Community Broadband Bits

In a break from our traditional format of 20-30 minutes (or so), we have a special in-depth interview this week with Harold Depriest, the former CEO and President of Chattanooga's Electric Power Board. He recently retired after 20 incredibly transformative years for both Chattanooga and its municipal electric utility. We talk about the longer history behind … Continue reading "The Deep History of Chattanooga's Fiber Network – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 230" ★ Support this podcast ★

Rural electric co-ops have started delivering high quality Internet access to their member-owners and our guest this week on Community Broadband Bits episode 229 is dedicated to helping these co-ops to build fiber-optic networks throughout their territories. Jon Chambers is a partner at Conexon and was previously the head of the FCC's Office of Strategic Planning and … Continue reading "Rural Electrics Solve Rural Internet Access Problems – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 229" ★ Support this podcast ★

When we last spoke to people from Lincoln, Nebraska, about their innovative conduit program to improve Internet access, we focused on how they had done it – Conduits Lead to Competition, podcast 182. For this week and episode 228 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we focus more on the community benefits their approach has led … Continue reading "City of Lincoln Conduit Spurs FTTH, School Network Innovation – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 228" ★ Support this podcast ★

The second-largest city in Wisconsin and the home of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, is pursuing a path-breaking municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) strategy. They have already started by deploying fiber to several low-income neighborhoods and working with local ISP ResTech to offer services.Madison CIO Paul Kronberger joins us for Community Broadband Bits episode 227 to discuss their plan. … Continue reading "Madison Starts Muni Fiber Effort, Considers Citywide Effort – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 227" ★ Support this podcast ★

Pinetops, a town of about 1,300 outside Wilson, North Carolina, is suffering a double calamity as Hurricane Matthew has left floods and incredible damage in its wake. Less natural but no less frustrating is the unforced error by the North Carolina Legislature in effectively prohibiting municipal broadband networks.This week, we have a doubleheader interview with … Continue reading "Pinetops Threatened by Hurricane and NC Legislature – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 226" ★ Support this podcast ★

Telephone and electric cooperatives are making strides in bringing high-quality connectivity to rural areas while national providers stay in the city. This week we speak with two gentlemen from rural southwest Michigan’s Midwest Energy Cooperative: President and CEO Bob Hance and Vice President of Regulatory Compliance Dave Allen.The electric cooperative has embarked on a project to … Continue reading "Midwest Energy Cooperative Connects Rural Michigan – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 225" ★ Support this podcast ★

In June, North Carolina released a report pronouncing that 93 percent of the state has access to broadband speeds. At the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, our Research Associate H.R. Trostle, who has been examining reporting data in North Carolina for the past year, came to some very different conclusions. In episode 224, she and Christopher … Continue reading "H.R. Trostle On Co-ops, Munis, Connectivity In North Carolina – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 224" ★ Support this podcast ★

In the north central region of Utah, eleven communities are now served by a regional open access fiber-optic network operated by the Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency or UTOPIA. UTOPIA’s Executive Director, Roger Timmerman, and Mayor Karen Cronin from member community, Perry City, take time to speak with us for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode 223.One … Continue reading "Update on Utah's Open Access UTOPIA – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 223" ★ Support this podcast ★

Located in the Denver metro region and shaped like a barbell, Centennial has effectively used dig once policies to build conduit and fiber assets that have attracted Ting to the community. Tim Scott is the Director of Fiber Infrastructure for the city and joins us on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast episode 222. Centennial took advantage … Continue reading "Carrier-Grade Fiber in Centennial, Colorado – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 222" ★ Support this podcast ★

Having few options for high-quality telecommunications service, Virginia's Roanoke Valley formed a broadband authority and is building an open access fiber-optic network with different options for ISPs to plug-in. In addition to being our guest on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode 221, Frank Smith is the Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority CEO and President. We discuss their … Continue reading "Virginia's Roanoke Valley Opens Fiber Access – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 221" ★ Support this podcast ★

Medina County has built a fiber network to connect its core facilities and leases its fiber to multiple ISPs to improve connectivity in its communities. David Corrado, CEO of the Medina County Fiber Network, joins us to discuss their approach on Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode 220. We discuss how the Port Authority became the lead … Continue reading "Medina County Aims to Be Mecca of Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 220" ★ Support this podcast ★

Saint Louis Park, a compact community along the west side of Minneapolis, has built an impressive fiber network, a conduit system, and several deals with developers to ensure new apartment buildings will allow their tenants to choose among high speed Internet access providers. Chief Information Office Clint Pires joins me for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast … Continue reading "Saint Louis Park is Prepared for the Fiber Future – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 219" ★ Support this podcast ★

After his daughter asked how her classmates could do their school homework if they did not have a computer or Internet access at home, Pat Millen's family formed E2D – a nonprofit organization called Eliminate the Digital Divide. This week, Pat and I talk about their strategy, which was created in the footprint of North … Continue reading "Eliminate the Digital Divide – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 218" ★ Support this podcast ★

It has been several weeks, but Lisa and I wanted to answer any lingering questions people may have about the results of the Sixth Circuit case reviewing the FCC's action to remove state-created barriers to municipal networks. We devoted Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] episode 217 to the case and aftermath. The Sixth Circuit ruled against the … Continue reading "North Carolina and Tennessee Lose in 6th Circuit – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 217" ★ Support this podcast ★

The Internet is one of those things that is right there in front of our face but can be hard to define exactly. Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Episode 216 answers that question and picks up right where episode 213 left off with Fred Goldstein, Principal of Interisle Consulting Group. Having already discussed the regulatory decisions that … Continue reading "Just What is the Internet? Community Broadband Bits Podcast 216" ★ Support this podcast ★

Cape Cod's OpenCape is the latest of the stimulus-funded middle mile broadband projects to focus on expanding to connect businesses and residents. We talk to OpenCape Executive Director Steve Johnston about the new focus and challenge of expansion in episode 215 of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast. Steve has spent much of his first year … Continue reading "Open Cape Works With Communities for Last Mile – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 215" ★ Support this podcast ★

As the next President considers how to improve rural Internet access, the administration will have to decide where to focus policy. Some at NTIA – the National Telecommunications Information Administration, a part of the federal Department of Commerce – have argued for more middle mile investment. NTIA oversaw major investments in middle mile networks after … Continue reading "Middle Mile vs Last Mile – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 214" ★ Support this podcast ★

We originally planned this episode of the Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] podcast to answer the question of “What is the Internet?” But as we started talking to our guest, Principal of Interisle Consulting Group Fred Goldstein, we quickly realized we first had to dig into a little bit of history. This is not the story of … Continue reading "Smart FCC Decisions Helped Create the Internet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 213" ★ Support this podcast ★

Overlooked by the incumbent telephone company, Mount Washington in the southwest corner of Massachusetts is becoming one of the smallest FTTH communities in the country by investing in a municipal fiber network. A strong majority of the town committed to three years of service and the state contributed $230,000 to build the network after a … Continue reading "Tiny Mt Washington Builds Fiber-to-the-Home – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 212" ★ Support this podcast ★

Fort Collins is a thriving community of over 150,000 and the home of Colorado State University. Despite gorgeous vistas and many high tech jobs, Fort Collins basically has the same cable and DSL duopoly the majority of communities suffer from. But they are making plans for something better. Mayor Wade Troxell joins us this week … Continue reading "Fort Collins Mayor on Fort Collins Fiber Future – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 211" ★ Support this podcast ★