaching Through Gaming in Baltimore – Episode 526 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Learning from New York City’s Master Internet Plan – Episode 525 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Financing Mechanisms and Governance Models – Episode 524 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Monopoly Pricing Disparities in LA County – Episode 523 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Bottlenecks in the Affordable Connectivity Program – Episode 522 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

A Tribal Wireless Network in Northern California – Episode 521 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

A Foundation for the Future of Digital Equity Work – Episode 520 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Cities Doing Work – Episode 519 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Building at the Speed of Light in Pharr, Texas – Episode 518 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

The Straight Talk About Rural Fiber Deployments – Episode 517 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Short Update – Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Mapping, BEAD, and the Future of Broadband – Episode 516 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

The Birth of the Texas State Broadband Development Office – Episode 515 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Campaigns to Keep Monopolies We Don’t Love – Episode 514 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

The New FCC Broadband Fabric – Episode 513 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Should the BEAD Program Be As Onerous As It Seems? – Episode 512 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Frameworks for the Future in Newark – Episode 511 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Empowering Municipalities in New York – Episode 510 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Underbuilding, States BEAD Posturing, and Hot Topics in Community Networks – Episode 509 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

How Consulting Firms Can Help Communities Plan, Build, and Finance Local Broadband Networks – Episode 508 Community Broadband Bits Podcast

How INCOMPAS Advocates for Broadband Policy That Promotes Competition – Episode 507 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

How Clarksville became Arkansas’ First Two-Gigabit City – Episode 506 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Lessons on Retail and Wholesale Broadband Models from Europe, Asia, and the U.S. – Episode 505 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Introducing the American Association of Public Broadband – Episode 504 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Previewing Mountain Connect 2022 – Episode 503 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Los Angeles County and California Are Building A Broadband Future – Episode 502 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

What New York State Got Right and No Answers on States Rights Question – Episode 501 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Y-ZONE is Connecting Families with CBRS – Episode 500 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Empowering Community in Cleveland, with Digital C – Episode 499 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Breaking Down BEAD Funding Requirements with Nancy Werner – Episode 498 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

ARPA Funding, Telehealth and a Good Rant – Episode 497 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Special Report: Baltimore Builds Muni Fiber, Prioritizing Equity – Episode 496 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast￼

Accelerate! Program Shows Promise in Midwest Communities – Episode 495 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

CUDs are Connecting Rural Vermont – Episode 494 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Waverly Muni Fiber Another Success Story for Iowa – Episode 493 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Public Open Access Spurs Competition in Washington State – Episode 492 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Perspectives From An Established Muni Network – Episode 491 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Geography is Everything – Episode 490 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

It’s Not a Rural Broadband Challenge, It’s a Statewide Broadband Challenge – Episode 489 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Last Year and Next Year: Predictions Evaluated and Recharged – Episode 488 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

A History of Form 477 and Broadband Mapping Data – Episode 487 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

What Does All This Money Mean? – Bonus Episode 15 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

A Look Back on the Biggest Broadband Stories of 2021 – Episode 486 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

A Washington PUD Prioritizes Open Access Fiber After Pandemic – Episode 485 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

NDIA Webinar: Digital Inclusion Funding in the Infrastructure Act – Bonus Episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

What States, Communities, and Activists Need to Do to Make the Most of the Infrastructure Act – Episode 484 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Local Solutions for Expanding Broadband Accessibility – Episode 483 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Fort Dodge Brings FTTH to Fruition – Episode 482 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

A Success Story in Indianola, Iowa- Episode 481 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Broadband and Beyond in the Bronx – Episode 480 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

The Fight for Digital Inclusion and Equity in San Antonio – Episode 479 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Let’s Talk Fiber – Episode 478 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Tides Are Turning With Digital Inclusion – Bonus Episode 14 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

The Long and Winding Road for Publicly Owned Broadband in Washington State – Episode 477 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

The Great Debate Over Telecommunications Competition and Regulation – Episode 476 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Los Altos Hills Community Fiber: A Story of Community Solutions to Community Empowerment – Episode 475 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

A Plan for Better Broadband in Syracuse and Pleasant Grove, Utah – Episode 474 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Rethinking Rural Connectivity with Christopher Ali – Episode 473 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

One Cooperative in Oregon Hopes Broadband Will Help Revitalize A Community’s Economy – Episode 472 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

The Writing Team Takes Over – Episode 471 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Shifting the Mindset from Scarcity to Abundance: The Infrastructure Bill and Longterm Broadband Solutions – Episode 470 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

A Mixed Bag: How The Infrastructure Bill Will Impact Municipal Broadband Networks – Episode 469 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

How Activism and Community Empowerment Brought Anacortes, Washington 21st Century Broadband – Episode 468 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Crowdsourcing Data, Fighting for Competition and Digital Equity – Episode 467 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Building Connections and Digital Sovereignty at the Tribal Wireless Bootcamp – Episode 466 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Recent Developments in Vermont and New Hampshire and the Real Broadband Challenges in America – Episode 465 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Special Report: Baltimore Builds Muni Fiber, Prioritizing Equity – Episode 496 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast