Community Broadband Media Roundup - April 30

California

Better broadband to come to Davis by Stella Tran, The California Aggie

Colorado

Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado to discuss broadband at Craig meeting by Craig Daily Press

Colorado Net Neutrality Bill Tabled by John Eggerton, Broadcasting and Cable

Kansas

Kansas Governor Signs Bill Creating Task Force to Bring Broadband to Every Corner of the State by Erin Mathews, The Salina Journal (Government Technology)

Idaho

Idaho Counties Consider Banding Together to Buy New Fiber Optic Network by Kathy Hedberg, Lewiston Tribune (Government Technology)

The Lewis County Commissioners are considering buying into a five-county cooperative to construct a fiber-optic network that would upgrade emergency and public safety services.

Dave Taylor, emergency communications officer for Nez Perce County and Lewiston, met with the commissioners during their regular weekly meeting Monday to discuss the plan.

Taylor is asking commissioners in Lewis, Idaho, Nez Perce, Clearwater and Latah counties to pitch in $4,200 each to hire a consultant to determine where fiber-optic cable already exists in the region. Following that, fiber-optic cables would be installed in places where there currently are none. Taylor said he hopes the system would be completed within three years to meet the growing needs of emergency communications and support Next Generation 911 services.

Massachusetts

Saving net neutrality, one house at a time by Mark Howell, Washington Post

In Concord, we issued bonds to get started, and they will eventually be repaid by revenue from customers. So far, broadband revenue is covering our operating costs. The debt is financing the cost of adding about 300 customers per year, and we project that by 2020, revenue will be covering these expansion costs as well. On top of that, there are the benefits that come with being a place that offers high-quality, high-speed Internet to homes and businesses.

Hundreds of other cities, towns and counties are also providing Internet service in various ways. For communities that don’t already own their electric utility as we do, it’s harder to get started but still possible. In Leverett, Mass., which had very poor cell and cable service, the town decided to borrow funds to build a fiber-optic network to every house. To operate the service, it contracted with another municipality’s electric utility that was already providing Internet. Now anyone in Leverett can get broadband for about $50 per month.

The lesson from our experience is clear: Washington and the big telecoms are letting us down, but local leaders can protect people’s rights and expand access to quality Internet with municipal broadband.

Most in municipal broadband group agreed on need; all call for a real financial analysis by Saul Tannenbaum, Cambridge Day

In Egremont, residents 'want the future', but broadband access presently has problems by Kristin Palpini, Berkshire Eagle

Worthington to consider 3 broadband options at May 5 Town Meeting by Mary C. Serreze, MassLive

US Sen. Ed Markey, others caution FCC's net neutrality ruling could unduly hurt rural America by Shannon Young, MassLive

MA Lt. Governor Reviews Broadband Progress In Berkshires by Josh Landes, WAMC

North Carolina

City of Wilson lands $10,000 federal smart city grant for new app by WRAL TechWire

Ohio

Commission to assist residents with internet service by Steve Rappach, The Review

Commissioners in Hancock County have agreed to provide money for the set up of broadband internet service in portions of New Cumberland that now are underserved.

Last week, the commission approved a contribution of $5,000 that will serve as seed money for the installation of wireless broadband internet service through Agile Networks, which will provide download speeds of 25 megabytes per second and upload speeds of up to 3 megabytes for residents in the Hardins Run and New Manchester area.

As part of the installation of services, Agile Networks will provide a special deal for the first 28 customers who sign up for the services. The deal consists of a monthly rate of $52 for unlimited access for 36 months, which was lowered from the original rate of $75 monthly, and no installation fee, which usually starts at $150.

Fairlawn Proves This Small Town Knows How to Start Municipal Broadband by Andrea Fox, Efficient Gov

Virginia

Opinion/Editorial: High speed ahead for city internet by Charlottesville Daily Progress Editorial Board

While Albemarle County has been strategizing on how to improve internet connections in the rural areas, Charlottesville has been working on how to get high-speed connections for public housing residents.

Both are worthy endeavors. But the city may have the edge in actually being able achieve its goal sooner rather than later.

Charlottesville has a couple of advantages. Its population density and compact geography simply make it easier to distribute internet infrastructure.

Plus, Charlottesville has a partner that expresses interest on the project. Internet provider Ting is described as already deeply invested in supporting the community.

Broadband networks to expand to Accomack County by Brandon Bossert, WMDT

Washington 

City mulls internet provider choice for fiber network by Jacqueline Allison, Go Anacortes

West Virginia

Partnership will expand high-speed internet in Garrett County by Joseph Hauger, The Garrett County Republican

General

How County Governments Can Step Up their Broadband Game and Benefit Rural Broadband by Drew Clark, Broadband Breakfast

Ajit Pai hasn’t finalized net neutrality repeal—here’s a theory on why by Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica

RIP Net Neutrality Unless Resurrected By Legislation Or A Court by Larry Magid, Forbes

Map: As Net Neutrality Officially Ends, States Rush to Pass Workarounds by Dawn Kawamoto, Government Technology

With portions of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality repeal order officially taking effect earlier this week, some states are facing pressure to get workarounds up and running.

Nearly two dozen states are not wasting time. Since the FCC voted in December to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order, 28 states have introduced bills that require Internet service providers to adhere to some of the net neutrality provisions that were previously enforced by the FCC, reports the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Of this group, only Oregon and Washington state have had success in passing net neutrality laws.