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Vermont, Ohio Networks Prove Municipal Broadband Pays for Itself
A grassroots effort to bring broadband to rural Vermont now boasts more than $1 billion a year in revenue.
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New York to Launch Statewide Public Middle-Mile Network
Gov. Hochul unveiled plans for rollout of a 426-mile statewide public fiber backbone.
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USDA to Open Applications for $26 Million Community Connect Program
Recipients last year included NEK Community Broadband, Lewis County PUD, and Pulse Broadband.
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ITIF Report Draws Fire Over Claims Against Public Networks
Critics claim the report's methodology overlooks market failures and connectivity gaps.
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Northampton, Mass., Hasn’t Ruled Out Municipal Network
Multi-gigabit speeds coming to large swaths of the city through the arrival of Gateway Fiber.
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California Announces Another $207 Million In Last Mile Broadband Grants
Included is $25 million to help the City Of Huntington Park provide free Wi-Fi for all city residents.
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Kendall County, Illinois, Builds Its Own Fiber Network After Being Snubbed By Big ISPs
The fiber-plus-fixed wireless project is estimated to cost $67 million to connect more than 13,000 county locations.
Two Alabama Cooperatives Win Grant Funding to Expand Fiber Service
The grant helps fund 2,347 miles of new fiber deployment, bringing broadband availability to more than 15,000 locations.
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BCAP to Host First Broadband Technology Day
The event will be held on Sep. 30
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Plumas-Sierra Telecom Nabs $67 Million In Middle Mile Grants Across 4 California Counties
The investment in the cooperative could be a game-changer for rural connectivity in the Golden State.
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North Carolina to Inject New Money into Broadband Deployment Program
The state aims to increase broadband access in 37 counties
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Alpine County Open Access Fiber Among Big Winners In Latest California FFA Grants
On August 30, CPUC officials formally approved both a third and fourth round of FFA broadband funding.
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Chicago Diary: What I Saw at the Democratic National Convention
The struggle to balance corporate influence and grassroots demands was prominently felt at the DNC in Chicago.
Mecklenburg Electric Coop Seeks Relief From CAF II Mess
EMPOWER says existing FCC financing rules could imperil its ability to affordably serve locations in three Virginia counties.
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Harris Pick Walz Just Signed Law Favorable to Muni Broadband
Walz has been lauded for his commitment to infrastructure development and broadband expansion in Minnesota.
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Federal Municipal Network Support Declining, Warns Experts
Despite initial federal support, funding programs are not supportive of municipal broadband.
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FCC Seeks Comment on TDS-RiverStreet Deal
The first round of public comments is due on July 17 .
Surf Internet Expands Fiber In Partnership With Newton County, Indiana
The company will contribute $6.6 million to the new endeavor.
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Somerville And Washington Maine Begin Fiber Network Construction
Residents will soon have access to four tiers of broadband service.
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Vermont CUD Maple Broadband Moving Quickly To Expand Access
Vermont Community Broadband Board says it has completed the first phase of its network.
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Hawaii ISP Sandwich Isles to Shut Down Voice, Internet Service on Saturday
Sandwich Isles Communications sent an email to Native Hawaiian customers on Thursday saying it was shutting down service on Saturday.
Minnesota Clears Path for Community-Owned Broadband
Minnesota's repeal of laws blocking municipal broadband ensures local governments can participate in the upcoming $42.45 billion BEAD grant program.
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Wilbraham, Massachusetts Takes First Step Toward City-Owned Fiber Build
The city hopes to fund the network through an enterprise fund.
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Engaging With Communities Crucial in Building Public Broadband Networks
Speakers emphasized the importance of assessing community needs, building partnerships, and educating people about the benefits of broadband internet.
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New York Budget Passes Without Anti-Municipal Broadband Language
Advocates said proposed language from the state assembly would have hindered public broadband deployment.
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Three Broadband Bills Face Defeat in Wisconsin Senate
The state senate thwarted bills aiming to enhance local autonomy and mandate ISP accountability for advertised speeds.
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AAPB New Handbook: ‘How To Build A Public Broadband Network’
A new guide aims to assist communities in maneuvering common hurdles to building public broadband networks.
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Martinsville, Virginia, Will Take Full Advantage Of Decades-Old Fiber Network
The core network consisted of 48 strands and 20 miles of fiber connecting city schools, municipal buildings and key anchor institutions
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UTOPIA Fiber Announces Connection Numbers for 2023
The community-owned fiber provider secured more than $35 million in new financing last year.
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Bardstown, Kentucky, is Selling City-Owned Cable TV Company To Charter
The city made a 'business decision' to sell now to avoid costly upgrades to the communications network
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Pennsylvania Broadband Authority Sees No Conflict in State Preemption Law and BEAD Rules
State broadband authority modified its BEAD plan after public feedback cast doubt on the its ability to override state law.
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AAPB Opposes Bill Forcing Kentucky Utility to Divest Telecommunications Unit
The bill would give Frankfort a deadline of Dec. 31, 2024 to either transfer or sell the utility’s public projects.
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Sean Gonsalves: New Municipal Broadband Networks Skyrocket in Post-Pandemic America
Since January 1, 2021, at least 47 new municipal networks have come online, with dozens more in planning or pre-construction.
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Rural Broadband Provider Touts Cooperative and Coalition-based Models
Collaboration and a not-for-profit model allow rural providers to serve the most sparsely populated areas.
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Karl Bode: After Decades of Talk, Palo Alto Drives Forward on Municipal Fiber Build
Palo Alto officials have been talking about building such a network since 1998.
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After BEAD Allocation, Gigi Sohn Advocates Municipal Broadband to Close Coverage Gaps
It’s unclear how BEAD funds will interact with state laws restricting municipal broadband projects.
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Sean Gonsalves: After Years of Talk, Cambridge is Now Taking Serious Look at Municipal Broadband
Cambridge aims to construct a citywide fiber network that passes all 52,300 residences and businesses in the city.
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Gigi Sohn Announced as New Executive Director of the American Association for Public Broadband
In surprise announcement at keynote luncheon, Sohn revealed as the first executive director of the new organization advocating for municipalities.
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Public-Private Partnership Provides Access and Affordability Solutions in Brownsville
In 2014, Brownsville was ranked as the worst-connected city in the United States.
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CLIC, AAPB and Broadband Breakfast Host Super Session on Community Broadband Initiatives on May 1
Brought to you by the Coalition for Local Internet Choice, the American Association for Public Broadband and Broadband Breakfast.
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Community Broadband Bill, USDA Technical Assistance Funding, Brian Vo on Public Knowledge Board
Bill by Rep. Anna Eshoo and Sen. Cory Booker would preempt state laws prohibiting municipal broadband projects using public funds.
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Brieana Reed-Harmel: Capital Construction of a Municipal Broadband Utility 101
The author led the city of Loveland, Colorado, through the assessment and feasibility study of publicly-owned broadband.
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Kelly Wert: States Seek to Fund Broadband Upgrades in Affordable Rental Housing
Efforts in multiple states aim to address connectivity challenges for low-income residents.
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Amid Flawed Federal Maps and Programs, Local Action is Key: Connected America Conference
Communities should take initiative in building out networks without waiting for federal funding, panelists said.
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Municipal and Co-Op ISPs Raise ‘Anti-Competitive Concerns,’ Says Duke Professor
The average probability of new entrants dropped when one of two ISPs is owned by the municipality, a paper claims.
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Communities Need Governance Seat on Broadband Builds, Conference Hears
Communities need to be involved in decision-making when it comes to broadband builds.
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Local Leadership and Coordination Key to Proper Federal Fund Allocation, Conference Hears
Local communities understand their own needs, said Arkansas’s Glen Howie.
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Chart of States Accepting BEAD Grant Applications
Braodband Breakfast is tracking each state's BEAD grant application window.
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Chart of Fixed Wireless Access Subscribers
Braodband Breakfast is tracking fixed wireless access subscriptions.
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Chart of Wireline Broadband Subscribers
Braodband Breakfast is tracking wireline broadband subscriptions.
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Chart of Wireline Broadband Subscribers By Technology
Braodband Breakfast is tracking wireline broadband subscribers by technology.
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White House Presses Outreach Initiatives for Affordable Connectivity Program
White House officials urged schools and other local institutions to engage in text-message and social media campaigns for the ACP.
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Pandemic Possible Inflection Point in States’ Move Away from Restrictions on Community Networks
The number of states restricting municipal broadband networks has dropped during the pandemic.
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Dish Using IBM AI for 5G Network, ConnectMaine’s New Grants, Intuit Buys Mailchimp, STL Hires Former Ericsson Exec
Dish is partnering with IBM for 5G, ConnectMaine’s community broadband grants, Intuit to buy Mailchimp, STL hires Paolo Colella.
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Population Center in Chautauqua County May Be First City in New York With Municipal Fiber
Jamestown is hoping an open access network would make internet more affordable.
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Start Your Own ISP Lowers Barrier to Establishing Wireless Internet Service Providers
Start Your Own ISP founder discusses how WISP technology enables rural communities to access broadband.
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Crypto
Cryptographic technologies and blockchain ledgers are driving a new era of decentralized finance.
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Nuclear
As data centers proliferate, Nuclear Energy is potentially ready for a revival.
American Energy
American energy production has increased substantially over the past few years.
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Mobile
Mobile communication has become a central part internet connectivity.
Democracy
The internet has the potential to impact, and also to enhance, society's democratization.
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Section 230
Section 230 is sometimes called the 26 words that created the internet.
BEAD
The BEAD program is implemented by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department.
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Privacy
The entire concept of privacy has been transformed by broadband and the internet.
Broadband Mapping and Data
Accurate broadband mapping and data has been central to America's broadband buildout.
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Smart Cities
Cities of the future rely on high-speed internet access and advanced fiber and wireless connectivity.
Advanced Energy
The infrastructure necessary for advanced energy also powers the infrastructure necessary for high-speed internet.
Autonomous Vehicles
Self-driving cars are one of many advances to come for smart cities and communities.
Drones
Drones and airborne transportation are one of many advances to come for smart cities and communities.
Antitrust
Antitrust has been re-invigorated by concern over the power of big technology, media and telecom companies.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is poised to transform humans' relationship with technology, and each other.
Social Media
Social media plays a powerful force in the lives of most adults and teenagers.
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Free Speech
Debates about the role of free speech have been transformed by broadband internet services.
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Chips
Semiconductors are the world’s new oil.
Tribal
Tribal leaders say the federal government has failed to uphold its trust responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of Native American tribes.
Spectrum
Whether licensed, unlicensed or shared, radio frequency spectrum is the critical resource for wireless communication.
Cybersecurity
Digital locks and keys are necessary, but not sufficient, to ensure cybersecurity.
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Net Neutrality
Whether broadband providers may prioritize delivery of bits by the entities they own is a divisive topic.
Open Access
Open Access networks separate network operations from internet services. Ownership may also be separate from operations.
Funding
The pandemic has prompted a new era of funding for broadband infrastructure.
Rural
Because Rural America is often the least-connected region in the country, ensuring coverage is central to BEAD.
Wireless
Wireless technologies are critical for mobile communications, and for being able to reach remote locations.
Satellite
Satellite broadband remains an option those areas beyond the reach of fiber, terrestrial or mobile wireless.
Universal Service
The Universal Service Fund, codified in 1996 with the Telecommunications Act, remains the foundation of universal access.
Data Center
Data Centers and Cloud Computing rely upon robust and high-speed upload and download internet speeds.
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5G
The 5G wireless standard promises breakthrough in capacity, speed and dynamic spectrum-sharing capabilities.
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WISP
Wireless Internet Service Providers play an important role in delivery of fixed wireless broadband.
Digital Inclusion
We need humans to make digital inclusion work.
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Education
Technology, particularly broadband access and adoption, plays a vital role in K-12 and secondary education.
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Health
The innovations of telehealth and mobile health care has transformed medicine and health care.
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Public Safety
Ensuring that emergency communications are enabled with broadband is the next frontier in public safety.
Telework
Broadband internet service allows many people to work from almost anywhere.
Robocall
The scourge of robocalls is making America's once-vaunted telephone network less trustworthy.
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Expert Opinion: Broadband Adventures in Wunderland: The (Expensive) Myth of Competition
The National Broadband Plan won’t do jack until more folks in Wunderland acknowledge and aggressively address one stark truth – broadband competition is mostly a myth, expensively maintained through lobbyists, think tanks and easily-influenced politicians. Until we get meaningful competition, a sign
Institute for Local Self-Reliance Issues Community Broadband Report
WASHINGTON, March 25, 2011 – The Institute for Local Self-Reliance unveiled its Community Broadband Network Map and Report on Wednesday.
Levin, Settles Square Off On Broadband Funding Debate
WASHINGTON, February 7, 2011 – Blair Levin, head of the team that authored the National Broadband Plan and Craig Settles, a leading industry analyst, debated at the New America Foundation on Monday the best way to deploy broadband to unserved and underserved areas.
Community Broadband Providers Face Unique Challenges
WASHINGTON, June 11, 2010 – Community broadband providers face unique challenges, said a group of experts Thursday at an event hosted by the New America Foundation. Broadband is a local issue and members of the communications community shouldn’t lose sight of that, said author Craig Settles, who is