Community Broadband Bits

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 "Postmortem in Wyoming: Cheyenne Mayor on Interrupted Legislation – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 308" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Don’t Forget the Financing! – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 307" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Doug Dawson, Broadband Industry Guru – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 306" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Digging Into the Details With RVA Market Research & Consulting – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 305" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Grassroots for Better Connectivity in Cambridge, Massachusetts – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 304" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "State Legislatures Take Action On Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 303" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "HBC Spreads The Know-How: Working With Others To Improve Rural Connectivity" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Wireless And Wired; US Internet Knows Both – Community Broadband Bits 301" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Neighbors Helping Neighbors For Fiber In Rural Tennessee: Newport And Morristown Join Forces – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 300" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Straight Talk About 5G; Potential, Limitations, Hype – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 299" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Central Vermont Internet: Communities Commit To Communications Union District – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 298" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Hiawatha Broadband Communications: One Of The Small Players That Helped Shape The Internet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 297" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Fibering Up Emmett, Idaho – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 296" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Santa Cruz County Moving Beyond Incumbent Inaction – Community Broadband Bits 295" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Virginia’s Eastern Shore Broadband Authority Steadily Expands Fiber Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 294" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Arlington Expands Internet Access for Low-Income Households – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 293" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "FairlawnGig Keeps Businesses in Town, Attracts More – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 292" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Wilson Tackles Digital Divide with Pay Ahead Option – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 291" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Wrestling With Redlining in Cleveland, Lessons For All" ★ Support this podcast ★

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 "Retail Muni Fiber Networks Charge Less – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 289" ★ Support this podcast ★