Community Broadband Media Roundup - July 2

California

Watering-down of net neutrality bill draws backlash by Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press [Ventura County Star]

A California lawmaker's decision to alter a net neutrality bill considered one of the nation's most aggressive efforts to require an equal playing field on the internet has generated intensely personal online attacks aimed at his family as well as criticism from fellow Democrats in Congress.

Assemblyman Miguel Santiago leads a committee that this week stripped whole chunks of a net neutrality measure. He stirred a passionate reaction from open internet advocates who think the state that is home to the technology sector and the liberal resistance to President Donald Trump should take a hardline stance on the matter.

The decision reverberated far beyond California's Capitol, drawing rebukes from members of Congress and leading the state Democratic chairman to try to diffuse tension. Santiago quickly drew fire in online memes and a flood of calls to his office accusing the Los Angeles lawmaker of selling out to internet providers, citing his contributions from AT&T.

 

Colorado

Boulder City Council Votes to Fund Citywide Broadband Network by Brianna Williams, Next City

The Fort Collins broadband service will be called … by Nick Coltrain, The Coloradoan

 

Iowa

Rural matters: Small town voters are looking for big ideas in 2018 by Bill Menner, Cedar Rapids Gazette

So, what could the next governor or Legislature or Congress do to help?

Fund significantly the existing broadband grant program. Legislators funded it for the first time this year, approving $1.3 million. In fact, the high-speed broadband of the future lies in fiber. But extending it across rural Iowa will cost a lot of money. As rural telephone cooperatives have proved, fiber has tremendous impacts on the people who have it. Extending fiber to places to where it’s not will cost tens of millions. A better-funded state grant program would encourage expansion and leverage millions in private investment.

The FCC says all of Iowa has access to broadband internet. Speed tests tell a different story. by Sam Bloch, New Food Economy

  

Maryland

Dorchester County fiber optic internet installation by Camila Fernandez, WMDT

Faster internet has arrived to Dorchester County. 

Bay Country Communication has finished their installation of fiber optics to improve high speed internet across the area. 

According to the internet service provider, the mission is to bring high speed internet for local businesses and homes that either don't have adequate access or none at all.

 

Mississippi

Broadband expansion important endeavor by Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Editorial Board

Mississippi looks to bring fiber internet to rural areas by Cristina Carreon, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

The topic of bringing internet service to rural communities brought 46 Mississippi legislators and more than a dozen electric cooperative representatives to Hamilton, Alabama, Wednesday morning to look at an example of success 14 miles across the state line.

Brandon Presley, Northern District Commissioner for the Mississippi Public Service Commission, called the meeting and said a bill is being drafted to come before the state legislature in January that would allow Mississippi power associations to provide broadband internet to rural communities.

The federal spending bill passed in March allocated $600 million for electric cooperatives and rural utilities to bring broadband to rural areas, but Presley said state law currently precludes that funding from being used in Mississippi.

 

North Carolina

Pinetops customers will be losing Greenlight by Brie Handgraaf, The Wilson Times

 

Ohio

FairlawnGig Expands its Reach, Touts Municipal Broadband Network Success by Joan Engebretson, Telecompetitor

 

Pennsylvania

Lifeline offline: Unreliable internet, cell service are hurting rural Pennsylvania’s health by Kris B. Mamula, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Tennessee

Bredesen to push for TVA to help expand broadband access by Associated Press, Miami Herald

 

Virginia

How we brought broadband to rural Virginia by Sherrin Alsop, Richmond Times-Dispatch

Loudoun Supervisors Lay Out Rural Broadband Goals by Renss Greene, Loudoun Now

Amherst County's rural areas ready for broadband boost by Justin Faulconer, Amherst New-Era Progress

 

Washington

Grave digging? Changing tires? Washington’s rural telecom companies do it all by Ryan Blethen, Seattle Times

 

Wisconsin

Project tracker: City set to extend fiber optic network by Jim Dayton, Janesville Gazette Extra