One the goals of this site is to catalog reports, articles, and all things related to publicly owned broadband. A number of older articles about muni broadband still resonate today -- As part of its May 2005 issue, Broadband Properties offered a pro and con view of municipal networks. Carl Kandutsch, a former FCC attorney, wrote "The Case for Municipal Broadband." Other articles from that issues are also available here.

The piece generally focuses on matters of economics and law, but in an accessible manner. The threat of private, monopolistic service providers -- particularly in rural areas -- is indeed a significant motivation and reason to embrace public ownership.

He also delves into debunking specific arguments against municipal ownership and argues that publicly owned networks are at a disadvantage relative private companies:

The municipal balance sheet must then be compared with that of private firms existing actually or potentially in the relevant market, taking into account the often huge tax breaks granted to private sector communication firms, the economies of scale conferred on incumbents from ownership of pre-existing infrastructure and nationwide or international service areas, the freedom to contract with any other entity on any terms within the limits of the law and so on.

And

Moreover, whereas private firms are permitted to operate behind closed doors, municipal utilities must comply with numerous open-records requirements, and must secure public approval for all significant decisions. The level of public scrutiny under which a municipal utility operates ensures that significant operational inefficiencies will be short-lived, and that utility officials are politically accountable for their decisions.