Community Broadband Bits Podcast Index

This is an index of all the episodes of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. Broadband Bits is a weekly show in which we interview people who are building community broadband networks or otherwise involved in related Internet access policy. You can subscribe to the show using this link. The show is also available on all common podcast services.
Episode Date Title Topics Guests Transcript
631 2025 Predictions with Blair Levin - Episode 631 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Blair Levin joins Chris to discuss the 2025’s biggest broadband challenges and opportunities. From the expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program to shifts in media regulations and satellite Internet, this episode unpacks what’s next for broadband and telecommunications in the U.S. Blair Levin View Transcript
630 How MINET is Expanding Broadband in Oregon - Episode 630 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris chats with PJ Armstrong, General Manager of MINET, about expanding reliable Internet in Oregon. Discover how MINET is tackling broadband challenges, from innovative rural builds to free public Wi-Fi, while achieving remarkable community support and market penetration. PJ Armstrong View Transcript
629 Local Energy Solutions and Broadband Parallels - Episode 629 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this first episode of the new year, Chris and John Farrell delve into the parallels between broadband and electricity, exploring the challenges of monopolies, the power of local solutions, and the role of technology in reshaping infrastructure. Tune in for a fresh perspective on building a resilient, community-focused future. John Farrell View Transcript
628 Year in Review 2024 - Episode 628 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this year-end episode, the team reflects on 2024’s biggest broadband moments—from BEAD delays and ACP’s collapse to Vermont’s bold community-driven efforts. Join Chris and the CBN crew as they revisit predictions, debate key issues, and share insights on what’s next for community broadband Christine Parker, Sean Gonsalves, Jessica Auer, and Ry Marcattilio View Transcript
627 NEK Broadband’s Big Merger and Bold Vision - Episode 627 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, we explore how NEK Broadband is transforming connectivity in Vermont’s rural Northeast Kingdom. Executive Director Christa Shute shares insights on their recent merger, workforce training programs, and innovative strategies to bridge the digital divide while ensuring affordability for underserved communities. Christa Shute and Ry Marcattilio View Transcript
626 Unpacking the History of Telecommunications Policy with Gene Kimmelman - Episode 626 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris chats with Gene Kimmelman about the historical roots of telecommunications policy, including the 1992 Cable Act and the rise of broadband as an essential service. They explore how deregulation shaped today’s Internet landscape and discuss the ongoing fight for affordable, equitable access. Gene Kimmelman View Transcript
625 DV Fiber and Vermont’s Bold Broadband Model - Episode 625 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris chats with Steven John of DV Fiber to explore how Vermont’s Communications Union Districts are transforming broadband access in rural areas. Learn how this unique public-private model is connecting communities, overcoming challenges, and paving the way for universal, high-speed Internet. Steven John View Transcript
624 Internet at $25: How Pharr is Making It Work - Episode 624 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris checks in with Jose Pena, IT Director for the City of Pharr, Texas, to explore their groundbreaking municipal fiber network. Discover how Pharr has achieved a 50% take rate, saved residents millions annually, and launched digital equity initiatives that include free laptops and digital literacy training. Jose Pena View Transcript
623 How U.S. Courts Are Reshaping Broadband Access - Episode 623 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris sits down with Andy Schwartzman from the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society to discuss how recent U.S. Court rulings are reshaping FCC authority and broadband policy. They explore the implications for universal broadband access, including the challenges around funding, school bus Wi-Fi, and net neutrality regulations. Andy Schwartzman View Transcript
622 Kendall County’s Broadband Ambition - Episode 622 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Christina Burns and Zach Bachmann about Kendall County’s innovative project to expand Internet access through public-private partnerships and community-driven solutions. Discover how this fast-growing Illinois county is balancing urban and rural needs with sustainable infrastructure planning and state-supported funding. Christina Burns and Zach Bachmann

 View Transcript
621 Starlink, Caps, and Consumer Concerns - Episode 621 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris and Karl Bode dive into the challenges of rural broadband, exploring why Starlink isn’t a cure-all, the impact of broadband caps, and the FCC’s push for greater pricing transparency. Tune in to hear how these issues affect affordability and why consumer-focused broadband policies matter more than ever. Karl Bode View Transcript
620 Revisiting the Fight for Community Broadband and Public Networks - Episode 620 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this special episode of the podcast, we revisit a conversation between Chris and Gigi Sohn, Executive Director of the American Association for Public Broadband, discussing the growing movement for community broadband. They dive into efforts to expand local networks, the challenges posed by incumbents, and the pivotal role of state and local governments in shaping broadband policy. Gigi Sohn View Transcript
619 Recent Broadband News Roundup - Episode 619 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris and the CBN team discusses the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Asheville, the importance of resilient infrastructure, and the controversy surrounding the FCC’s decision on Starlink’s rural broadband funding. Plus, they highlight new broadband initiatives in South Central LA and Vermont’s Fiber Technician Training Program. Sean Gonsalves, Ry Marcattilio, Jessica Auer View Transcript
618 ISPs and Copyright Infringement: The Legal Battle Over Liability - Episode 618 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris and Professor Alfred Yen discuss a major legal case that could hold Internet Service Providers (ISPs) accountable for their subscribers' copyright infringement. They dive into the potential consequences for ISPs, Internet users, and critical services if ISPs are forced to cut off access due to illegal downloading. Alfred Yen View Transcript
617 Exploring BEAD Blueprints and Tribal Broadband Initiatives - Episode 617 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by colleagues Ry Marcattilio and Jessica Auer to explore the latest BEAD blueprints and the role of low-cost broadband plans in advancing digital equity. They also dive into the progress of tribal broadband initiatives and discuss the challenges of building affordable, community-driven networks. Ry Marcattilio and Jessica Auer View Transcript
616 Beyond the Pivot: Fort Collins Connexion's Latest Milestones - Episode 616 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris sits down again with Chad Crager, Executive Director of Fort Collins Connexion, to discuss how Fort Collins is leading the way in municipal broadband by leveraging underground infrastructure and innovative policies. They also highlight their efforts to promote digital equity, expand services to underserved communities, and maintain long-term sustainability while competing with incumbents. Chad Crager View Transcript
615 Mapping the Future: How Community Networks Are Expanding Broadband - Episode 615 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris and Sean discuss key updates on broadband initiatives, including California’s Fiber Fund and Paul Bunyan Cooperative's innovative approach. They also highlight the importance of Federal Rescue Plan Funding for community networks and introduce ILSR’s new map, showcasing municipal broadband projects across the U.S. Sean Gonsalves View Transcript
614 How CTNY's Portable Network Kit is Powering Community Connections - Episode 614 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris speaks with Monique Tate and Raul Enriquez from Community Tech New York (CTNY) on how they're empowering communities through hands-on technology training and their Portable Network Kit (PNK). Learn how CTNY is fostering digital equity, building local networks, and helping neighborhoods stay connected in emergencies. Monique Tate, Raul Enriquez View Transcript
613 Clarksville’s Leap to Next-Gen Broadband - Episode 613 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris dives into Clarksville's transition to XGS-PON technology with CDE Lightband's Christy Batts and Amanda Cherry. Discover how this upgrade is future-proofing their broadband network, enhancing service efficiency, and tackling the unique challenges of serving a military town—all while exploring the role of AI in customer service. Christy Batts, Amanda Cherry View Transcript
612 Building a Superior Network Together - Episode 612 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris dives into the Connect Superior initiative with Stephanie Becken, Broadband Manager for the City of Superior. Discover how this ambitious project is transforming broadband access in Superior, Wisconsin, and what it means for the community's future connectivity. Stephanie Becken
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611 Inside CADE's Mission to Closing California's Digital Divide - Episode 611 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Lindsey Skolnik from the California Alliance for Digital Equity (CADE) about closing the digital divide in California. Discover key initiatives like the Middle Mile project, digital discrimination legislation, and the collaborative efforts driving broadband access for all communities. Lindsey Skolnik View Transcript
610 Transforming Connectivity for Every New Yorker - Episode 610 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Joshua Breitbart, Senior VP of the ConnectALL Office, about New York's ambitious municipal broadband initiative. Learn how over $200 million is being invested to expand broadband access across the state, leveraging diverse local partnerships and innovative models to bridge the digital divide. Joshua Breitbart View Transcript
609 California and Massachusetts' Road to Digital Equity - Episode 609 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris and Sean discuss recent broadband infrastructure developments in California and Massachusetts, including significant funding awards and innovative programs like San Francisco's Fiber to Housing initiative. Tune in to hear about the challenges and solutions in expanding digital equity and high-speed internet access for underserved communities. Sean Gonsalves View Transcript
608 Bridging the Digital Divide in LA County - Episode 608 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Eric Sasaki about Los Angeles County's innovative efforts to bridge the digital divide. Discover how the county is using federal funding and public-private partnerships to provide affordable, high-quality internet access to underserved communities. Eric Sasaki View Transcript
607 Broadband by the People, For the People - Episode 607 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Gigi Sohn and Bill Coleman about the benefits and challenges of community-controlled broadband networks. They discuss strategies for building public broadband, the importance of local support, and share insights from successful case studies. Tune in to learn how communities can take control of their digital future. Gigi Sohn, Bill Coleman View Transcript
606 Vermont's Community-Driven Broadband for All - Episode 606 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris and Ry chat with Ellie de Villiers, Executive Director of Maple Broadband, about Vermont's innovative approach to bridging the broadband gap through the Communications Union District model (CUD). They explore the unique partnerships and challenges faced in expanding internet access to underserved areas, offering insights into the future of rural broadband deployment. Ellie de Villiers View Transcript
605 From Zero to 600 Million: Tackling Broadband Development In Kansas - Episode 605 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode, Chris speaks with Jade Piros de Carvalho, former head of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development, discussing the challenges of bridging the digital divide. Jade shares her journey from rural broadband expansion to managing significant funding aimed at improving broadband access in Kansas, emphasizing community-driven solutions and the multifaceted nature of deployment. Jade Piros de Carvalho View Transcript
604 Industry Insights on Connecting Underserved Communities - Episode 604 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this special episode of the podcast, Chris shares a segment from the Connect This! show, featuring insights from industry leaders on improving connectivity for low-income households. The discussion covers the impacts of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), as well as strategies for expanding broadband in rural areas. They also provide a critical look at the political and legislative aspects of broadband funding. Robert Boyle, Travis Carter, Kim McKinley, and Blair Levin View Transcript
603 The Future of Broadband: Revisiting Universal Service Fund Reform - Episode 603 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Mike Romano, Executive Vice President of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, about the future of the Universal Service Fund (USF). They explore the historical context, current funding challenges, and the need for sustainable reform to ensure ongoing connectivity. The discussion highlights the importance of broadening the funding base to support digital equity efforts across the country. Mike Romano View Transcript
602 MN BEAD Labor Requirements: More Problems Than Solutions? - Episode 602 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Chris discusses the challenges of prevailing wage laws on small broadband providers in Minnesota with Brent Christensen and Jill Huffman. They explore the administrative and financial burdens these regulations impose and their impact on broadband expansion in rural areas. Tune in for insights on balancing fair labor practices with practical broadband deployment. Brent Christensen and Jill Huffman View Transcript
601 The Success of Urbana-Champaign's Broadband Revolution - Episode 601 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Join Chris as he talks with Paul Hixson and Mike Smeltzer about the UC2B (Urbana-Champaign Big Broadband) project, which has revolutionized internet access in Champaign-Urbana, IL. They discuss the project's origins, its impact on local broadband competition, and the successful public-private partnership driving its expansion. Learn how UC2B is bridging the digital divide and setting a model for community-driven broadband initiatives. Paul Hixson, Mike Smeltzer View Transcript
600 The Power of Empowering Marginalized Communities - Episode 600 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On the 600th episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Dwayne Douglas from The Quilt Corporation about bridging the digital divide in marginalized Chicago communities through innovative solutions like mesh Wi-Fi and point-to-point fiber connections. Dwayne highlights the importance of digital literacy and community engagement in creating new opportunities for growth. Dwayne Douglas View Transcript
599 Discussion on the Black Brilliance Research Project with Shaun Glaze and Chris Webb - Episode 599 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this special edition, we showcase the latest episode of our biweekly podcast, the Building for Digital Equity Podcast, featuring Dr. Shaun Glaze and Chris Webb from the Black Brilliance Research Project in Seattle. They discuss the project's origins after George Floyd's tragedy, emphasizing their unique research approach blending traditional methods with community activism to tailor solutions for digital equity. Dr. Shaun Glaze and Chris Webb View Transcript
598 Middle-Mile Madness - Episode 598 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Tune in to this week's special edition of the podcast as we revisit a dynamic discussion from our biweekly livestream, Connect This! Co-hosts Christopher Mitchell and Travis Carter, along with guests Doug Dawson, Kim McKinley, and Doug Maglothin, explore the state of middle-mile infrastructure in the US and strategies for enhancing connectivity between cities and towns. Doug Dawson, Kim McKinley, and Doug Maglothin View Transcript
597 Wired for Good: Exploring Rural Connectivity in West Virginia - Episode 597 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this latest episode of the podcast, Chris and Derek from Hardy Telecommunications discuss the cooperative's journey since 1953, expanding from phone to broadband services, vital for rural areas. They share the challenges of being a small provider, the impact of federal funding, and emphasize the importance of partnerships and ongoing support for rural broadband access. Derek Barr View Transcript
596 Debunking Municipal Broadband Myths - Episode 596 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this latest episode of the podcast, Chris and Sean explore the arguments against municipal broadband, addressing claims made by opponents and highlighting success stories of community-owned networks. They emphasize the importance of local autonomy in broadband decisions, advocating for solutions that meet each community's needs. Sean Gonsalves View Transcript
595 A Deep Dive into Iowa Broadband: Challenges, Solutions, and Collaboration - Episode 595 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this latest podcast episode, Christopher and Curtis Dean from the Community Broadband Action Network (CBAN) discuss the state of broadband in Iowa. They highlight the challenges faced by local providers, emphasize the importance of local control, and announce upcoming events like the CBAN Spring Summit, fostering collaboration for equitable broadband access. Curtis Dean View Transcript
594 The Question of Internet Affordability Beyond ACP - Episode 594 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In the latest podcast episode, Christopher, Ry Marcattilio, and Sean Gonsalves discuss the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the urgent need for sustainable Internet affordability solutions in the U.S. They highlight successful models of community-owned broadband networks from Pharr, Texas, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and provide updates on FCC broadband definitions, Longmont's municipal network expansion, and an upcoming episode covering the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp held at RantanenTown Ranch in Southern California. Ry Marcattilio and Sean Gonsalves View Transcript
593 Unlocking Community-Driven Broadband Initiatives with Brian Snider - Episode 593 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this podcast episode, Christopher speaks with Brian Snider, founder of Lit Communities, discussing his extensive experience in the broadband industry and the importance of community-driven broadband initiatives. They emphasize the need for innovative business models to bridge the digital divide and highlight the significance of education and workforce development in shaping the industry's future. Brian Snider View Transcript
592 Data Challenges for Equitable Broadband Access In Fresno, CA and Beyond - Episode 592 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this podcast episode, Christopher speaks with Philip Neufeld, Executive Officer for Information Technology at the Fresno Unified School District, about the vital role of data in addressing broadband challenges in low-income areas. They discuss Neufeld's proactive data collection efforts, stress the importance of using this data for advocacy, and highlight the need for collaborative solutions to bridge the digital divide. Philip Neufeld View Transcript
591 Without Political Power, There is No Path to Digital Equity - Episode 591 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 591 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast features a panel from Net Inclusion that Christopher Mitchell moderated entitled, "Without Political Power, There is No Path to Digital Equity." In it, panelists raise difficult questions for the digital equity movement about whether they are on track to achieve their goals - whether the main strategies used today can result in digital equity or are destined to fall well short. Panelists include Melanie Silva, COO of Hinton & Company in Chattanooga; Shayna Englin, Director of the Digital Equity Initiative at the California Community Foundation; Joshua Edmonds, CEO of Digital C in Cleveland; and Dan Ryan, Vice-Chair of the Enterprise Center in Chattanooga View Transcript
590 Lincoln Park and Smart City Initiatives in Fort Pierce with Jason Mittler - Episode 590 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this podcast episode, Christopher and Jason Mittler discuss the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority Network, a fiber optic network in Fort Pierce, Florida, highlighting its diverse applications in providing Internet, utility services, smart grid solutions, and smart city services. They also touch on the Lincoln Park Smart Neighborhood project, addressing low broadband adoption rates by offering 100 Mbps symmetrical service at $31 per month, with additional services for higher speeds. The conversation concludes with valuable advice for those entering the ISP market, emphasizing collaboration, partnerships, and staying informed about the evolving Internet services landscape. Jason Mittler View Transcript
589 People Over Profit: DigitalC's Mission to Connect Communities in Cleveland- Episode 589 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Joshua Edmonds, CEO of DigitalC, a nonprofit in Cleveland, Ohio, dedicated to bridging the digital divide. DigitalC provides fast, affordable internet at $18/month, along with digital literacy training and device deployment. They've recently secured a $20 million contract from the city to expand their infrastructure, aiming to connect 23,000 households in 18 months. Christopher and Joshua stress the importance of prioritizing people over profit, emphasizing the need to serve the unserved and underserved populations to comprehensively address the digital divide. Joshua Edmonds View Transcript
588 Planning is Good, but Pivoting is Better in Fort Collins, Colorado - Episode 588 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Chad Crager, Broadband Executive Director at City of Fort Collins, to talk about the rapidly maturing city-owned network they call Connexion. From a feasibility study in 2018 to the lion's share of construction completed today, Connexion's story illustrates the value of being nimble when expectations meet reality. Chad Crager View Transcript
587 Connecting the Last Twenty Percent in Newark - Episode 587 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Newark, New Jersey has been operating a dark fiber network for more than a decade. In recent years, the city has expanded its efforts to leverage those assets in an incremental effort to improve connectivity and competition for local business and residents, while also building out a robust Wi-Fi network. The goal: build a portfolio of approaches to connect the last twenty percent of the city that doesn't have access today. Aaron Meyerson, Anthony Avent View Transcript
586 Bridging Bytes: Empowering Communities Through Local Broadband Growth - Episode 586 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this latest podcast episode, Christopher and Sean discuss the remarkable growth of municipal broadband networks in the U.S., noting the establishment of 47 new networks since 2021, bringing the total to over 400. The conversation explores diverse network models, challenges faced by municipalities, including opposition from major ISPs, and underscores the importance of community support. They also highlight the crucial role of data from schools and organizations in understanding broadband access and promoting digital equity. Sean Gonsalves View Transcript
585 Predictions for 2024 - Episode 585 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast The fading sound of holiday bells and soft stillness that comes with plunging temps can only mean one thing; it's January again, which means it's time to break out the crystal ball and have a conversation about the year to come. Joining Christopher in the recording booth are a slew of CBN staffers new and veteran to join in the collective task of putting words to feelings both foreboding and optimistic about the year to come. Jess Auer, Emma Gautier, Sean Gonsalves View Transcript
584 Navigating the Broadband Horizon and ACP's Future - Episode 584 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher explores the broadband and telecommunications landscape with Blair Levin, anticipating its significance in 2024. They delve into crucial FCC issues, including the ACP and the future of Title II, while also addressing industry mergers, the evolution of fixed wireless and fiber networks, and ongoing challenges in achieving universal service and closing the digital divide. Blair Levin View Transcript
583 Fiber Fusion: Navigating Municipal Fiber Networks with Traverse City Light and Power - Episode 583 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the first podcast of the year, Christopher chats with Scott Menhart, CTO of Traverse City Light and Power, delving into the history of TCLP and the advantages of constructing a municipal fiber network for Traverse City, Michigan. Despite challenges from major corporations, they underscore the significance of persistence and meticulous planning in developing successful broadband networks for local communities. Scott Menhart View Transcript
582 Year in Review 2023 - Episode 582 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the final podcast of the year, the team reflects on the 2023 broadband landscape, covering topics such as the BEAD rollout, municipal fiber projects, the FCC's new commissioner, and noteworthy broadband "scandals." Tune in for insights and a look back at the accuracy of last year's predictions. View Transcript
581 The Future of LTE - Episode 581 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this special Connect This! edition of the podcast, co-hosts Christopher Mitchell and Travis Carter, along with guests Doug Dawson, Kim McKinley, and special guest Mike Dano (Light Reading), revisit the future of mobile wireless and LTE networks, exploring their evolution and addressing key topics such as rural mobile wireless, market dynamics, and the 5G hype. Doug Dawson, Kim McKinley, and special guest Mike Dano (Light Reading) View Transcript
580 Catalyzing Connectivity: Triumphs and Trials in Community Broadband Initiatives - Episode 580 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this special podcast edition, local leaders from East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, share their triumph over expensive and inadequate broadband service despite resistance from a regional monopoly provider. The discussion explores grassroots efforts to overcome obstacles and misleading data, providing insight into successfully enhancing Internet access for their community. The episode concludes by revisiting a 2014 Community Broadband Bits podcast, where Christopher and Lisa perform skits highlighting the challenges of customer service with big cable companies. View Transcript
579 Chattanooga Leads with Innovative Services and Pioneering Programs for Low-Income Individuals - Episode 579 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Deb Socia and Geoff Millener from the Enterprise Center in Chattanooga. They discuss the HCS ED Connect program, which provides free home Internet to low-income students, its positive impact on education, and tech initiatives like the Orchard Knob project and Tech Goes Home benefiting underserved communities. Emphasizing the role of partnerships, they stress the need for universal broadband access as a driving force for positive community change. Deb Socia, Geoff Millener View Transcript
578 Building and Expanding a Tribal Network for Northern Idaho and Beyond - Episode 578 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week, Christopher talks with Valerie Fast Horse, IT director and creator of Red Spectrum, a broadband company serving the Coeur d'Alene Reservation in North Idaho. They delve into Red Spectrum's history, infrastructure upgrades, and challenges in expanding services, highlighting the importance of community involvement, local talent, and overcoming funding obstacles in the pursuit of success. Valerie Fast View Transcript
577 Universal Service Fund Reform and Long-Term Affordability Solutions - Episode 577 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Angela Siefer and Greg Guice to explore the crucial topic of Universal Service Fund (USF) reform in bridging the digital divide. The podcast delves into the challenges of the overcommitted USF, emphasizing the need for modernization and expansion, and the permanence of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) in achieving national equity and inclusion goals. Angela Siefer View Transcript
576 Cities Like Syracuse Surge Ahead while the FCC and NTIA Take Baby Steps - Episode 576 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Sean Gonsalves to talk about a bold new wireless deployment in Syracuse and unpack whether recent federal action will make a difference with looming deadlines on the horizon for both the Affordable Connectivity Program and BEAD. Sean Gonsalves View Transcript
575 Wireless Mesh Brings Durable Change in Rhode Island - Episode 575 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast After three years and half a million dollars in capital costs, the nonprofit-run ONE|NB Connects network in Providence, Rhode Island has improved its wireless service to 100Mbps symmetrical speeds, and enabled thousands of unique users per month access reliable connections for as long as they need. CEO Jennifer Hawkins and Christopher talk about the challenges and rewards of transforming a gap network into durable change, from streamlining operational costs, to finding sustainable partnerships, to baking wired infrastructure into new affordable housing construction projects. View Transcript
574 The Burden of Proof - Episode 574 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Mapping is hard. You know it, and so do we. Despite that reality, it looks like the FCC has spent the entirety of this decade avoiding the hard decisions necessary to make sure precious federal dollars are wisely used and the data that drives our policy is easily accessible and faithful to reality. This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Tom Reid to talk about what his firm has been doing to help local governments get around this persistent problem. Tom Reid View Transcript
573 West Des Moines, Iowa is a Model for Open Access Conduit Networks - Episode 573 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast A little more than three years ago, the city of West Des Moines, Iowa announced that it would build a citywide open access conduit system to lower the cost of new broadband deployment to facilitate better connections at lower costs for residents. With four providers licensing space and a portfolio of smart-city and governmental uses planned, the city's forward-thinking investment looks to be paying dividends already. View Transcript
572 Wading Through Federal Funding Streams - Episode 572 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher speaks with Brent Christensen, President and CEO of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance (MTA). The MTA is a trade association that currently represents 41 holding company members operating over 70 companies across the state, including cooperatively-owned, family-owned, and publicly-traded Internet Service Providers. Most are rural broadband providers. The two discuss the challenges and complications of the various federal broadband moneys coming into Minnesota (focusing on the Enhanced Alternative Connect America Model), how they interact with one another, and how these collective funding opportunities might be efficiently leveraged to connect the most Minnesotans to high-quality broadband. Brent Christensen View Transcript
571 Net Neutrality and the Regulatory Theater of the FCC - Episode 571 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Karl Bode, a returning guest who has long covered tech and the telecommunications industry. They talk about the history of net neutrality, the landmark decision by the Commission in 2015, the states that stepped in to fill the void, and the likely consequences of a return in 2023. Karl Bode View Transcript
570 Hope and Change (Redux) - Episode 570 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast we bring back a fan favorite that feels particularly relevant. Christopher is joined by Harold Feld, Senior Vice President at Public Knowledge. The show takes on a reflective nature, as they talk about theories of change in the context of doing broadband policy today. Harold Feld View Transcript
569 A Scattering of Wonks - Episode 569 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, we bring over a conversation from our Connect This! Show, where Christopher is joined by a ground of policy experts to talk about why we don't see more cities doing deals with entities like Google Fiber, what we can expect now that Anna Gomez has been confirmed to the FCC, and what it means for BEAD grantees if the Affordable Connectivity Program goes away. View Transcript
568 A Stately Tour of BEAD Plans - Episode 568 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the show, Christopher is joined once again by Sean Gonsalves. After a short stop to talk about the establishment of a new municipal network in Timnath, Colorado, Christopher and Sean get down to talking about the BEAD 5-Year Plans that states are filing with NTIA to get their hands on the first tranche of what will be an historic pot of federal funds for new broadband investment. Some states, like Maine and Vermont, Sean shares, are doing lots right. Others, like Pennsylvania, seem written with the intent to waste public money and leaves tens of thousands of households stranded with poor or no service - in other words, exactly what the monopoly cable and telephone companies want. View Transcript
567 Mona Thompson Reflects on a Career of Visionary Work in Tribal Telecommunications - Episode 567 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher speaks with Mona Thompson, General Manager at the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Telephone Authority (CRSTTA). CRSTTA serves the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in North Central South Dakota, which includes 20 communities dispersed across nearly 3 million acres. After 27 years with CRSTTA, Mona soon plans to retire, and during this episode sheds light on the important leadership roles she and other passionate women like her have played and will continue to play in the Tribal Telecommunications space. Mona Thompson View Transcript
566 Loveland’s Municipal Network is Scrappy and Driven to Serve its Community - Episode 566 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher speaks with Brieana Reed-Harmel, Municipal Fiber Manager for the City of Loveland, located in Colorado’s Northern Front Range about an hour north of Denver. The city is home to over 80,000 residents as well as a municipal fiber broadband network called Pulse. Chris and Brieana discuss Loveland’s population expansion over the past few years and Pulse’s resulting plans to extend beyond city limits into the “urban fringe,” which is more difficult to receive grant funding to serve. Brieana stresses the importance of having a solid business model and great project management, as well as the scrappiness and ongoing investment needed to ensure a municipal network is sustainable and can bring residents quality connectivity at the best value. Brieana Reed View Transcript
565 Digital Equity Starts in Our Cities and Towns - Episode 565 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the show we're featuring an episode of our Building for Digital Equity podcast, with Brandon Forester - the National Organizer for Internet Rights at Media Justice - joining Christopher to talk about helping communities build more agency over how technology shows up in their neighborhoods and among the digital communities they create for themselves. View Transcript
564 The Last Train - Episode 564 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast We're more than 15 years and a hundred billion dollars into the alphabet soup of federal broadband infrastructure subsidy programs, and millions upon millions of households are stuck on deteriorating connections and capacity-constrained technologies. This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jonathan Chambers, partner at Conexon, to talk about how the BEAD program is our last chance. Jonathan Chambers View Transcript
563 Doubling the Number of Municipal Networks in the Next Five Years - Episode 563 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast May 2022 witnessed something remarkable: the birth of a new nonprofit advocacy organization whose sole purpose was to speak up for the hundreds of communities that have built municipal broadband networks, and the thousands more that want to but don't know where to start. Now, the American Association for Public Broadband has named as its Executive Director as Gigi Sohn, former Biden nominee to the Federal Communications Commission. And she's ready to get to work. Gigi Sohn View Transcript
562 A Challenge A Day Will Make BEAD Go Our Way - Episode 562 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Christine Parker (Senior GIS Analyst at ILSR), and Meghan Grabill (Geospatial Analyst at the Maine Connectivity Authority) to run through the recently announced NTIA location challenge process for the upcoming BEAD program and talk about how state processes can adjust eligible technologies and location types, shift of the burden of proof to the IPSs, allow of more flexible speed test data, and include the ability to add community anchor institutions to grant-eligible maps. Christine Parker View Transcript
561 Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, Trojan Horse Networks, and Flowering BUDs - Episode 561 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Sean Gonsalves to chat about the astroturf anti-municipal misinformation campaign being run by the Utah Taxpayer's Association, how a city negotiated a capital fee it's using to build its own network and get out from under Comcast's thumb, and the growing momentum behind Maine's Broadband Utility Districts (BUD) and their quest to improve competition and Internet access for residents. Sean Gonsalves View Transcript
560 Mason PUD 3 is Snaking Its Way Through the Unserved and Underserved Parts of Washington State - Episode 560 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Justin Holzgrove and Mike Rientjes from Mason County Public Utility District 3 in Washington State. The PUD provides electric service to more than 35,000 households across an area the size of Rhode Island, and began connecting its grid infrastructure to fiber in the late 1990s. Since 2003, it has operated an open access ftth network for households; an endeavor that has sped up since 2015, when residents began clamoring for more. To meet demand and plan for the future, PUD 3 uses a fiberhood approach and construction adders. Justin Holzgrove View Transcript
559 How Rural Internet Access is Being Transformed by Electric Cooperatives - Episode 559 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Electric cooperatives overwhelmingly serve regions that face population density challenges and income disparities as compared to their urban counterparts, as well as all of the other challenges that go with it: declining populations, hospital closures, increasingly frequent extreme weather events, and more. This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Brian O'Hara, Senior Director of Regulatory Issues for Telecom and Broadband at NRECA, to talk about how more than a quarter of the country's electric cooperatives have answered the call of their members and expanded into Internet service. Brian O View Transcript
558 The Public Utility District Taking on the Olympic Peninsula - Episode 558 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Will O'Donnell, Broadband and Communications Director at Jefferson County Public Utility District in Washington State, to talk about the Herculean task facing the PUD: how to deploy an open access fiber network to the utility's 21,000 meters in some of the least-dense parts of the state. Will O View Transcript
557 Demand Driven by the People in Kitsap County, Washington - Episode 557 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by three members from the Kitsap Public Utility District's open access FTTH team in Washington state to talk about the formation of Local Utility Districts, managing an open access network seeing increased demand, and the value of increased choice and competition for residents and businesses. View Transcript
556 How the Core Values of Small ISPs Contribute to Internet Access and Digital Equity for All - Episode 556 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Angela Siefer (Executive Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance) and Matt Larsen (CEO, Vistabeam) to talk about connecting the unconnected and doing digital equity work as a small Internet Service Provider (ISP). In a marketplace that heavily favors the largest cable and telephone providers, they share the ways that they participate in grant programs and how they actively build peer networks to exchange knowledge and make sure the Internet works for as many of us as it can. Angela Siefer View Transcript
555 This Is Not the National Broadband Map We Were Promised - Episode 555 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast It's strange to see the FCC continually patting itself on the back for releasing a new national broadband map. Spend just a little bit of time with it, and the cracks and holes quickly show themselves. This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Christine Parker, Senior GIS Analyst at ILSR, and Alexis Schrubbe, Director of the Internet Equity Initiative at University of Chicago. They do a deep dive into the many, many problems that persist - and what we can do to fix them. Christine Parker View Transcript
554 Filling in Connectivity Gaps with Open Access Fiber - Episode 554 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher speaks with Keith Quarles, President and CFO of A2D, a fiber-based, open access competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC). Chris and Keith discuss A2D’s business model, which focuses on filling in the gaps – serving communities where connectivity is unaffordable or the incumbent has chosen not to upgrade its infrastructure. Keith explains how many gaps still exist, even after the influx of federal funding for broadband. A2D takes a creative approach to building out fiber backbones in these pockets, which involves connecting existing ecosystems like municipalities, school systems, and electric membership corporations (Georgia’s equivalent of electric cooperatives). Keith Quarles View Transcript
553 Approaches to Digital Equity Work in Cleveland and Detroit - Episode 553 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher speaks with Joshua Edmonds, CEO of DigitalC, a nonprofit technology social enterprise in Cleveland. Joshua served as Detroit’s Digital Inclusion Director for four years before heading DigitalC, and he and Christopher discuss Joshua's coalition-building work in Detroit. They compare his experience working under the city of Detroit to his nonprofit digital equity work in Cleveland. Detroit and Cleveland also have two of the highest Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment rates among prominent metro areas – Joshua offers his approach to ACP, outlining the organized and relentless campaign it took to achieve substantial enrollment in the subsidy program during his time in Detroit. He highlights how important it is to focus on long-term, structural solutions for closing the digital divide at the same time as we find ways to make Internet more affordable in the short term. Joshua Edmonds View Transcript
552 Axiom Technologies’ Public Ownership Model for Connecting Communities in Rural Maine - Episode 552 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher tunes in from Broadband Communities in Houston for an interview with Mark Ouellette, CEO of Axiom Technologies in Maine. Christopher and Mark discuss Axiom’s publicly-owned and accountable network model, and its work across 12 projects, of which the ISP is on its third build. They also discuss the entrepreneurial spirit and community-mindedness of Maine’s small ISPs, reflected in Mark’s ultimate mission: to give people a connection that allows them to create their own economy.  View Transcript
551 Joey Wender and the Treasury's Capital Project Funds - Episode 551 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher speaks with Joey Wender, Director of the Capital Projects Fund (CPF), U.S Department of the Treasury. Joey and Chris discuss the flexibility of CPF funding and how it allows states to tailor their plans to their own needs. The two also talk about the importance of replenishing funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and how it’s critical to take action on this now, before the fund actually runs out. Joey Wender View Transcript
550 Changing the Legislative Landscape in Texas - Episode 550 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Outreach Team Lead DeAnne Cuellar and John Speirs, Harris County, Texas' (pop. 4.7 million) Broadband Manager. Its county seat, Houston, is home to one of the largest ports in the world, and citizens and elected officials are working on projects to boost the region's economic development, climate resiliency, and connectivity to set a solid foundation for the next generation of citizens. Outreach Team View Transcript
549 Broadband as the Fifth Utility in Knoxville - Episode 549 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jamie Davis, CTO of KUB Fiber, the broadband division of the Knoxville Utilities Board in Tennessee. The division is poised to be halfway done with a build across its footprint by June 2024, hitting 90,000 premises, with plans to steam ahead and complete its electric service territory as quick as possible thereafter. Jamie Davis View Transcript
548 Building and Sustaining a Tribal Network Surrounded by Mountains and Mesas - Episode 548 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Kevin Shendo, Education Director at the Pueblo of Jemez Department of Education, and Angela Diakah, Network Operations Supervisor at Jemez Pueblo Tribal Network (JPTN). JPTN is a wireless network serving more than 500 households in the Jemez Pueblo north of Albuquerque. They share its origins and development. Kevin Shendo View Transcript
547 Finding the Right Partners and Platforms - Episode 547 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Claudia Tarbell and Michael Weening from Calix, to talk about how the company has aimed to empower communities and build tools to make the most of the Internet connections available to their citizens. Claudia Tarbell View Transcript
546 The Transformation of the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative - Episode 546 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Alyssa Clemsen Roberts, President and CEO of New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC). Two and a half years ago, there were no plans to add broadband to its portfolio. Two membership votes and a new CEO later, and NHEC is building 25 miles of new fiber a week across its footprint, and planning to finish a $50-million grant-funded project in the next three years. Alyssa Clemsen View Transcript
545 Modernizing a Tribal Network - Episode 545 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Kristan Johnson, Telephone Operations Manager of the Tohono O'odham Utility Authority (TOUA), which provides telephone, electric, water, gas, and Internet service to a large portion of those living throughout the Tohono O'odham Nation in south-central Arizona. She shares how the network has moved to modern software platforms to plot assets, how it ensures it reports properly, and how it manages local politics and member expectations for a public that often doesn't know how the Internet reaches it. Kristan Johnson View Transcript
544 Lessons from a Rural County - Episode 544 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast From grant requests that have gotten short-circuited by a local WISP with a history of acting against the public interest, to mapping woes, to resort towns frustrated by underinvestment and fragile telecommunications infrastructure, Christopher and ILSR Senior Researcher Ry Marcattilio reflect on the lessons to be learned from one rural county in Minnesota. View Transcript
543 Building Frontline Digital Equity Tools at Education Superhighway - Episode 543 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Evan Marwell (CEO) and Jenny Miller (Director of Government Affairs), from the nonprofit Education Superhighway. Begun as an organization aimed at improving Internet access for schools, today Education Superhighway focuses its efforts on leveraging data and on-the-ground work to bring solutions for the more than 18 million households with basic broadband infrastructure available to them but for whom the price of connectivity is too high. Evan Marwell View Transcript
542 Powering Up With BrightRidge in Johnson City, Tennessee - Episode 542 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the show, Christopher is joined by Stacy Evans, Chief Broadband and Technology Officer at BrightRidge, the municipal network for Johnson City, Tennessee. They talk an accelerating build timeline, returning millions to local government, keeping electric prices low, and working with nearby communities to build a more resilient eastern Tennessee that serves as a hotbed for new investment and innovation. Stacy Evans View Transcript
541 Developments in Iowa and a Fresh New Look for CommunityNets.org - Episode 541 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the show, Christopher, Sean, and Ry sit down to catch up on a handful of community broadband projects in Baltimore and Iowa. They end the show by talking about the new CommunityNets.org, and putting a fresh coat of paint on the digital home of the Community Broadband Networks initiative. View Transcript
540 The Signal and the Noise in Broadband Reporting - Episode 540 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Joan Engebretson, Managing Editor at Telecompetitor. They chat about writing for different kinds of audiences, separating hype from fact, and what the confusion that reigned over the mapping challenge process this past winter. Joan Engebretson View Transcript
539 Innovative Services and Trailblazing Low-Income Programs in Chattanooga - Episode 539 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Katie Espeseth, Vice President of New Products EPB Fiber, at the municipal network in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They talk HCS EdConnect, the network's new SmartNet Plus service, and how - thanks to municipal and cooperative efforts - Tennessee is rapidly becoming one of the best-connected places in the country. Katie Espeseth View Transcript
538 HiLighting Hillsboro, Oregon - Episode 538 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by General Manager Brad Nosler and Senior Customer Support specialist Elizabeth Pereira, both from the city of Hillsboro, Oregon. The city’s municipal broadband network, HiLight, is new, having begun signing up subscribers in the spring of 2021. General Manager View Transcript
537 Training to Build the Networks We Want at Broadband Bootcamps - Episode 537 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by ILSR Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves to talk about the most recent Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, in Gila River. ILSR Communications View Transcript
536 Market Dynamics, Regulations, and Historic Fiber Investments in Europe - Episode 536 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Rudolf van der Berg, Partner at Stratix Consulting, a Dutch consulting firm that does work in telecommunications and has been deeply involved in the historic level of new infrastructure deployment projects in northern Europe. Rudolf breaks down what's going on today in Europe's broadband landscape, including efforts to reach the unserved, new entrants, and the actions of private equity. View Transcript
535 Predictions for 2023 - Episode 535 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the show, the staff get together to bend their collective imagination to what we expect to see as the biggest news stories of 2023. Returning to join Christopher are Sean Gonsalves, Christine Parker, Emma Gautier, and Ry Marcattilio to discuss the BEAD funding rollout, mapping, the current state of preemption laws, Starry, the FCC, and more. View Transcript
534 What Can We Expect to See in 2023? - Episode 534 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Blair Levin joins to unpack all that we might expect to see at play over the coming year, from the renomination of Gigi Sohn to the FCC and the issues likely brought by a complete commission, to how much impact (and where) BEAD will have, to the real benefits and obvious weak spots in the Affordable Connectivity Program, to the upcoming battle between DISH, the cable monopolies, and the fixed wireless offerings from the mobile providers, and much more. View Transcript
533 Christopher Mitchell's Ask Me Anything - Episode 533 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher Mitchell join's Drew Clark on Broadband.Money's Ask Me Anything series, and in true fashion, he never ducks the hard questions. With audience questions, Drew and Christopher cover wide ground. View Transcript
532 Year in Review 2022 - Episode 532 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast It's December, which means it's time to pull the Community Broadband Networks staff together and get a handle on what happened in the broadband landscape in 2022. We have a constructive conversation about preemption laws, the broadband nutrition label, BEAD funding and the new Broadband Data Collection (BDC) process, the supply chain, and more. There were a couple of surprises in 2022, and the staff reckons with how their predictions from last year held up in the face of things. View Transcript
531 Data-Driven Policy Solutions - Episode 531 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Senior Reporter, Editor and Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves and GIS and Data Visualization Specialist Christine Parker to talk about how bad data can blind us and good data can drive positive policy solutions in the context of the new national broadband maps, and the federal Affordable Connectivity Program. Senior Reporter View Transcript
530 A Layered Approach to Universal Access in Virginia - Episode 530 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Tamarah Holmes, Director at the Office of Broadband at Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Virginia is ahead of the game compared to a lot of the states in terms of its planning and proactive work with providers to achieve universal access in historically unserved and underserved areas. Holmes joins to share how it happened. View Transcript
529 Crazy Talk on Fiber Deployments - Episode 529 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, ILSR Senior Reporter and Editor Sean Gonsalves joins the show for another installment of Crazy Talk. Today's topic is fiber, with the two breaking down a recent op-ed in The Hill by Technology Policy Institute President Scott Wallsten. Christopher and Sean inject a much-needed reality check, as well as some nuance, to Wallsten's performative anxiety that public broadband subsidies supporting fiber optic deployments will leave rural America behind. View Transcript
528 Maps, Maps Everywhere - Episode 528 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Dustin Loup, Project Manager of the National Broadband Mapping Coalition, housed at the Marconi Society. Dustin joins us to talk about the new national Federal Communications Commission broadband maps, currently under construction and intended to replace the current and hopelessly broken one to prepare for tens of billion in federal broadband funding. Dustin Loup View Transcript
527 Hope and Change - Episode 527 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Harold Feld, Senior Vice President at Public Knowledge. The show takes on a reflective nature, as they talk about theories of change in the context of doing broadband policy today. View Transcript
527 Hope and Change - Episode 527 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Harold Feld, Senior Vice President at Public Knowledge. Feld is a staple of the field, and has been a consistent voice not only for consumers but broadband advocates of all types for more than two decades. Harold Feld View Transcript
526 Teaching Through Gaming in Baltimore - Episode 526 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, Christopher is joined by William Sullivan, a resident of the city of Baltimore who works as part of the Digital Equity Leadership Lab. He shares his work in the city in recent years in getting students engaged in building digital skills and computer literacy. By pairing gaming with learning programs, Sullivan and his colleagues not only got students interested in computer hardware, but incented them to build new digital skills that would aid them in college and on the job market later in life. It also, he shares, fostered interest in taking on additional new learning challenges, as well as building new social spaces with people they had not known before. William Sullivan View Transcript
525 Learning from New York City's Master Internet Plan - Episode 525 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Aaron Meyerson, former Deputy CTO for the city of New York. Christopher and Aaron dig into New York City's Internet Master Plan, which launched in the spring of 2021 and gained steam before being put on hold by the Adam's administration in January of 2022. Aaron Meyerson View Transcript
524 Financing Mechanisms and Governance Models - Episode 524 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Ben Matranga, co-founder and managing partner of Connectivity Capital, and Jane Coffin, chief community officer at Connect Humanity. The conversation this week takes on a bit of international flavor as the three of them discuss a recent report “Financing Mechanisms for Locally Owned Internet Infrastructure,” authored collaboratively by Connectivity Capital, Connect Humanity, The Internet Society, and the Association for Progressive Communications. Ben Matranga View Transcript
523 Monopoly Pricing Disparities in LA County - Episode 523 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Shayna Englin, Director of the Digital Equity Initiative at the California Community Foundation (CCF) to talk about a new report by CCF and its partners that reveals the systematic broadband cost inequities perpetuated in LA County by Charter Spectrum, the region's monopoly provider. "Sounding the Alarm," a pricing and policy impact study, shows not only that economically vulnerable households in Charter Spectrum territory pay more for slower service than those in wealthy neighborhoods, but that they are also saddled with worse contracts and regularly see fewer advertisements for the monopoly provider's lowest cost plans. Shayna Englin View Transcript
522 Bottlenecks in the Affordable Connectivity Program - Episode 522 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jessica Engle, Director of Community Outreach at Althea to talk about the Affordable Connectivity Program, the $14-billion fund that provides a $30 monthly service benefit ($75 on Tribal lands) to help defray the cost of Internet access to qualifying families around the country. It's a large and complicated program, and Jessica and Christopher talk about some of the bottlenecks that are causing friction both for households and for Internet Service Providers (ISPs). This includes verifying eligibility in a timely fashion, modifying administrative and accounting systems, a lack of information transparency from USAC and the FCC, and the seeming lack of mechanisms for an audit should it become necessary down the road. Jessica Engle View Transcript
521 A Tribal Wireless Network in Northern California - Episode 521 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Matthew Douglas, Broadband Manager at the Hoopa Valley Public Utility District. At the start of the pandemic, HVPUD launched a wireless network initiative using $2 million in CARES Act funds to benefit Tribal members who had poor or no connectivity options. Matthew shared the lessons they learned during the process (including at one of the first Tribal Wireless Bootcamps), including navigating old-growth forest, navigating equipment and signal challenges in a particularly grueling topography, working with vendors with things don't go as planned, and managing sector costs. Recently, the effort won an NTIA grant to embark on a new fiber work and a wireless backhaul build to bring in significant new capacity to increase speeds and resiliency in the region. Matthew Douglas View Transcript
520 A Foundation for the Future of Digital Equity Work - Episode 520 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Pamela Rosales (Training and Community Engagement Manager, National Digital Inclusion Alliance) and Davida Delmar (Digital Inclusion Manager, Amerind). Pamela and Davida talk about their digital inclusion work and how it differs across Tribal communities as compared to rural and urban areas. They also catch Christopher up on what's going on in cities and nationwide in the digital equity space, from how to develop outreach channels during an ongoing pandemic, 2022's Digital Inclusion Week, NDIA's ongoing Digital Navigator Program that is beginning to ramp up, what we can expect to see down the road in terms of needs and resources, and more. Pamela Rosales View Transcript
519 Cities Doing Work - Episode 519 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by ILSR colleagues Sean Gonsalves (Senior Editor and Communications Team Lead) and DeAnne Cuellar (Outreach Team Lead) for a roundup of recent news. They talk about the release of our new tracking and advocacy tool, the Affordable Connectivity Program dashboard, the pace and speed of the municipal broadband build in Pharr, Texas, pilot program aimed at low-income households in Syracuse, New York, Boulder, Colorado's broadband plan, and Erie County, New York's revived connectivity plan. View Transcript
518 Building at the Speed of Light in Pharr, Texas - Episode 518 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by two representatives from Pharr, Texas (pop. 79,000), which has embarked on a citywide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network build that is seeing strong local support and fast progress in recent months. Jose Pena is the IT Director for the city, and and Guillermo Aguilar works as a Partner at Brownstone Consultants, which is serving as a project manager for the network build. Jose and Guillermo talk with Christopher about the impetus for TeamPharr, the municipal effort which formally kicked off in 2017 with a feasibility study. View Transcript
517 The Straight Talk About Rural Fiber Deployments - Episode 517 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Joseph Franell, President of Blue Mountain Networks (which serves more than 30 rural communities west of Portland) in Oregon. Joe joined the team at Ashland Fiber Network (AFN) before moving on to do work in rural parts of the state. During the conversation, Christopher and Joe talk about building fiber in some of the least-dense parts of the state. They discuss the importance of creativity and a willingness to pursue a variety of partnership models, the critical role that local broadband champions play in convincing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to come to rural areas, and how dramatically different a provider looks when it’s driven by principles and a commitment to the community that goes beyond a lightning-fast return-on-investment. Joseph Franell View Transcript
Short Update - Community Broadband Bits Podcast A quick update from Christopher on upcoming episodes of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. View Transcript
516 Mapping, BEAD, and the Future of Broadband - Episode 516 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jon Chambers, industry veteran and partner at Conexon. The two begin by talking about the work electric cooperatives are doing in rural areas to convert subscribers from DSL connections reluctantly maintained by monopoly providers to member-owned fiber connections. Jon Chambers View Transcript
515 The Birth of the Texas State Broadband Development Office - Episode 515 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Greg Conte, Director of the Texas Broadband Development Office, and ILSR Outreach Team Lead DeAnne Cuellar. The state of Texas finds itself in a common position these days: last year it created a small office that, today, is suddenly faced with dispersing more than a billion dollars in new infrastructure funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. Greg Conte View Transcript
514 Campaigns to Keep Monopolies We Don't Love - Episode 514 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Sean Gonsalves, Senior Reporter and Editor at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. During the conversation, they talk about the value and concrete results of going small and stacking up targeted wins as a path for cities facing less of an appetite for big, bold projects, before digging into recent astroturf campaigns by monopoly Internet Service Providers (ISPs). View Transcript
513 The New FCC Broadband Fabric - Episode 513 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Mike Conlow, Director of Network Strategy at Cloudflare, a network security and Internet performance company. Christopher and Mike dive into the upcoming Broadband Serviceable Locations Fabric which will serve as the basis for the new nationwide maps from the Federal Communications Commission. Mike Conlow View Transcript
512 Should the BEAD Program Be As Onerous As It Seems? - Episode 512 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week’s podcast comes from the Fiber Connect 2022 conference held in Nashville, Tennessee last month where Christopher caught up with Heather Mills, Vice President for Grants and Funding Strategies at CTC Technology & Energy. During the conversation, Heather challenges Christopher’s assessment of the BEAD program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and what he calls the program’s “complex and onerous” requirements. Heather kicks things off by telling Christopher to “get over it” because ultimately the program uses tax dollars, emphasizing how important it is that those funds are not misspent. View Transcript
511 Frameworks for the Future in Newark - Episode 511 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Seth Wainer, the former CIO of the city of Newark, New Jersey. During the conversation, Seth shares his time with the city from 2013-2018. He talks about the progress the city made in improving local connectivity across different arenas, from cataloging existing assets, to pursuing both wired and wireless self-funded projects (to more than 100 buildings today), to putting in vendor-agnostic fiber in downtown development, to coordinating utility projects to lower costs. Seth Wainer View Transcript
510 Empowering Municipalities in New York - Episode 510 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast Christopher is joined by Scott Rasmussen, Acting Director of the New York State ConnectALL Office. During the show, the two dive into how New York will spend its broadband funds to support municipal networks and partnerships, the challenges of public-public partnerships between local governments working together on deployments, and what we can expect success to look like in the near future. Scott Rasmussen View Transcript
509 Underbuilding, States BEAD Posturing, and Hot Topics in Community Networks - Episode 509 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by senior staff on the broadband initiative to dig into recent topics, including Senior Reporter, Editor and Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves, Community Broadband Outreach Team Lead DeAnne Cuellar, and Senior Researcher and Research Team Lead Ry Marcattilio-McCracken. View Transcript
508 How Consulting Firms Can Help Communities Plan, Build, and Finance Local Broadband Networks - Episode 508 Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast Christopher is joined by Ken Demlow, Planning Services Group Manager with HR Green, a leading employee-owned civil engineering and technical management firm with offices in nine states.The pair dive into the world of consulting firms and how they help cities and towns across the United States figure out how to build and design local infrastructure, which includes the building of local broadband networks. Ken Demlow View Transcript
507 How INCOMPAS Advocates for Broadband Policy That Promotes Competition - Episode 507 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, while attending the 2022 Broadband Communities Summit in Houston earlier this month, Christopher was joined by Angie Kronenberg, Chief Advocate and General Counsel for INCOMPAS, a leading trade association advocating on behalf of telecommunication policies that encourage competition. The pair kick-off the podcast with a fun nod to Angie’s involvement on a “speed dating” panel where the concept of “overbuilding” (industry-speak for competition) was a hot topic of discussion. Angie Kronenberg View Transcript
506 How Clarksville became Arkansas’ First Two-Gigabit City - Episode 506 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by John Lester, General Manager of Clarksville Connected. The two discuss how Clarksville, a small rural community of about 10,000 in northwest Arkansas at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, became the Natural State’s first 2 gig city. John Lester View Transcript
505 Lessons on Retail and Wholesale Broadband Models from Europe, Asia, and the U.S. - Episode 505 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Benoit Felton (Independent Consultant, Diffraction Analysis). During the conversation, the two discuss the transformational potential of broadband,  international developments in fiber deployment and lessons on wholesale broadband networks. Benoit Felton View Transcript
503 Previewing Mountain Connect 2022 – Episode 503 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jeff Gavlinski, CEO of Mountain Connect to preview this year’s event. During the conversation, the two talk about what makes Mountain Connect different from other broadband conferences, what’s on deck for this year, and Jeff’s perspective on larger trends in the broadband industry. They also discuss some of the political realities of the current moment in broadband, and asses the state of various projects going on around the country. Jeff Gavlinski View Transcript
504 Introducing the American Association of Public Broadband – Episode 504 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined live from Broadband Communities by Bob Knight (CEO, Harrison Edwards) and Kim McKinley (Chief Marketing Officer, UTOPIA Fiber). During the conversation, the three discuss the newly announced American Association of Public Broadband (AAPB). They talk about what the group is, why it’s needed and how people can get involved. Bob Knight (CEO, Harrison Edwards) and Kim McKinley (Chief Marketing Officer, UTOPIA Fiber) View Transcript
502 Los Angeles County and California Are Building A Broadband Future – Episode 502 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Shayna Englin, Director of the Digital Equity Initiative at the California Community Foundation. During the conversation, the two talk about Shayna’s work with the Digital Equity Initiative, how their coalition brought about recent wins for community broadband in LA County, and what’s next in the fight to build a community-owned fiber network there. Shayna Englin View Transcript
501 What New York State Got Right and No Answers on States Rights Question – Episode 501 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by three colleagues from the Community Broadband Networks Initiative at ILSR including Sean Gonsalves (Communications Team Lead), Ry Marcattilio-McCracken (Research Team Lead) and DeAnne Cuellar (Outreach Team Lead). During the conversation, the four talk about Sean’s writing that highlights improvements to New York’s new budget bill, and how it sets the table for municipal broadband in the Empire State. The group also discusses Ry’s work detailing Comcast’s recent expansion of its stock buyback program. DeAnne joins the conversation to talk through problems with the federal government’s decision to tax broadband grant money. View Transcript
500 Y-ZONE is Connecting Families with CBRS – Episode 500 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Margaret Kaufer, President of the New York-based STEM Alliance, and Bob Cacase, Commissioner of Information Technology for the City of Yonkers. During the conversation, the three talk about Y-ZONE, a partnership between several community groups working to connect households in Yonkers. They discuss origins of the partnership, performance of the CBRS technology the network relies on, and some technical details of their particular build. They also get into the nitty gritty of real world costs associated with building CBRS networks, and how they overcome obstacles they have faced regarding adoption by the community. Margaret Kaufer View Transcript
499 Empowering Community in Cleveland, with DigitalC - Episode 499 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the show, Christopher is joined by Angela Thi Bennett, Director of Advocacy & Impact at DigitalC, a community-based Cleveland nonprofit which operates a fixed wireless network in the city's unserved and underserved neighborhoods. Before she leaves to become the first Digital Equity Director for National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Angela sits down with Christopher to talk about everything the organization does to advance digital equity goals in the city, driven by an agenda that focuses on healthcare, education, and economic growth. She shares how the nonprofit developed a sustainable model to delivery reliable, fast Internet access for $18/month, how success comes from listening intentionally and regularly to what community members need and want, and what true empowerment means in the face of shifting agendas at the state and national level. Angela Thi View Transcript
498 Breaking Down BEAD Funding Requirements with Nancy Werner - Episode 498 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Nancy Werner, General Counsel of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA). During the conversation, the two talk about NATOA and its role in supporting community broadband projects, how the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Act is structured, and how exactly BEAD grant money can be used. They also get into the nitty gritty of funding MDU deployment projects with BEAD money, and what priorities need to be considered to access those funds. The show ends with a discussion about the promise and shortcomings of taking a simplified approach to setting right of way and franchise fees. Nancy Werner View Transcript
497 ARPA Funding, Telehealth and a Good Rant - Episode 497 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by ILSR Community Broadband Networks Research Team Lead Ry Marcattilio-McCracken and Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves. During the conversation, the three discuss stories from the big list of American Rescue Plan Community Broadband Projects, Sean’s Broadband Breakfast Telehealth Op-Ed with Craig Settles, and why healthcare providers aren’t advocating for universal healthcare. They also get into ILSR Researcher Christine Parker’s recent piece breaking down Broadband Now’s Broadband Pricing Changes report. Christopher ends the show by ranting about inaction by cities to address the digital divide, with Sean and Ry weighing in. ILSR Community View Transcript
496 Special Report: Baltimore Builds Muni Fiber, Prioritizing Equity - Episode 496 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, radio producer Matt Purdy reports a story on Baltimore’s efforts to build a municipal broadband network that prioritizes equity for historically marginalized communities. View Transcript
495 Accelerate! Program Shows Promise in Midwest Communities - Episode 495 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Bill Coleman, Founder of Community Technology Advisors in St. Paul, Minnesota. During the conversation, the two discuss the origins of the Blandin Foundation’s Accelerate! Program, how facilitating team dynamics helped to breath new life into pre-recorded webinars, and why Bill believes that approach, along with an accelerated timeline, has been critical to the program’s success. They also get into the details of how the Accelerate! Program turns community leaders into broadband experts, why the program is community driven and as localized as possible, and how we all benefit when members of the broadband community share information freely with the larger broadband ecosystem. Christopher and Bill end the show by discussing exactly what makes a strong public-private partnership. Bill Coleman View Transcript
494 CUDs are Connecting Rural Vermont - Episode 494 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Will Anderson, Program Coordinator at Vermont Communications Union Districts Association (VCUDA) and Evan Carlson, Board Chair at NEK Broadband (Northeast Kingdom, VT). During the conversation, the three discuss the origins and progress of Vermont’s Communications Union District (CUD) model, how the Department of Public Service has worked to support CUDs with better broadband mapping and data, and NEK Broadband’s journey from identifying a need to connecting their first customers. Christopher, Will and Evan also talk about how CUDs establish partnerships with local ISPs to keep broadband money circulating in the local economy and how CUDs are primed to take advantage of federal COVID relief money. Will Anderson View Transcript
493 Waverly Muni Fiber Another Success Story for Iowa - Episode 493 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jeff Magsamen, Telecom Director at Waverly Utilities in Waverly, Iowa. During the conversation, the two discuss Waverly’s journey building a municipal network, how triple play take rates have changed in the last few years, and the benefits of partnering with neighboring municipal networks to reduce startup costs. Christopher and Jeff also take some time to highlight Waverly’s impressive take rate in the community, and what it takes to build a network people love. Jeff Magsamen View Transcript
492 Public Open Access Spurs Competition in Washington State - Episode 492 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Joe Poire, Director of Petrichor Broadband in Whitman County, Washington. During the conversation, the two discuss the unique role of Ports in Washington State, which for years have been building robust broadband infrastructure that could be used for increasing competition or extending access into unserved areas. They talk about how the Port of Whitman has stepped up to fill the cracks of a deregulated telecom market, why Petrichor Broadband was established, and how they have used an open access dark fiber business model to bring broadband to communities across Washington State. Christopher and Joe also take time to respond to criticism of publicly owned open access networks, and discuss how Petrichor’s approach has encouraged competition in underserved communities. Joe Poire View Transcript
491 Perspectives From An Established Muni Network - Episode 491 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by PJ Armstrong, Interim General Manager at Monmouth Independence Networks (MINET) operating in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. During the conversation, the two discuss how MINET came into existence over fifteen years ago, unique perspectives from an older municipal network, progress on MINET’s recent investor-backed expansion into Dallas, Oregon, and how the pandemic has affected the operations and marketing of municipal networks. Christopher and PJ also geek out about MINET’s custom-built operational support system (OSS) and the technology that powers their networks. PJ Armstrong View Transcript
490 Geography is Everything - Episode 490 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Bob Marshall, General Manager of the Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative and the Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications Company. During the conversation, the two discuss Bob’s love for the cooperative movement, how Plumas-Sierra relies on fixed wireless, cable and fiber to service their rural terrain, and how they are using a $23 million grant from CPUC (California Public Utilities Commission) to build out broadband service in challenging areas. Christopher and Bob also talk about the recovery role broadband infrastructure will play following last summer’s Dixie Fire, and how fire-prone communities might use satellite backhauls in case of emergencies. Bob Marshall View Transcript
489 It’s Not a Rural Broadband Challenge, It’s a Statewide Broadband Challenge - Episode 489 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Matt Schmit, Director of the Illinois Office of Broadband and Chair of Illinois Broadband Advisory Council. During the conversation, the two discuss Illinois’ $420 million investment in broadband infrastructure as part of the Connect Illinois Broadband Grant program, the challenges in and solutions to both rural and urban settings, and how the Illinois Connected Communities program has helped at all stages of the process. Christopher and Matt also talk about state goals with the new federal money on the way, and the innovation in models, financing, and deployment we’re likely to see with the influx of spending in the near future. Matt Schmit View Transcript
488 Last Year and Next Year: Predictions Evaluated and Recharged - Episode 488 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In this episode of the podcast, we're back for another staff conversation about all that 2021 had to offer and serve up some predictions for the coming year. Joining Christopher on the show are Senior Reporter and Editor Sean Gonsalves, Community Broadband Outreach Team Lead DeAnne Cuellar, Senior Researcher Ry Marcattilio-McCracken, GIS and Data Visualization Specialist Christine Parker, and Associate Broadband Researcher Emma Gautier. View Transcript
487 A History of Form 477 and Broadband Mapping Data - Episode 487 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Derek Turner, the research director for Free Press, to talk about the history of the federal government's broadband data collection and how the Form 477 came to be. They unpack how this data collection process has been historically flawed and how it has evolved over the years. While the FCC continues to make adjustments to reporting procedures for Internet Service Providers, there have always been flaws, leaving communities unconnected or unserved. Derek Turner View Transcript
15 What Does All This Money Mean? - Bonus Episode 15 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast For episode 15 of our bonus series, “Why NC Broadband Matters,” Christopher Mitchell is joined by Catharine Rice (Co-founder of NC Broadband Matters and  Project Manager at the Coalition for Local Internet Choice) and Doug Dawson (Owner and President of CCG Consulting) dig into what all these different pots of federal funding mean communities across the country. They talk about the communities that have already announced plans to use the funds for municipal networks. They offer advice and direct communities in the early stages of planning to resources on how to use the funds effectively.  Catharine Rice (Co-founder of NC Broadband Matters and  Project Manager at the Coalition for Local Internet Choice) and Doug Dawson (Owner and President of CCG Consulting) View Transcript
486 A Look Back on the Biggest Broadband Stories of 2021 - Episode 486 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell invites the Community Broadband Networks Initiative staff onto the show to talk about what they believe were some of the biggest broadband stories of 2021. The group reminisces about what has been one of the most pivotal years for broadband infrastructure investment and community-led solutions to the digital divide, and ruminates on what’s to come in 2022. View Transcript
485 A Washington PUD Prioritizes Open Access Fiber After Pandemic - Episode 485 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell welcomes Willie Painter, the public affairs manager for the Lewis County’s Public Utility District (PUD), to talk about what the county has been doing to address the lack of connectivity. We reported on Lewis County PUD's plan to connect its 33,000 members through an open access fiber-to-the-home network in October. View Transcript
NDIA Webinar: Digital Inclusion Funding in the Infrastructure Act - Bonus Episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week, we are releasing a bonus episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, featuring a recent National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) webinar on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that recently passed in Congress. View Transcript
484 What States, Communities, and Activists Need to Do to Make the Most of the Infrastructure Act - Episode 484 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell brings back a longtime favorite guest, Jon Chambers, Partner at Conexon, to talk about what is next for municipal and cooperative broadband efforts given the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. View Transcript
483 Local Solutions for Expanding Broadband Accessibility - Episode 483 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Russ Elliot, the CEO of Siskiyou Telephone in Northern California. The two discuss the importance of small incumbent providers, which often get lumped in with bigger telecommunications companies that leave rural communities behind when building broadband infrastructure. Small incumbent providers are often the only ones interested in building out to rural areas. Russ Elliot View Transcript
482 Fort Dodge Brings FTTH to Fruition - Episode 482 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Sean Gonsalves joins regular host Christopher Mitchell in a conversation with Michael Maloney, a public finance banker and the Managing Director at D.A. Davidson based in Iowa. Maloney has spent his career working on public financing projects to hope to spur economic development, including broadband. View Transcript
481 A Success Story in Indianola, Iowa- Episode 481 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell travels to Des Moines, Iowa for the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Telecom Conference. He speaks with Kurt Ripperger, the Fiber Superintendent for the Indianola Municipal Utilities in Iowa. Kurt Ripperger View Transcript
480 Broadband and Beyond in the Bronx - Episode 480 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Danny Peralta, the Executive Managing Director of The Point in the Bronx, New York which has. The Point has been at the forefront of revitalizing the South Bronx’s Hunts Point neighborhood working to address  environmental issues, increase access to the arts, and even expand Internet connectivity. Danny Peralta View Transcript
479 The Fight for Digital Inclusion and Equity in San Antonio - Episode 479 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by DeAnne Cuellar, the State Program Director for Older Adult Technology Services (OATS). They explore the history of the digital divide in San Antonio and Cuellar's role in making the city one of the nation’s leaders in digital inclusion efforts. View Transcript
478 Let's Talk Fiber - Episode 478 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell talks fiber with Gary Bolton, CEO and President of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) at the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, TX. , View Transcript
14 Tides Are Turning With Digital Inclusion - Bonus Episode 14 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast For episode 14 of our bonus series, “Why NC Broadband Matters,” we’re joined by Amy Huffman, Policy Director at National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) and Christa Vinson, Program Officer of Rural Broadband and Infrastructure at Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), to talk about the state of digital inclusion across the country. Amy Huffman View Transcript
477 The Long and Winding Road for Publicly Owned Broadband in Washington State - Episode 477 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Angela Bennink (Telecommunications Director for Kitsap Public Utility District) and Laura Loe (Executive Director of Share The Cities Community Education & Share The Cities Action Fund) from Washington state. Angela Bennink View Transcript
476 The Great Debate Over Telecommunications Competition and Regulation - Episode 476 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by occasional guest host Sean Gonsalves, ILSR’s Senior  Reporter, Editor, and Researcher to take a hard look at our philosophies around competition and telecommunications regulation. View Transcript
475 Los Altos Hills Community Fiber: A Story of Community Solutions to Community Empowerment - Episode 475 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Scott Vanderlip, chair of Los Altos Hills Community Fiber, to talk about how he and other Los Altos Hills residents banded together to create a subscriber-owned network. Scott Vanderlip View Transcript
474 A Plan for Better Broadband in Syracuse and Pleasant Grove, Utah - Episode 474 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Mike Gailey (Mayor of Syracuse), Brody Bovero (City Manager for the City of Syracuse), and Scott Darington (City Manager for the City of Pleasant Grove) to talk about why they decided to work with UTOPIA to connect their communities in Utah. Mike Gailey View Transcript
473 Rethinking Rural Connectivity with Christopher Ali - Episode 473 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week, we are spotlighting episode 134 of Building Local Power, an ILSR podcast hosted by our Communication’s Manager, Jess Del Fiasco. On this episode, Jess is joined by the Community Broadband Networks Initiative’s Senior Researcher Ry Marcattilio-McCracken and Senior Reporter, Editor and Researcher Sean Gonsalves to interview Christopher Ali about his new book, Farm Fresh Broadband: The Politics of Rural Connectivity. View Transcript
472 One Cooperative in Oregon Hopes Broadband Will Help Revitalize A Community's Economy - Episode 472 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week's episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, ILSR's Senior Reporter, Editor, and Researcher Sean Gonsalves, along with Senior Researcher and Multimedia Producer Maren Machles, chat with Paul Recanzone, the general manager of Beacon Broadband, about Beacon's plan to build out broadband where no one has before. View Transcript
471 The Writing Team Takes Over - Episode 471 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Sean Gonsalves, ILSR’s Senior  Reporter, Editor, and Researcher, hosts the podcast and shares updates on a New Hampshire cooperative that is working its way toward connecting its 84,000 members. Ry Marcattilio-McCracken, Senior Researcher shares his most recent work on the Minnesota Broadband: Land of 10,000 Connectivity Solutions Report, which examines a variety of approaches that communities and local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have taken to expand affordable, high-quality Internet access across Minnesota. Senior Researcher and Multimedia Producer Maren Machles explains how DigitalC, a nonprofit in Cleveland, Ohio is trying to address the digital divide in the city’s most under connected communities. View Transcript
470 Shifting the Mindset from Scarcity to Abundance: The Infrastructure Bill and Longterm Broadband Solutions - Episode 470 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast States will receive the funding directly and not through the FCC, as has worked in the past. The bill specifically says that when states award the grant money, they “may not exclude cooperatives . . . public or private utilities, public utility districts, or local governments from eligibility for such grant funds," which will allow states without restrictions on municipal networks to seriously consider investing in them. They discuss how this new structure will allow for more accountability and will prompt states to think critically about how to spend the funds. Schaffer, who helped shape the broadband piece of the infrastructure bill, talks about the conversations she’s having with communities across the state of Maine as they prepare to receive the funding, and how she is imploring them to think about future-proof solutions. , View Transcript
469 A Mixed Bag: How The Infrastructure Bill Will Impact Municipal Broadband Networks - Episode 469 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast While the bill does not eradicate barriers across the 17 states still restricting municipalities from building their own networks, it does ensure that $42 billion in broadband infrastructure funds go directly to the states instead of the FCC. The two discuss how increasing the definition of broadband from 25/3 Mbps (Megabits per second) to 100/20 Mbps is long overdue, and frankly, not enough to future-proof networks. The two hypothesize that the new definition will ultimately lead to a need for more investment down the road. View Transcript
468 How Activism and Community Empowerment Brought Anacortes, Washington 21st Century Broadband - Episode 468 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast McDougall talks about the power municipal networks hold to be an economic driver, by connecting business districts and residents and attracting more investment in the area. He recaps his advocacy both as a citizen and ultimately, a city council member, and further details the process of educating city council and the mayor about community broadband, which involved everything from 'Broadband 101' presentations to immersive visits to neighboring communities who had successfully built their own citywide fiber optic infrastructure. View Transcript
467 Crowdsourcing Data, Fighting for Competition and Digital Equity - Episode 467 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this week’s episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Sascha Meinrath, Palmer Chair in Telecommunications at Pennsylvania State University and Director of X-Labs. The two discuss an exciting collaboration they are working on with Consumer Reports and other allied organizations that crowdsources monthly Internet bills from actual users. The aim of the project is to look at the differentials in the speeds and prices ISPs offer across a variety of geographical locations to see if there is a correlation around race, class, and location. The findings will hopefully clarify the problems and solutions around digital equity and steer policy-making, regulatory authority and consumer protection law conversations to improve Internet access for all.  Sascha Meinrath View Transcript
466 Building Connections and Digital Sovereignty at the Tribal Wireless Bootcamp - Episode 466 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by Matthew Rantanen, Director of Technology for the  Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association along with Maren Machles, ILSR Senior Researcher and Multimedia Producer to talk about the first iteration of the Tribal Wireless Bootcamp, which took place from June 30 through July 4. Matthew Rantanen View Transcript
465 Recent Developments in Vermont and New Hampshire and the Real Broadband Challenges in America - Episode 465 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell chats with Sean Gonsalves, ILSR's Community Broadband Senior Reporter, Editor and Researcher to catch up on some of the most interesting broadband stories in recent weeks. The two begin by discussing a recent story by Jericho Casper, ILSR Researcher and Writer, reporting more than 20 communities in New Hampshire are entering into public-private partnerships to get their residents more connected. Gonsalves also talks about his recent feature story about Northeast Kingdom Communication Union District (CUD) in Vermont and the state's unique approach to achieving universal broadband access by 2024. , View Transcript
464 The Power of Anchor Institutions in Community Connectivity - Episode 464 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell talks with John Windhausen, Executive Director of the Schools, Health, Libraries and Broadband Coalition (SHLB) and Alicja Johnson, SHLB Communication Manager. The nonprofit advocates for anchor institutions to be at the table when communities are considering building municipal fiber networks. This is because these institutions are not only the cornerstones of healthy communities, but also well positioned as gateways for bringing reliable broadband to every household. John Windhausen View Transcript
463 “Pushed Through in the Dark of Night:” Ohio Senate Aims to Ban Municipal Broadband - Episode 463 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast Christopher is joined by Douglas Adams, the CMO of Think Marketing (the firm which handles the marketing operations for the municipal network FairlawnGig in Ohio), Ernie Staten, Director of Public Service for the city of Fairlawn, and Angela Siefer, Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. The topic of the day is the amendment attached to the upcoming budget for the state of Ohio which, if included in the final version, would make Ohio the first state in a decade to erect barriers to the establishment, expansion, and continuing operation of publicly owned and operation broadband networks. Douglas Adams View Transcript
462 Historic Investment in California Broadband - Episode 462 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Last month, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a historic, $7 billion plan to increase broadband access across the state. On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, host Christopher Mitchell is joined by Ernesto Falcon (Senior Legislative Counsel) and Hayley Tsukayama (Legislative Activist) from the Electronic Frontier Foundation to talk about how the funds will be used to bring better connectivity to Californians. Ernesto Falcon View Transcript
461 How Libraries Continue to Provide Resources in the Digital Age - Episode 461 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher Mitchell is joined by broadband analyst and telehealth advocate, Craig Settles; Dianne Connery, Special Projects Librarian in Pottsboro, Texas; and Adam Echelman, Executive Director of Libraries Without Boarders, to talk about how libraries are the cornerstones of information access for communities across the country. Libraries have been connecting communities to resources and services for decades, but with the digital age, libraries are answering the same call for action with Internet access and digital literacy. Connery shares her firsthand experience working in a library in Pottsboro, Texas where there are no doctors in town and telehealth access has become crucial, especially with the pandemic. The group also talks about the importance of libraries connecting those who would otherwise not have Internet access and how that is becoming an absolute necessity with the way education and healthcare are changing. , View Transcript
460 Reporting on Broadband Issues in Buffalo, New York - Episode 460 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher and ILSR senior reporter and editor, Sean Gonsalves chat with Nate Benson, a reporter with WGRZ in Buffalo, New York, about his approach to reporting on connectivity issues afflicting the Western part of the state. Benson explains the origins and results of his Fall 2019 investigation into monopoly service, including what the lack of competition has done to prices and availability in the city of Buffalo. He details his method to producing stories on Internet access that have resonated with citizens and galvanized local policymakers in the community. View Transcript
459 Building a Citizen-Centered, Smart City Public Network in Tucson - Episode 459 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast A couple of months ago we wrote about the city of Tucson’s efforts to bridge the digital divide by building a wireless citywide network. On this episode of the podcast, Christopher talks with Collin Boyce, the city’s Chief Information Officer, to hear more about how the effort started, what they’ve learned along the way, and the impact it’s having on the community. Collin Boyce View Transcript
13 North Carolina Broadband and the Influx of Federal Dollars - Bonus Episode 13 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast For episode 13 of our bonus series, “Why NC Broadband Matters,” we’re joined by Doug Dawson (Owner and President of CCG Consulting), Catharine Rice (Project Director for the Coalition for Local Internet Choice) and Gene Scott (General Manager of the Outside Plant for the Greenlight Network) to talk about the wave of new federal dollars reaching communities across the country. How do communities avoid feeling overwhelmed and use this money in the most effective ways? Doug Dawson (Owner and President of CCG Consulting), Catharine Rice (Project Director for the Coalition for Local Internet Choice) and Gene Scott (General Manager of the Outside Plant for the Greenlight Network) View Transcript
458 Lessons Learned in Local Broadband Grants, and the Value of Perseverance - Episode 458 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher is joined by ILSR's senior editor and reporter, Sean Gonsalves, Doug Seacat, Owner of Deeply Digital and Clearnetworx, and Casey Irving, Director of Business Development, about bringing world-class connectivity to households in and around the city of Ridgeway, Colorado. Around five years ago, Clearnetworx won a Colorado broadband fund grant to build a Fiber-to-the-Home network for the community, only to have it challenged by incumbent provider, CenturyLink. Subsequent appeals ultimately led to a situation where Clearnetworx lost the grant to CenturyLink. Instead of the money going towards a Fiber-to-the-Home network for residents, it was used for a modest upgrade to CenturyLink's DSL network. View Transcript
457 How Broadband Became a Municipal Utility in Conway, Arkansas - Episode 457 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by two representatives from Conway Corp, a municipal utility in Conway, Arkansas to hear about their commitment to providing high quality Internet access to residents over the last four decades. CEO Bret Carroll and Chief Technology Officer Jason Hansen dive into the rich history of Conway Corp, starting with how the utility got into the telecommunications industry in the early 1980s, by acquiring an exclusive city-wide cable franchise agreement and bringing the first city residents online. They describe two upgrade cycles the network has since undergone: one to a hybrid fiber co-ax system in the late 1990s, and another, starting in 2010, to drive fiber deeper into parts of the network to bring gigabit download service to residents. View Transcript
456 Relationships Are Key: Partnering to Connect Minnesota - Episode 456 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, we're joined by two representatives from Minnesota based CTC, a firm that started as a telephone cooperative and has become one of the most aggressive fiber network builders in greater Minnesota. CTC partners with electric cooperatives and communities to undertake internet infrastructure projects around the state. CEO and General Manager, Kristi Westbrock, and Director of Business Development, Joe Buttweiler, talk with Chris about the history of the cooperative's decision to embark on a network upgrade bringing fiber to its 15,000 members almost 20 years ago. View Transcript
455 Speed Vs. Longevity: Rethinking How We Fund Rural Broadband - Episode 455 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast On this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we're joined by Jonathan Chambers, a partner at Conexon. Conexon has helped rural electric cooperatives build fiber to the home networks since its founding five years ago. Christopher and Jonathan talk about ideas for how to improve structuring rural broadband subsidies in a way that takes advantage of fiber infrastructure's long life. Jonathan and Chris dig into what this would mean for funding projects, and how it would change the way we think about and approach connecting rural communities in the future. Jonathan Chambers View Transcript
454 Advantages and Potential Pitfalls of the Emergency Broadband Benefit - Episode 454 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast One component of the recently passed Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 was the Emergency Broadband Benefit, a $3.2 billion program designed to get families connected to available service that they otherwise might not be able to afford. The program provides a subsidy of up to $50/month (or $75 on tribal lands) for broadband service as well as up to $100 for a device (with a household contribution) for as long as the money lasts. View Transcript
453 Resiliency in a Decade-Long Fight to Get Better Broadband - Episode 453 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Belle Ryder, Orono, Maine Assistant Manager and President of the nonprofit OTO Fiber Corporation. The towns of Orono and nearby Old Town began their search for better broadband more than 10 years ago, and have overcome an array of challenges in bringing a pilot project to justify future-proof connectivity to the surrounding area. Belle Ryder View Transcript
452 Chirping Soil and Autonomous Tractors: Connecting Agriculture in Nebraska - Episode 452 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher speaks with Julie Bushell, President of Paige Wireless and Co-chair of Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force. Christopher and Julie talk about the importance of reliable, symmetrical wireless data connections so farmers can deploy devices on farms which communicate across Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) protocols to bring soil probes, combines, grain bins, wastewater management sensors, and other devices online to report conditions across far-flung fields. They also discuss how a robust rural network can support GPS for planting, irrigation, and harvest, as well as allow for data aggregation to increase efficiencies and allow mapping and maintenance via real-time drone operations. Julie Bushell View Transcript
451 Overbuilding and the Value of Real Competition - Episode 451 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Travis Carter (CEO, US Internet), Deb Socia (President/CEO, The Enterprise Center), and Brian Worthen (President, Visionary Communications and CEO, Mammoth Networks) to talk about overbuilding. The group discusses the importance of reclaiming the term as what it really is: plain old competition. They talk about the economics of building competitive broadband infrastructure in rural and urban areas, pending Washington State legislation which would unlock the power of the state’s utility districts to deliver retail service, and why we don't see more small, competitive fiber builders around the country. Travis Carter View Transcript
450 From Broadband Barriers to Section 230 - Episode 450 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast we're joined by Berin Szoka, President of TechFreedom, to talk about the pressing broadband issues of today and tomorrow. Christopher and Berin share what they see as the biggest barriers to universal, high-quality Internet access today, including the jurisdictional issues facing communities large and small, as well as the regulatory solutions which would facilitate more rapid and efficient infrastructure deployment. Berin Szoka View Transcript
449 Building a Network to Build a Network in Southwest Michigan - Episode 449 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast We don’t often get to spend a whole episode diving into the earliest work that communities do to set the foundation for progress in expanding high-quality broadband access down the road, but that’s what we’re talking about today. This week on the podcast Christopher is joined by Pierrette Renée Dagg, Director of Marketing and Communications for the MERIT Network, and John Egelhaaf, Executive Director of the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission. Pierrette Ren View Transcript
12 North Carolina’s Broadband Preemption Law Means Leaving Money on the Table - Bonus Episode 12 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast For the twelfth episode of our bonus series, “Why NC Broadband Matters,” we’re joined by North Carolina League of Municipalities Chief Legislative Council Erin Wynia to talk about Internet access in the state a full year into the COVID 19 pandemic, and the access gaps experienced in towns across the eastern part of the state. Erin shares with Chris how a collection of mayors banded together to write to the state’s attorney general, imploring him to look into Suddenlink’s business practices after fielding questions and complaints from residents and businesses about slow speeds, price hikes, and service interruptions. North Carolina View Transcript
448 “This Isn’t a Game:” The RDOF Auction, Unforced Errors, and Getting Infrastructure Funding Right - Episode 448 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast The conclusion of the RDOF auction was met with a good deal of drama and uncertainty, leaving many of us working after the fact to understand the policy and practical impacts of its outcomes. This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Jonathan Chambers, a partner at Conexon, a network solutions provider for electric cooperatives around the United States who helped organize a consortium of nearly 100 cooperatives to successfully bid for more than $1 billion in funding from the recent Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction administered by the FCC. Jonathan Chambers View Transcript
447 "Fiber from the Sea to the Mountaintop" with Anza Electric Cooperative – Episode 447 of the Community Broadband Bits This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Anza Electric Cooperative General Manager Kevin Short, and Network Administrator Shawn Trento. Anza Electric stretches across 550 square miles in Southern California between San Diego and Palm Springs, sandwiched between the Salton Sea and the San Jacinto Mountains. About 6 years ago they initiated a vote to see whether membership was interested in leadership building fiber not just to electric substations and SCADA systems, but residences as well. When 93% voted in favor, they took it as a mandate. Today, Anza is about halfway done building to their 5,200 members, and getting a 60% take rate. Anza Electric View Transcript
446 Partnerships Bring Better Broadband to Le Sueur County, Minnesota - Episode 446 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast we’re catching up with what’s been happening in Le Sueur County (pop. 28,000) in southern Minnesota, and path they’re on to turn the region from one of the least connected in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes to one on track to becoming among the most connected in the next couple of years. To do so, Christopher talks with Barbara Droher Kline, a county consultant who helped the county organize the recent broadband efforts. Barbara Droher View Transcript
445 Wrapping Up a Landmark Year for the UTOPIA Fiber Network - Episode 445 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast 2020 was a year of explosive growth for what is now UTOPIA Fiber's 15-city footprint, fueled by unprecedented demand. The network buried 1.7 million feet of conduit and 1.4 million feet of fiber cabling, driven by 10,000 new residential installations and over 500 new business connections. View Transcript
444 Reforming Rural Funding Structures for a Better Broadband Tomorrow – Episode 444 of the Community Broadband Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Larry Thompson, CEO of Vantage Point Solutions, a South Dakota-based company which provides engineering, consulting and regulatory services for ISPs of all sizes. The two talk about how the variety of subsidy and grant programs we’ve built to get broadband out into rural areas and make sure folks can afford Internet access came about, and the policy changes we’re likely to see in the near future to make sure existing networks and new construction remains viable. Larry Thompson View Transcript
443 Loveland Pulse Races Ahead – Episode 443 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast The Front Range in Colorado has been a hotbed of activity recently, and just before Christmas we wrote about how Fort Collins, Estes Park, and Loveland are all pursuing projects to bring better connectivity to residents in the region. This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Fiber Manager Brieana Reed-Harmel and Marketing and Communications Manager Lindsey Johansen from Loveland’s Pulse network to get some more questions answered. Fiber Manager View Transcript
442 Finding Our Way with the Help of Digital Navigators - Episode 442 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast In August we first covered the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s new Digital Navigator’s program, which provides a best-practices model for organizations looking to use local resources to help neighbors learn the skills and overcome their reluctance to getting online. This week on the podcast Christopher welcomes Paolo Balboa, Program Manager at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and Shauna Edson Digital Inclusion Coordinator, at the Salt Lake City Public Library to dive deeper into the program and talk about lessons learned so far. View Transcript
441 Predictions for 2021, Year in Review for 2020 - Episode 441 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast 2020 is nearly over, and it's that time of the year we sit back with a cold glass of eggnog and reflect on what was, what is, what might have been, and what will be. In this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast the MuniNetworks team cranks up Zoom for the zillionth time this month to review our previous years' predictions to see who swung the hardest and missed back in 2019, and who might be hiding a secret gift at prognostication that would put Zoltar to shame. View Transcript
Building Digitally Equitable Communities - Bonus Episode Ten of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast For the tenth episode of our special podcast series “Why NC Broadband Matters,” we’re talking about the an innovative Building a New Digital Economic (BAND-NC) grant program, which provides funds to support devices, subscriptions, and digital skills training to communities across North Carolina. The program disbursed its first round of money to 29 projects across 39 counties this summer, and is planning a second round of funding right now. View Transcript
440 The Truth is in the Numbers: How RS Fiber Brings Broadband to the Farms and Families of Rural Minnesota - Episode 440 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

We've written a lot about RS Fiber, a broadband cooperative operating in two rural counties in south-central Minnesota.

Jenny Palmer View Transcript
439 Organizing for Change in Kaysville, Utah - Episode 439 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Michelle Barber and Andre Lortz. Both serve on the Kaysville City Council and are members of the group Citizens for Kaysville Fiber, but today they join us to talk as regular citizens of the city of 30,000 in Utah. Michelle Barber, Andre Lortz View Transcript
438 Building Momentum with CityLink in Wadsworth, Ohio - Episode 438 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Steve Lange, IT Manager for the city of Wadsworth (pop. 26,000) in eastern Ohio, which built its hybrid fiber-coax municipal network CityLink back in 1997. The two talk about the history of the network, its push to bring more competition to the town, and its operational structure — the network, unlike in many places, is separate from the city’s municipal electric department. Christopher and Steve also talk about the phenomenal momentum the network has built over the last few years, almost tripling it subscriber base to 5,400 this year, with Steve attributing this to their focus on thoughtful planning and customer service. Steve Lange View Transcript
437 Broadband Access is a Health and Social Justice Issue — Episode 437 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jennifer Hawkins, President and Executive Director of One Neighborhood Builders (ONB), a community development organization based out of Rhode Island. She talks about about the Olneyville neighborhood, situated on the west side of Providence, and how significant health disparities in that community led her organization to jump into action over the summer to build a free wireless network for the residents. Jennifer and Christopher talk about mapping the network, placing hardware on ONB-owned buildings, and putting up 12 access points to cover more than half of the community with robust wireless. She shares why the project’s been worth it, and the health outcomes they hope to achieve once it goes online. Jennifer Hawkins View Transcript
436 Alabama Makes a $100 Million Commitment to Getting Students Online — Episode 436 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Maureen Neighbors, Energy Division Chief of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, about the state’s one-of-a-kind, $100 million voucher program designed and deployed for the current school year to help get and keep economically vulnerable students connected. Maureen Neighbors View Transcript
435 Sacred Wind Goes Technology Agnostic To Serve the Navajo Nation — Episode 435 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Catherine Nicolaou, External Affairs and Marketing Manager for Sacred Wind Communications, a rural local exchange carrier in NW New Mexico that has been focused on serving the Navajo Nation communities there. She shares the history of Sacred Wind, from buying copper infrastructure from Century Link 13 years ago in a region where just 26% of the households had Internet access to its 400 miles of fiber infrastructure today, allowing it to bring broadband to more than 92% of those living there. Catherine Nicolaou View Transcript
434 A Grassroots Effort Pushed the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative to Add Broadband to Its Charter — Episode 434 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast Christopher talks with the city of Sandwich, New Hampshire’s Broadband Advisory Committee Chair Julie Dolan and member Richard Knox. The join us to discuss the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative’s recent vote to add broadband to its charter. , View Transcript
433 Dark Fiber Will Bring Value to Huntsville for Decades to Come — Episode 433 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Stacy Cantrell, Vice President of Engineering at Huntsville Utilities in Alabama. Huntsville’s (pop. 197,000) municipal utility serves well beyond the city boundaries, and its electric department built a major network that gets close to every house within the city limits. Stacy Cantrell View Transcript
432 Lessons Learned with Lyndon Township — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 432 A little over three years ago in Episode 232 we heard from Lyndon Township, Michigan just after a ballot initiative passed to fund and build a municipal network. 43% of the community turned out for the vote, and the measure passed by a ratio of two to one. View Transcript
431 In Erwin, Tennessee, an Incremental Approach Has Brought Success — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 431 This week on the podcast Christopher welcomes back Lee Brown, President and CEO of Erwin Utilities, to talk about what’s been going on since we last spoke with them more than three and a half years ago. Erwin is a town of around 6,000 and the county seat of Unicoi County, Tennessee, along the state’s eastern border. Lee Brown View Transcript
430 Twelve Years After Launch, Wilson, North Carolina’s Greenlight Network Continues to Innovate — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 430 This week on the podcast Christopher welcomes back Will Aycock, General Manager of Wilson, North Carolina’s municipal network Greenlight, and Rebecca Agner, Communications and Marketing Director for the city of Wilson. Christopher talks with the duo about what it took for the city to be named one of the ten best small towns in the country to start a business in 2019, and the city’s efforts to use its municipal infrastructure to launch an affordable new ridesharing initiative which takes into account social distancing needs and user cost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Will Aycock View Transcript
429 Whip City Fiber’s Next Phase: Connecting Hill Towns in Western Massachusetts — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 429 This week on the podcast Christopher talks with IT Manager John Leary and Customer Experience, Marketing, & Communications Manager Lisa Stowe from Westfield Gas & Electric, the municipal utility for the city of 40,000 in the southwestern quadrant of the Massachusetts. The topic of the day is Westfield's municipally owned fiber arm — Whip City Fiber — which is doing some wonderful things as it enters its next phase of life. John Leary View Transcript
428 How Monticello, MN's FiberNet Weathered the Storm and Brought Community Savings — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 428 Christopher and Jeff delve into the history and development of the network over the last fifteen years. They discuss how business leaders began calling for the city to look for a solution to poor Internet speeds all the way back in 2005, why the city ultimately decided to build its own network, and how FiberNet persevered in the face of an early lawsuit so that incumbent provider TDS could slow competition as it began its own fiber buildout. Jeff and Chris then talk about the network subsequently weathering a vicious price war with Charter Spectrum which contributed to the fracturing of its relationship with early partner Hiawatha Broadband, but which also brought significant savings and better customer service from incumbent providers to everyone in town. View Transcript
427 Connecting A Neighborhood in Need in San Rafael, California – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 427 The coronavirus pandemic has exposed with stark clarity the impact of the digital divide across the country, and exacerbated the problem especially among the economically disadvantaged and in communities of color. With the onset of a new school year, school boards, city councils, and local governments have been distributing hotspots, equipping buses with Wi-Fi, and subsidizing subscription plans so that students can continue to learn over the summer. This week on the podcast Christopher talks with one community in California that took efforts to connect residents a step further. , View Transcript
426 West Des Moines is Building a Citywide Conduit System and Google Fiber is First in the Door – Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 426 In July we wrote about West Des Moines’ announcement that it would build an open access citywide conduit system to spur broadband infrastructure investment, and how Google Fiber became the Iowa city’s first partner. In this episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Christopher is joined by Jamie Letzring, Deputy City Manager for West Des Moines, Iowa, and Dave Lyons, a consultant with the city, to discuss in more detail how things unfolded behind the scenes. Jamie Letzring View Transcript
425 How One City Came Together to Provide Free Broadband To Those Who Needed It Most - Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 425 This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Jill Levine, Chief of Innovation and Choice at Hamilton County Schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Evan Freeman, Director of Government Relations at the city’s municipal electric and fiber utility, EPB, and Deb Socia, President of the Enterprise Center. Together, the group discusses the recent landmark announcement by Hamilton County Schools of HCS EdConnect, in which the schools, local government, EPB, and local stakeholders and philanthropic organizations have come together and made it possible to connect all school children on free or reduced lunch programs in the district to free 100 Mbps symmetrical Internet access for the next ten years. The initiative will include not only 32,000 students but their families as well, and is the first of its kind in the United States — a success story at using a city-wide network to bridge the digital divide for economically disadvantaged students, and a decisive move to respond to unequal Internet access during a worldwide public health crisis. Jill Levine View Transcript
424 Is Open Access the Future? - Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 424 For communities looking to improve Internet access for their citizens but that might be wary of becoming full-fledged Internet Service Providers (ISPs) themselves, open access networks offer a practical model for the future. Like roads, open access networks serve as publicly owned byways that telecommunications providers can then lease bandwidth on and offer a wide array of information services. They ensure competition, provide local control of underlying infrastructure, and lead to economic growth. View Transcript
423 How Electric Cooperatives in Mississippi Have Taken the Lead in Broadband Expansion — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 423 This week on the podcast Christopher talks with Ron Barnes, President and CEO Biloxi-based Coast Electric Power, an electric cooperative in Mississippi area, and Jon Chambers, Partner at Conexon, a consulting agency working with rural electric cooperatives to bring fiber to communities around the country. Ron Barnes View Transcript
422 “We Can’t Build It and Just Assume People Will Come”: Digital Inclusion and Equity Today — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 422 Today on the podcast we welcome Angela Siefer and Craig Settles. Angela is the founder and Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, and a tireless digital equity and inclusion advocate whose has worked to connect communities for over two decades. Craig is a nationally recognized consultant who works with public- and private-sector clients to build and improve networks. He hosts Gigabit Nation and is the President of Communities United for Broadband. View Transcript
421 Golden State Update: Broadband Subsidies and the Future of Rural Connectivity in California — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 421 This week on the podcast we welcome Ernesto Falcon and Steve Blum. Ernesto is Senior Legislative Council at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a powerhouse nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. Steve Blum is President of Tellus Ventures Associates, which provides management and business development guidance for companies working in telecommunications. You can find him at tellusventures.com. View Transcript
420 Selling Bandwidth to the Block with Althea Networks — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 420 This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast Christopher speaks with Deborah Simpier, CEO of Althea. Althea offers software and tools for communities looking to build and maintain sustainable networks in their own communities. Althea works by installing custom firmware on the routers of its member-operators, connecting them all together in a fixed wireless, ad hoc network that dynamically responds to the supply and demand of individual users. That network is then linked to a commercial-grade backhaul, and users pay each other for bandwidth while configuring their own connection preferences and needs. Althea’s innovative software and staff help manage the network in real-time. The result is a decentralized, flexible, privacy-focused community of devices. Althea exists in more that three dozen communities around the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Africa. Deborah Simpier View Transcript
Tackling the Digital Divide in North Carolina- Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Nine For the ninth episode of our special podcast series “Why NC Broadband Matters,” Christopher talks with Doug Dawson, President of CCG Consulting. Doug is a veteran advisor to small public and private telecommunications carriers and an experienced, thoughtful voice in the broadband space. During their discussion, Christopher and Doug give the various levels of government across the United States a report card for their connectivity efforts during the pandemic, and talk about how the coronavirus has brought into focus the two digital divides facing our communities today. They consider what the broadband gap looks like between rural and urban areas, and the problem of adoption versus access for North Carolina communities facing obstacles to high quality Internet access. Doug Dawson View Transcript
419 Coon Rapids Municipal Utilities Hits a Fiber-to-the-Home Run in Iowa — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 419 This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast Christopher speaks with Brad Honold, General Manager at Coon Rapids Municipal Utilities (CRMU). Coon Rapids is a small town in west-central Iowa, and CRMU started there with a cable TV system almost 40 years ago. Today, it remains one of the smallest municipal fiber networks, especially of those that offer cable TV packages. Brad Honold View Transcript
418 The Man Behind the Mask: Christopher Mitchell Reflects on More Than a Decade of Progress in Broadband — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 418 This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast we flip the microphones around. Christopher gets interviewed by Isfandiyar Shaheen, also known as Asfi, an experienced thinker on all Internet-related issues around the world and longtime friend of the Community Broadband Networks initiative.  View Transcript
417 Zoom Doctors and Online Church: Staying Healthy, Safe, and Connected in Chattanooga — Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 417 This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher talks to Deb Socia, President and CEO, and Geoff Millener, Senior Program and Operations Officer of The Enterprise Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Deb and Geoff share the breadth and depth of the work they’ve been doing recently to advance digital inclusion efforts and respond to the Covid-19 pandemic in ways that help the local community. View Transcript
416 Spanish Fork Network Brings a Generation of Savings and Community to Utah - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 416 This week on the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Christopher talks with John Bowcut, Director of Information Systems and Network Director for Spanish Fork Community Network in Spanish Fork, Utah. As John approaches the end of his career he reflects on the network's founding, its success over the last two decades, and the missed opportunities which stemmed from a 2001 law limiting municipal networks. John Bowcut View Transcript
415 Colorado’s Qwest Law: A Decade and a Half Later - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 415 It’s been 15 years since Colorado passed SB 152, the state law intended to restrict communities from building and managing their own broadband networks. A great deal has happened since: more than 140 communities have voted to opt out of the law, and networks like Longmont’s NextLight have been success stories in municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). View Transcript
414 Wireless Mesh in a Concrete Jungle: How Community Networks Build Local Ties - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 414 This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher talks to Scott Rasmussen, an organizer with the nonprofit, volunteer-run community network NYC Mesh. Scott shares his experiences connecting residential New Yorkers and local businesses across the city to fixed wireless, and the creative solutions they’ve taken to build a hyperlocal network in a cityscape of tall buildings. , View Transcript
413 When Three Isn't Enough: What Rural Connectivity Options Look Like in North Carolina - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 413 This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher talks to Tanna Greathouse, a Boone, North Carolina, resident operating an online business, Your Favorite Assistant, from home. Tanna shares her struggle with the lack of connectivity options in the area and what it means to have to sign up for three expensive, overlapping services — DSL, satellite, and mobile — for unreliable, slow, and high-latency Internet connections. , View Transcript
How Telecom Monopolies Killed Competition in North Carolina With HB 129, Part 2 - Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Eight For the eighth episode of our special podcast series “Why NC Broadband Matters,” Christopher and his guests, Catharine Rice and Jack Cozort, continue their conversation on HB 129, North Carolina’s restrictive law that prevents local governments from investing in broadband infrastructure. The first half of their discussion focused on the years leading up to the passage of HB 129 in 2011. Today, Christopher, Catharine, and Jack talk about the bill itself, the influence of the telecom industry over the state legislature, and how HB 129 has impacted connectivity in North Carolina. View Transcript
412 How Telecom Monopolies Killed Competition in North Carolina With HB 129 - Community Broadband Bits Episode 412 This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher dives deeper into the history of how broadband monopolies severely restricted local Internet choice in North Carolina with HB 129, passed by the state legislature in 2011. In this first half of a two part conversation, Christopher and his guests, Catharine Rice and Jack Cozort, discuss early attempts to preempt municipal broadband authority in the years leading up to HB 129, speaking frankly about the sway telecom lobbyists held over state legislators. View Transcript
411 Fiber-to-the-Schoolbus: Ozarks Electric Connects Students During the Pandemic - Community Broadband Bits Episode 411 Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic pushed schools online, rural cooperatives and other local broadband providers have been coming up with innovative ways to connect students during this difficult time. Ozarks Electric Cooperative, with its broadband subsidiary OzarksGo, is one of the co-ops that caught our eye over the past few weeks with its creative solution. View Transcript
410 Why Wi-Fi is Polite and Where It's Going Next - Community Broadband Bits Episode 410 In this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we get an introduction to what this week's guest calls "the most Southern of protocols" — Wi-Fi. Here to guide us is Heather "Mo" Williams, Manager of Solutions Engineering at Ruckus Networks, Wi-Fi engineer for Black Hat conferences, and co-host on the podcast This Week in Enterprise Tech. View Transcript
409 A New Frontier for Broadband Funding in California - Community Broadband Bits Episode 409 The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has worked for many years to protect privacy and civil liberties online and to support technological innovation and widespread Internet access. Ernesto Falcon, Senior Legislative Counsel at EFF, speaks with Christopher for this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. After explaining EFF's mission, Ernesto shares his background and how he got involved in the organization, before moving on to describe some of their policy efforts in California. The pair discuss EFF's involvement in repealing California's state law that had restricted municipal broadband networks. Christopher notes how AT&T has historically had a strong hold over Democrats in the state legislature, and Ernesto explains how EFF is working to counter that influence. Ernesto Falcon View Transcript
408 Checking in With Fort Collins Fiber Network, Connexion- Community Broadband Bits Episode 408 After a bitter battle with Comcast and a successful referendum to reclaim local authority back in 2017, Fort Collins, Colorado, is moving forward with its municipal fiber network, Connexion. The city is starting to connect residents to the network, so we wanted to check back in with local activists and Connexion staff to find out how it's going. In the episode, Christopher interviews community advocates Glen Akins and Colin Garfield as well as Colman Keane, Connexion executive director, and Erin Shanley, Connexion marketing manager. View Transcript
407 Tullahoma Thrives With Fiber Network, Plus Straight Talk on the Pandemic - Community Broadband Bits Episode 407 We last spoke to Brian Skelton, president of Tullahoma Utilities Authority, in 2013 for episode 54 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. Since then, the Tennessee city's municipal fiber network, LightTube, has continued to offer Internet access, voice, and video services, attracting new businesses to the region. For this episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher and Brian review the network's nearly 12-year-long history. View Transcript
406 Heroic Partners Bring Middle Mile Fiber to Northwest Colorado With Project THOR - Community Broadband Bits Episode 406 The breathtaking mountains of northwest Colorado have long attracted skiers and hikers, but broadband providers haven't found the region's rugged landscape and sparse population as appealing. Enter Project THOR, a middle mile fiber network developed out of a collaboration among local governments and private companies led by the Northwest Colorado Council of Goverments (NWCCOG). Over the last few years, the partners strung together more than 400 miles of fiber to provide reliable and affordable backhaul to municipal facilities, public schools, healthcare systems, and Internet access providers. View Transcript
405 Digital Inclusion Saves Lives During a Pandemic - Community Broadband Bits Episode 405 Our lives have mostly moved online as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the millions of Americans who don't have access to home broadband have been left behind. Whether it's unavailable or just unaffordable, these families must risk their health to access essential services, like healthcare and education. View Transcript
404 NC Needs Local Internet Choice to Tackle Pandemic - Community Broadband Bits Episode 404 The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting communities across the country in different ways. Recently, Christopher called up Scott Mooneyham, Director of Political Communications and Coordination for the North Carolina League of Municipalities, to find out how towns and cities in the Tar Heel State are faring. View Transcript
Benefits of Telehealth Go Beyond Covid-19 in Rural NC - Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Seven With Covid-19 cases growing across the country, it's more important now than ever that households have access to telehealth services. For the seventh episode of the "Why NC Broadband Matters" podcast series, we spoke with Dave Kirby, president of the North Carolina Telehealth Network Association, about the role of telehealth in the healthcare system, both during the pandemic and after it ends. "Why NC Broadband Matters" is created in partnership with NC Broadband Matters, a nonprofit organization working to connect communities across North Carolina to high-quality broadband access. Dave Kirby View Transcript
403 Think Local, Connect Global with Smart Wireless Policy - Community Broadband Bits Episode 403 This week on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher speaks with Steve Song, a fellow at Mozilla who works to connect unserved communities across the globe. Steve shares his background starting out at a nonprofit Internet service provider in 1990s South Africa, and they discuss the negative but mostly positive effects of widespread Internet access. While acknowledging the limitations of mobile connectivity, Steve describes the essential role wireless technologies have played in connecting people worldwide. To get everyone online, Steve argues that we need a mixture of models, including wireless providers. Steve Song View Transcript
402 How the FCC Plans to Spend $20 Billion on Rural Broadband - Community Broadband Bits Episode 402 For this episode, Christopher was joined by returning guest Jonathan Chambers to discuss the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), which will finance broadband deployment across rural America. Jonathan is a partner at Conexon, which works with rural electric cooperatives to plan, fund, and build fiber optic networks. View Transcript
401 Lisa Gonzalez Leaves Us With a Sense of Hope - Community Broadband Bits Episode 401 The Community Broadband Networks team had to say a difficult goodbye recently to longtime Senior Researcher Lisa Gonzalez, who accepted a new position with the State of Minnesota. Before she left, Lisa sat down with Christopher to reflect on the end of an era. Despite some bittersweet feelings, she expresses confidence that she's leaving the program in good hands. View Transcript
Bridging Divides, Building Opportunity in Rural and Urban North Carolina - Community Broadband Bits North Carolina Bonus Episode! Early last month, before the spread of the novel coronavirus turned staying home from a quiet night in into a moral imperative, Christopher traveled to North Carolina to attend the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum at North Carolina State University. While there, he interviewed Leslie Boney, Director of the Institute for Emerging Issues. He also spoke with Darren Smith from Wilson's Gig East Exchange and Ron Townley from the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments. Darren Smith View Transcript
400 Connecting During a Pandemic With US Internet - Community Broadband Bits Episode 400 Not even a pandemic can stop this week's guest, US Internet CEO Travis Carter, from finding ways to bring better connectivity to his company's subscribers and the community. For the 400th episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher interviewed Travis (from six feet away) at the US Internet office outside Minneapolis, Minnesota. The pair discuss how the ISP is responding to the crisis, including by limiting home installs and opening up access to its public Wi-Fi network. As people transition to remote work, online education, and digital entertainment, Travis explains how the network is experiencing increased interest from new customers and greater demand from current subscribers. View Transcript
399 Citizens Continue to Lead the Charge in Concord, Massachusetts - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 399 When Paul Revere rode through Concord, Massachusetts, to warn the Colonists about the Red Coats, horseback was the fastest way to move information. More than 240 years later, the community that was so instrumental to founding of the United States as we know it now sends information via their own fast, affordable, reliable Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) municipal network. This week, Concord's former CIO Mark Howell joins Christopher to talk about the community and their investment. View Transcript
398 OEC Fiber Delivering the Gigabit Service People Want in Oklahoma - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 398 Norman, Oklahoma, is known for the University of Oklahoma and, with 30,000 students enrolled, one expects Internet access to be vibrant and readily available throughout the area. It hasn't always been that way, but thanks to Oklahoma Electric Cooperative and their OEC Fiber, those who live and work in the areas around the fringes of the University and the city now have access to fast, affordable, reliable connectivity. View Transcript
Contending with the Homework Gap - Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Six This is episode number six of the special podcast project we're working on with NC Broadband Matters to share North Carolina news, challenges, and innovations about broadband in their state. Christopher went on a trip in February to attend the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum at North Carolina State University. The event addressed a wide range of topics, including digital equity, legislative efforts, and the homework gap, which is the focus of this week's conversation with Dr. LaTricia Townsend and Amy Huffman. Dr. Townsend and Christopher discuss her work and the research at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, especially their findings related to the homework gap. Amy, who is the Digital Inclusion and Policy Manager at the Broadband Infrastructure Office at the North Carolina Department of Information Technology, describes more state specific data and some of the efforts happening at the local and state level. View Transcript
397 Talking Telehealth with Danika Tynes, Ph.D. - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 397 In February, Christopher was in North Carolina at the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum at North Carolina State University. While he was there, he had the opportunity to conduct several interviews with people engaged in research, working with boots on the ground to expand broadband, or advocating for better policy so more people have access to high-quality Internet access. One of the people he spoke with was Danika Tynes, Ph.D., a Senior Research Associate from the Georgia Tech Research Institute. Danika Tynes View Transcript
Connecting Community Colleges for Opportunity and Development - Community Broadband Bits North Carolina Bonus Episode! Christopher went to North Carolina earlier this month to attend the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum at North Carolina State. While he was there, he interviewed Dr. Jeff Cox, President of Wilkes Community College, and Zach Barricklow Vice President of Strategy for the college. View Transcript
396 Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services Offering Rural Speed, Reliability - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 396 Rural areas are taking steps to improve their connectivity and are developing high-quality Internet access on par with the best services in urban centers. When smaller communities band together, they increase their chances of developing fast, affordable, reliable community networks that serve a larger swath of people. This week, Christopher speaks with Travis Thies, General Manager of one of those networks established to serve an eight-town region, Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services (SMBS). Travis Thies View Transcript
Roberto Gallardo on the Complex Digital Divide - Community Broadband Bits North Carolina Bonus Episode! In recent months, we’ve been working with nonprofit NC Broadband Matters to shed light on some of the connectivity issues in North Carolina. The group focuses on bringing broadband coverage to local communities for residents and businesses and have asked us to help them develop the series, "Why NC Broadband Matters," which explores broadband and related issues in North Carolina. View Transcript
395 Matt Schmit Leading Broadband from Minnesota to Illinois - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 395 Minnesota's Border to Border Broadband Development Grant Program provides funding for deployment of broadband networks in rural regions of the state. The program, which started in 2014, has helped extend necessary high-quality Internet access infrastructure to dozens of communities. Without this week's guest, Matt Schmit, the program would never have become a reality. View Transcript
394 Auburn Essential Services Steady as It Grows - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 394 Auburn Essential Service (AES) is one of those networks that has been serving the community for years with a steady presence and a strong commitment to the community. This week, Christopher talks with AES General Manager Chris Schweitzer about their fiber optic network, how they're innovating, and their recipe for consistent growth. AES General View Transcript
North Carolina Co-ops Partner for Broadband - Community Broadband Bits Podcast, Bonus Episode Five This is our fifth episode of the podcast project we're working on with nonprofit NC Broadband Matters to share broadband news, challenges, and innovations from North Carolina. NC Broadband Matters works to find ways to bring ubiquitous broadband coverage to residents and businesses across the state. View Transcript
393 Rural Tribal Priority Window Now Open; Advice from MuralNet - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 393 On February 3rd, 2020, the FCC opened the 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window, a six month period in which federally recognized Tribes or Alaska Native Villages have the opportunity to apply for licenses to unassigned spectrum over their Tribal lands. This week on the podcast, we have two guests from MuralNet — CEO Mariel Triggs and Edyael Casaperalta, Legal Advisor and Policy Strategist. MuralNet, a nonprofit that focuses on helping indigenous people build their own networks, has been working to spread the word about the Rural Tribal Priority Window. View Transcript
392 Setting the Bar High in Colorado: Longmont's NextLight - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 392 NextLight, the municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network in Longmont, Colorado, has been serving residents and businesses in the community since 2014 and offers reliable gigabit connectivity at affordable rates. This week, Director of NextLight, Valerie Dodd, is on the show to discuss the past, present, and future of NextLight with Christopher. View Transcript
391 Ponca City Looks Forward with Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 391 People with an interest in municipal networks usually know about Ponca City, Oklahoma's free municipal fixed wireless network because it's been around for years. In the summer of 2019, however, community leaders decided it was time to start offering Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) and created Ponca City Broadband. View Transcript
390 Collaboration Across the State Line, Idaho Falls and UTOPIA Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 390 Idaho Falls has had publicly owned fiber within the community for years, but until recently, limited its use to dark fiber leases and public power purposes. Now, the community is working with UTOPIA Fiber to expand the network in order to serve all premises with Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). View Transcript
389 Back in Opelika, Alabama, with Mayor Gary Fuller - Community Broadband Bit Podcast 389 When Mayor Gary Fuller of Opelika, Alabama, was on the podcast back in 2013, the community was building their municipal Fiber-to-the-Home network. He's back this week to talk about all the events that have occurred in his community since then; Opelika has been a whirlwind of activity which has centered around the battle to expand their network, OPS One. Mayor Fuller is joined in the wings by Derek Lee, Director of Opelika Power Services, and Joey Motley, City Administrator, who are on hand to help him with some of the details. View Transcript
North Carolina's Unique Broadband History and Lessons for Moving Forward - Community Broadband Bits Podcast, North Carolina Bonus Episode Four We're starting off the new year with episode four of the new podcast project we're working on with nonprofit NC Broadband Matters. As we look forward, we're also looking back with this week's guest, Jane Smith Patterson, a Partner with Broadband Catalysts. Jane has a deep love for North Carolina and a deep interest in science and technology. Throughout her life, she has put those two interests together to help North Carolinians advance human and civil rights, education and learning, and to advance the presence of high speed connectivity across the state. View Transcript
388 Predictions for 2020, Reviewing 2019 - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 388 It’s the end of the year once again, which means the Community Broadband Networks Initiative team takes their place in front of the mic for the predictions show. In addition to offering our expectations for 2020, we review what happened this past year and compare it to the predictions we made at this time last year. Get ready for some opinions and laughs. View Transcript
Holiday Bonus Rebroadcast - Eric Lampland on Indirect Cost Savings It was about five years ago that we brought consultant Eric Lampland from Lookout Point Communications into the office for episode 80 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. We've completed more than 300 other episodes since then, but his insight still rings true on the many indirect cost savings of community broadband networks. As activity in our office slows down a little for the holiday season, we thought this would be a great time to revisit the conversation with Eric to remind listeners of some of the reasons why so many communities are interested in taking control of their connectivity options with public investment. Enjoy! View Transcript
387 Advice for Communities from Industry Guru Doug Dawson - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 387 Doug Dawson from CCG Consulting and author of the POTs and PANs: Pretty Advanced New Stuff by CCG blog met up with Christopher back in October in Alexandria, Virginia, and the two recorded this week's podcast episode. They were attending most recent Broadband Communities event, a place where experts and community leaders gather to talk about latest developments and opportunities in broadband and economic development. Christopher, who's had Doug on the show several times in the past, asked him to provide some general advice to communities interested in improving broadband. Doug shared both advice and observations. Doug Dawson from CCG Consulting View Transcript
386 Medina County Fiber Network and Lit Communities Reach for Ohio Residents - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 386 The Medina County Fiber Network (MCFN) has already made important strides in north central Ohio. The network, which offers dark fiber and lit services, provides important connectivity for carriers, institutions, and businesses. In this interview, we hear from CEO David Corrado, who explains how it's time to move to residential services; he introduces us to MCFN's partner, Lit Communities. CEO Brian Snider and Chief Marketing Officer Ben Lewis-Ramirez join in the conversation. View Transcript
Mapping Data and Dollars - Community Broadband Bits Podcast, North Carolina Bonus Episode Three This week is episode three of the new podcast project we're working on with the nonprofit NC Broadband Matters, whose focus is on bringing ubiquitous broadband coverage to local communities for residents and businesses in North Carolina. The ten episode podcast series, titled "Why NC Broadband Matters," explores broadband and related issues in North Carolina. This week, Christopher and his guests explore mapping in our episode titled, "Broadband Mapping Means Money: Understanding How Data Drives Decisions.” View Transcript
385 Indigenous Community Launches First Community Broadband Network in Hawai'i - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 385 For the third year, the Internet Society worked with locals to hold an annual Indigenous Connectivity Summit as a way to teach and share information. In November, participants collaborated to deploy a fixed wireless community broadband network in a small village in Hawai'i and Christopher had the chance to participate. View Transcript
384 Rustling Up Fixed Wireless Internet Access in the Rural West - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 384 Some of the most rural areas in the country are in the American western states of Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. This week's guest is Matt Larsen, CEO of fixed wireless Internet service provider Vistabeam. His company has made it their mission to deploy affordable, useful Internet access to the people who live in these areas where large national companies have avoided deploying Internet access infrastructure due to low population density. He grew up living on a ranch and understands the challenges of living in a place where it's difficult to get broadband. View Transcript
383 Tri-County Rural Electric Delivering Connectivity, Expanding Partnerships, in Appalachians - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 383 Tri-County Electric Cooperative in north central Pennsylvania has listened to its members' wishes and is developing a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network for Internet access. While Christopher was at the October Broadband Communities Economic Development event in Alexandria, Virginia, he met up with Craig Eccher, President and CEO of the co-op, to learn more about the project and the cooperative. View Transcript
382 Gallops and Gigabits; Ocala Knows the Need for Speed in Florida - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 382 Whenever Christopher attends a Broadband Communities event, he returns with great stories from cities and towns across the U.S. that have invested in publicly owned Internet infrastructure. This week, we share his interview with Mel Poole, Ocala Fiber Network Director. View Transcript
Fiber Rich Wilson - Community Broadband Bits Podcast, North Carolina Bonus Episode Two! Last week, we unveiled the new podcast project we're working on with the nonprofit NC Broadband Matters, whose focus is on bringing ubiquitous broadband coverage to local communities for residents and businesses in North Carolina. The ten episode podcast series, titled "Why NC Broadband Matters," explores broadband and related issues in North Carolina. In episode two, “Fiber Rich Wilson, Why and What's Next?” Christopher talks with Gene Scott, General Manager for Outside Plant for Greenlight, a division of the city of Wilson, North Carolina.

 Gene Scott View Transcript
381 Envisioning the Future with Jon Sallet from the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 381 In late October 2019, Christopher travelled to the D.C. area to attend a Broadband Communities Economic Development event and while he was there, he sat down with Executive Director Adrianne Furniss and  Senior Fellow Jon Sallet from the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. This week, we get to sit in on their conversations about the recent change at Benton from "foundation" to "institute" and about their recent report, Broadband for America's Future: A Vision for the 2020s. View Transcript
380 Analyzing FCC Data Collection with Derek Turner from Free Press - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 380 In August 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that they would begin to restructure their data collection techniques forming the basis of national broadband availability maps. The nonprofit Free Press submitted comments, as did the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and other organizations that consider correct mapping data a key element to expanding access to broadband. In this episode of the podcast, Free Press Research Director Derek Turner and Christopher talk about the proceeding and different perspectives toward moving forward. View Transcript
Overbuilding Encourages Competition - Community Broadband Bits Podcast, North Carolina Bonus Episode One! We're pleased to bring you the first episode from a special bonus series of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast titled "Why NC Broadband Matters." The series is a collaboration with the nonprofit NC Broadband Matters, whose focus is on facilitating the expansion of ubiquitous broadband coverage to local communities for residents and businesses. We'll be working with NC Broadband Matters on this series to develop nine more episodes that center around broadband in North Carolina. View Transcript
379 Observations from Tech Writer Karl Bode - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 379 If you're a regular reader of MuniNetworks.org, you've seen Karl Bode's name and it's almost certain you've read his work elsewhere. Karl has had his finger on the pulse of telecom, broadband, and related legislative events for a long time. This week, Karl comes on the show to talk about how his career trajectory led to where he is right now, the surprising and unsurprising things he's seen, and how media coverage of telecom and technology has changed over the years. There are some issues, notes Karl, that should be handled more aggressively both in developing policy and in how the media covers them. The impact of large monopolistic Internet service providers, privacy concerns, and network neutrality are a few matters that affect us more than most people realize. View Transcript
378 South Bend, Indiana, Integrates Technology and Innovation with a Practical Approach - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 378 South Bend, Indiana, is a mid-sized city of around 100,000 people where they are making practical use of their dark fiber network and technology. In episode 378 of the podcast, Christopher talks with Denise Linn Riedl, Chief Innovation Officer. Denise describes many of the "non-sexy" ways the community and her department are using technology to encourage interdepartmental cooperation, efficiency, and the idea that technology is a standard tool, rather than a "shiny new thing." Denise Linn View Transcript
377 Crazy Talk Rears Its Head Again - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 377 Hey, Community Broadband Bits fans, it's time for Crazy Talk again! This time, our Communications Specialist Jess Del Fiacco joins Christopher and I to address recent insanity attacking municipal networks. "What IS Crazy Talk," you say? Every once in awhile, anti-municipal network initiatives get wind of particular projects in local communities and make extra efforts to spread misinformation. They usually rely on the same tired old talking points and refer to the same incorrect data from old reports that have been called out for inaccuracies. View Transcript
376 The Internet Society Leads Charge to Connect, Collaborate for Decades - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 376 The history of the Internet Society (ISOC) reaches back to the early 1990s when a group of early Internet pioneers, realizing the power of connectivity, developed an organization aimed at  bringing safe and secure Internet access to everyone. Since then, ISOC has worked in policy, deployment, and the difficult task of creating collaborations. This week, we have ISOC's Director of the North American Bureau Mark Buell and Senior Policy Advisor Katie Watson Jordan to talk about the organization, its history, and the work they do. View Transcript
375 Inside the Connect America Fund with Carol Mattey - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 375 The Connect America Fund (CAF) from the federal government has been both praised and criticized as a mechanism to expand rural broadband deployment. In this episode of the podcast, Principal of Mattey Consulting Carol Mattey talks in depth with Christopher about the program. Carol was a Deputy Bureau Chief in the Wireline Competition Bureau at the FCC to help develop the program and has worked on the National Broadband Plan. , View Transcript
374 Exploring Eastern Tennessee's BrightRidge Network - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 374 Even though the state of Tennessee adopted legislation long ago to discourage municipal networks, local communities in the state are finding ways to deliver high-quality Internet access via public utilities. This week, Chief Broadband Officer from BrightRidge Stacy Evans visits with Christopher. They talk about the power utility and their expansive broadband project in eastern Tennessee. View Transcript
373 Innovating for Community Benefits in Clarksville, Tennessee - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 373 This week, we have a returning guest from Tennessee to tell us about the many positive changes occurring in Clarksville, home of CDE Lightband. Christy Batts, Broadband Division Director at the network joins Christopher; her last appearance on the podcast was in 2013. This time, Christy describes how the community network has been innovating for better services and finding undiscovered benefits for local businesses. Voice service from CDE Lightband, is helping small- and mid-sized establishments cut costs and increase revenue. The city is also implementing a new video platform and continues to increase speeds in order to allow subscribers to make the most of their Internet access. View Transcript
372 Pew Puts State Broadband Policy in One Place - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 372 For community leaders, advocates, and researchers who follow broadband policy, trying to stay up-to-date on the many variations of state policy across the U.S. is a daunting task. As approaches change, the work becomes more complicated. Now, the Pew Charitable Trusts has launched a new tool that helps keep all that information sorted and accessible — the State Broadband Policy Explorer. Manager of the Broadband Research Initiative at Pew Charitable Trusts Kathryn de Wit sits down with Christopher to talk about the tool for this week's podcast. View Transcript
371 Deep Dive Into 5G with PCMag Mobile Expert - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 371 When we released our Pocket Guide to 5G Hype, we expected to see some reactions from others on the unrealistic expectations about 5G. When this week’s guest contacted us because he disagreed with some of the Pocket Guide content, however, we knew we should bring him on the show. View Transcript
370 Realtors a Voice for Property Owners as Colorado Advances Broadband - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 370 Multiple studies in recent years indicate that properties with fast, reliable Internet access sell faster, bring in a higher price, and are in demand by potential buyers. Properties with slow or no Internet access languish. In Colorado, where the market is competitive and broadband is available in a good portion of the state, organizations like the Colorado Association of Realtors play an important role in protecting property owners rights. This week, Vice President of Government Affairs from the Association Elizabeth Peetz stops in to talk with Christopher. View Transcript
369 South Dakota Fiber All About the Local - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 369 When rural Internet access providers work together to reach common goals, they improve their chances of succeeding. Groups such as the South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA) help members get organized and pursue common needs together. The SDTA also provides a way for entities to connect with each other, research common challenges, and discover solutions. This week, SDTA Director of Industry Relations Greg Dean talks with Christopher about fiber optic deployment in South Dakota, a place that has more fiber optic connectivity than most people realize. , View Transcript
368 The State of State Preemption, Nineteen is the Number - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 368 An increasing number of local communities are investigating ways to improve connectivity through municipal networks. Some of these communities must find a way to overcome state laws that preclude them from investing in broadband infrastructure, or have established requirements that make doing so prohibitive. Recently, we’ve seen reports on state laws that inflate the number of states with these types of preemptive barriers in place. It's important that folks researching options for their communities get accurate information, so we decided it was time to address the confusion and recent state changes. View Transcript
367 Clarksville, Arkansas, Building Millennial Mecca with Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 367 John Lester, General Manager of Clarksville Connected Utilities in Arkansas, was on our show several years ago to talk about his work in Chanute, Kansas. Since then, he’s moved on to Clarksville to bring the community's infrastructure up-to-date with fiber. In this interview, John brings along Brian Eisele, President and CEO of the Clarksville - Johnson County Chamber of Commerce, to offer additional perspective. View Transcript
366 Top Experts Sound Off on Sprint and T-Mobile Merger - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 366 The Sprint / T-Mobile merger has been in process for about a year now, with a series of odd, dramatic twists and turns. Recently, a group of state attorneys general sued to stop the transaction. This week, Christopher talks with telecom policy experts Gigi Sohn and Blair Levin to get their takes on the whole affair. , View Transcript
365 Rio Blanco Exceeds Expectations in Colorado - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 365 Rio Blanco County in western Colorado is more than 3,200 square miles with a population of only about 6,400 people in the entire county. Due to the low population density and rural nature of much of the county, large corporate Internet access providers have not felt motivated to invest in broadband access. Thanks to public investment from the county, however, people living in Rio Blanco County are obtaining access to some of the best connectivity in the state. This week, Rio Blanco County’s Communications Director Cody Crooks is at the mic to tell us about their project. View Transcript
364 David Young Shares the Story of Lincoln - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 364 This week, we’re bringing another podcast interview that Christopher conducted while at Mountain Connect in Colorado. David Young, former Fiber Infrastructure and Right-of-Way Manager for the city of Lincoln, Nebraska, sat down to reminisce about the city’s network that began as conduit and has evolved into citywide Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). View Transcript
363 Mammoth Networks Big on Connecting the West - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 363 Summer is the time for the Mountain Connect Broadband Development Conference, one of the events that Christopher is sure to attend every year. This year, it was held in Dillon, Colorado, and while he was enjoying the scenery, he collected a series of interviews. This week we hear from Brian Worthen, CEO of Mammoth Networks. View Transcript
362 Building a New Path Toward Tribal Connectivity - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 362 Matt Rantanen, director of technology at the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association and director of the Tribal Digital Village Network, has been working for years to get tribal communities connected to broadband. In his conversation with Christopher, he talks about his experience with creative wireless solutions, the potential of the Educational Broadband Service (EBS) to get folks connected, and shifting attitudes around the importance of broadband. , View Transcript
361 5G Absurdity, Ammon Affordability, Speed Realities, and USF Caps - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 361 This week, Communications Specialist Jess Del Fiacco interviews Christopher about some of the many events that we’ve been following lately. Jess and Christopher start off the show with a healthy dose of outrage as they comment on an advert from Verizon that takes the 5G hype just a little too far. Next they discuss a recent report from several authors, including Sascha Meinrath at Pennsylvania State University. We helped develop the report, which used data from Measurement Lab (M-Lab) based on real world Internet access speeds as compared to self-reported data from ISPs. View Transcript
360 SiFi Speaks on Fullerton Open Access Project - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 360 This spring, SiFi Networks and Fullerton, California, announced that they will be working together to deploy an open access Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network across the city of 140,000 people. SiFi will fund and build the network and has already signed up two providers to offer Internet access service to the public. This week, Christopher speaks with Ben Bawtree-Johnson, CEO of SiFi Networks. Ben Bawtree View Transcript
359 An Inside Perspective on Urban Fiber Deployment: US Internet's Travis Carter - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 359 We regularly share stories about new fiber optic networks from local communities, cooperatives, and even local independent Internet access companies. Once in a while, we like to get an idea of what practical matters affect deployment and this week, we brought Travis Carter on the show to share his experiences. Travis, CEO of US Internet, has been working within the city of Minneapolis as the company deploys a fiber optic network to serve residents, businesses, and other premises. View Transcript
358 Firefly Fiber All the Buzz in Central Virginia - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 358 The Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC) announced in January 2018 that they had solidified plans to deploy fiber across 14 counties for smart grid operations and to bring Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to the region. The project, dubbed Firefly Fiber Broadband, is underway, and we’ve got President and CEO Gary Wood along with Communications and Member Services Manager Melissa Gay on the podcast this week to discuss the multi-year project. View Transcript
357 Nimble Customer-centric Approach Sets Ting Apart - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 357 In early April while Christopher was at the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, he recorded a series of interviews for the podcast. We’ve been sharing them over the past two months. This week we’re presenting his conversation with Director of Market Development and Government Affairs Monica Webb and Vice President for Networks Adam Eisner from Ting. View Transcript
356 Legislative Intent in Arkansas: A Talk With Senator Davis - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 356 It’s mid-May and while some states’ legislatures are still in session, other’s have already debated new legislation, voted, and adopted new laws. This week, we talk with one Senator from Arkansas who, along with her colleagues, are interested in bringing better broadband to rural areas of her state, Breanne Davis. View Transcript
355 Talking Rural Broadband, the Internet, and Media with Dr. Christopher Ali - Broadband Bits Podcast 355 The Austin, Texas, 2019 Broadband Communities Summit was about a month ago, but we’re still enjoying the experience by sharing Christopher’s onsite podcast interviews. This week, he and University of Virginia Assistant Professor Christopher Ali have an insightful conversation about rural broadband, media, and the Internet — and we get to listen in. View Transcript
354 Highland, Illinois, Always Working for A Better Community Network Experience - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 354 As part of our series of interviews conducted during the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas, earlier in April, we’re sharing Christopher’s interview with Angela Imming. Angela is the Director of Technology and Innovation for the city of Highland, Illinois, home to Highland Communication Services (HCS). View Transcript
353 Doug Dawson Shares Surprises and Safe Bets - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 353 Doug Dawson, President of CCG Consulting and author of the POTS and PANS blog, was willing to sit down with Christopher for episode 353 of the podcast this week. Christopher interviewed Doug in Austin, Texas, at the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit. They discussed all sorts of happenings in the telecommunications and municipal network space. Doug Dawson from CCG Consulting View Transcript
352 Telemedicine Today: More Than Sending X-rays - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 352 This week, we have another interview that Christopher recorded while he was at the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas. Dr. Robert Wack from Westminster, Maryland, where the town is partnering with Ting Internet, sat down for a conversation on telemedicine. View Transcript
351 Spillover and Sharing for Better Connectivity - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 351 There are recognizable and obvious benefits that occur when a fiber is deployed in a community. New access to high-quality connectivity, educational opportunities for students in schools, better reliability, jobs from new employers, and possible ISP competition. Spillover effects also occur, but they may not be as obvious. This week’s guest, entrepreneur Isfandiyar Shaheen, has made it his mission to discover and document the benefits that come to a community when fiber connectivity is available. View Transcript
350 Those Bewitching Broadband Bills; States Making Moves - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 350 Interest in community broadband and broadband service from cooperatives has grown significantly within the past few years. This legislative session, lawmakers in states such as Vermont, North Carolina, and Arkansas, have decided that they’d like to start contributing to new ways to bring better Internet access to their constituents. This week, Christopher and Jess Del Fiacco, our Communications Specialist, sit down to review some of the most recent state bills that we find promising. View Transcript
349 FCC Considers Retroactive Rule Change for Viasat - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 349 Over the past few years, Partner Jonathan Chambers of Conexon has become our “go-to guy” for FCC conversations. This week, he joins us to talk about a recent issue that revolves around the Connect America Fund Phase II auction and one of the grant recipients, Viasat. View Transcript
348 Examining the Internet and Machine Learning with David Weinberger - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 348 We bring listeners many stories from communities across the country who are taking steps to improve connectivity and find better ways to access the Internet. This week, Christopher and his guest talk about why we value the Internet. Author David Weinberger is also a Senior Researcher at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society and a Writer in Residence at Google PAIR. View Transcript
347 Comedian Tackles Connectivity - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 347 On a typical episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, you’ll hear from a guest whose community may be in the process of deploying a publicly owned fiber network, or an elected official who has championed a broadband-friendly policy for their city or town. Sometimes we talk to local business leaders or cooperative board members who’ve led their communities toward better connectivity. For the first time ever, we have a comedian on the show this week — Ron Placone. What does this mean? Not that the issue of publicly owned networks is joke material, but that it’s something that people from all walks of life care about. View Transcript
346 Minnesota Homegrown Connectivity, Christensen Communications - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 346 Brent Christensen, Chief Operating Officer of Christensen Communications, came into our Minneapolis office to sit down and have a chat with Christopher this week for podcast 346. Their interview comes a short time after Christopher and several other Institute for Local Self-Reliance staff took a tour of the Christensen Communications facilities. View Transcript
345 Small Town, Big Connections With Marshall FiberNet - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 345 This week, Marshall FiberNet’s Customer Service and Marketing Manager Jessica Slusarski talks to Christopher about the town’s investment in their community broadband network. Quiet and quaint Marshall, Michigan, didn’t expect to become one of the state’s communities with the best Internet access, but here we are. Like many other small towns where big incumbent providers didn’t want to make infrastructure investments, most of Marshall was stuck with DSL and some premises were still using dial-up connections. Their solution was clear — build a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network. , View Transcript
344 Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative Steps Up, Offers FTTH in Missouri's Bootheel - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 344 Missouri is one of the states where electric cooperatives are taking the lead in bringing high-quality Internet access to rural areas. This week, we talk with Jack Davis, Vice President of IT and Special Projects at Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative. The co-op is in the midst of deploying Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to members in their service area, located in Missouri’s “Bootheel” region. View Transcript
343 Conversing with Crawford: Community Broadband Bits Podcast 343 Harvard Professor, author, and broadband champion Susan Crawford has been incredibly busy ever since she released her latest book Fiber: The Coming Tech Revolution — And Why America Might Miss It. Fortunately for us and our listeners, she hasn’t been too busy to take some time for Community Broadband Bits listeners. She’s here this week to talk about the book, her experiences researching it, and discussing policy recommendations aimed at bringing better connectivity to rural and urban areas. View Transcript
342 RiverStreet Networks Reaching Across Rural North Carolina - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 342 While in North Carolina at the recent Let’s Connect! speaking tour, Christopher sat down with Greg Coltrain, Vice President of Business Development of RiverStreet Networks. Greg participated in panel discussions in all three communities where the community meetings occurred: Albemarle, Fuquay-Varina, and Jacksonville. View Transcript
341 Open Broadband Opening Up Rural Possibilities - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 341 It’s cold in our Minneapolis office this week, but two of our staff — Christopher Mitchell and Katie Kienbaum — are off enjoying mild January weather in North Carolina. They’re conversing with the good folks in three different communities, where they also met up with this week’s podcast interviewee, Alan Fitzpatrick, CEO of Open Broadband. View Transcript
340 Oregon's MINET: New Approach, New Expansion - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 340 Before the Oregon communities of Monmouth and Independence banded together to form MINET, many people in the community were accessing the Internet via old dial-up connections. This week, MINET’s General Manager Don Patten comes on the show to discuss the past, present, and future of the network that has revolutionized connectivity in the far western cities near Salem and Portland. View Transcript
339 Getting Your Community Off to A Quick Start With CN Quickstart - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 339 In September 2018, we announced that we would begin working with NEO Partners LLC to bring the Community Networks Quickstart Program to local communities interested in exploring the possibilities of publicly owned broadband networks. For this week’s podcast, Christopher talks with the people behind the program, Glenn Fishbine and Nancy DeGidio. , View Transcript
338 Taking Control Through Software Defined Networks - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 338 Many of us are accustomed to Internet access from companies that own the infrastructure, offer only a few options, and are one of a small number of providers. For the most part, we've learned to accept that model, but will it ever change? This week’s guest, President of EntryPoint Networks Jeff Christensen, explains why that model is broken and how we can fix it through software defined networks (SDNs). We can turn that model around to put control in the hands of users. View Transcript
337 Predictions for 2019, Year in Review for 2018 - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 337 We left our crystal ball, tarot cards, and astrology charts at home, but that won’t stop us from trying to predict what will happen in 2019 for this week’s annual predictions podcast. Each year, we reflect on the important events related to publicly owned broadband networks and local connectivity that occurred during the year and share our impressions for what we expect to see in the next twelve months. As usual, the discussion is spirited and revealing. View Transcript
336 Telehealth: Promoting Healthier People and Stronger Local Economies - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 336 Many of our regular listeners will recognize this week’s guest voice. Craig Settles has been operating as an industry analyst and consultant since 2006. He’s also host of the Gigabit Nation radio talk show and Director of Communities United for Broadband. In recent years, Craig has focused much of his attention on telehealth and the ways communities large and small can use their broadband infrastructure to implement telehealth applications. The ability to use high-quality connectivity to deliver healthcare has expanded as access to broadband and innovation has increased. Craig describes the ways “telemedicine” has evolved into “telehealth.” In this discussion, Craig and Christopher discuss the ways that telehealth positively impact residents and their healthcare providers. Communities are also discovering that access to online medical care and related applications can spur economic development in rural and urban settings. View Transcript
335 Possibilities, Challenges, Risks : Chicopee, Massachusetts, Considers A Muni - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 335 By the time a local community is ready to light up their municipal fiber optic network, they’ve already invested several years' worth of debate, investigation, and energy. While deploying a network is certainly a complicated task, educating the community, growing support, and helping elected officials determine the best approach is equally difficult. What’s it like in the early stages for those visionaries who feel that their city or town needs a publicly owned option? View Transcript
334 Organizing for Better Broadband in the Portland, Oregon, Region - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 334 This week on the Community Broadband Bits Podcast, we hear from Russell Senior and Michael Hanna from Portland, Oregon. Russell is President of the Personal Telco Project and Michael is a Data Engineer for Multnomah County; both are on the Board of the Municipal Broadband Coalition of America. View Transcript
333 Beyond Mapping With VETRO FiberMap - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 333 Whether it’s a local government or ISP that chooses to invest in fiber optic infrastructure accurate, dependable, mapping is critical before, during, and after initial deployment. This week’s guests deliver that service through VETRO FiberMap. CEO Will Mitchell and COO Sean Myers join Christopher to discuss their mapping platform, the creative ways they use it, and their expectations for the future of fiber networks. View Transcript
332 After 15 Years, OptiLink Still Innovating in Dalton, Georgia - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 332 Dalton, Georgia’s OptiLink has served the community for around 15 years, making it one of the first citywide Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) municipal networks. In this interview, Chief Technical Services Officer of OptiLink and for Dalton Utilities Hank Blackwood talks with Christopher about the past, the present, and the immediate future of OptiLink. , View Transcript
331 UTOPIA Is Not An Unreachable Dream, It's A Network - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 331 When anti-muni groups have taken aim at publicly owned networks, they’ve often put UTOPIA in their crosshairs. The Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency has had times of struggle, but those days seem to be over. The network is expanding, subscribers are touting the benefits that come with the choice of an open access network, and other communities are reaching out to UTOPIA for advice. Days in UTOPIA country are sunny. View Transcript
330 Catching Up in Cali with Jory Wolf - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 330 This week, Christopher presents the last of the interviews he conducted while at the 2018 Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference in Ontario, California, in October. As long as he was in the Golden State, he decided to check in with Jory Wolf, Vice President of Digital Innovation at Magellan Advisors. View Transcript
329 Political Will and Local Broadband Initiatives - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 329 While Christopher was in Ontario, California, at the 2018 Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference, he took advantage of the opportunity and recorded several discussions with experts to share with our Community Broadband Bits Podcast audience. This week, we’re presenting his conversation with Deb Socia, Executive Director of Next Century Cities, and Bob Knight, Executive Vice President and COO of Harrison Edwards. His Public Relations and Marketing Firm has some special insight into the broadband industry. View Transcript
328 Getting Up to Speed With Sandy, Oregon - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 328 For the next few days, Christopher is at the 2018 Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference in Ontario, California. As he always does while he’s out of the office, rubbing elbows with folks from the field, he’s recording some interviews with people like this week’s guest, General Manager of SandyNet and IT Director for the City of Sandy, Oregon. View Transcript
327 Revisiting Reedsburg: LightSpeed's All-Gig Telecommuter Paradise - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 327 It’s been a while since we last visited with Reedsburg Utilities Commission General Manager Brett Schuppner. He’s back on the show again to help us spread the word about this Wisconsin town’s decision to switch all their muni network subscribers to affordable gigabit connectivity and to eliminate all other tiers. View Transcript
326 Small Town Does Fiber Bigger In Texas - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 326 We don’t often get the opportunity to interview people from Texas, so when we heard about Mont Belvieu’s gigabit fiber optic network we knew we had to have them on the show. When we learned that four officials from the east Texas town would join us we said, “Even better!” City Manager Nathan Watkins, Director of Broadband and IT Dwight Thomas, Assistant City Manager Scott Swigert, and Communications and Marketing Director Brian Ligon are on the show this week to talk about their publicly owned network, MB Link. View Transcript
325 Colorado Community WISP Picks Up Slack When Incumbent Fails to Deliver - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 325 When Fairpoint wouldn’t give folks in Crestone, Colorado, what they needed after repeated requests, they decided to take care of it themselves. By 2012, Ralph Abrams and his band of Internet pioneers had created Colorado Central Telecom, providing affordable, dependable fixed wireless service to premises throughout the region at much faster speeds than Fairpoint could ever deliver. In this episode of the podcast, Maisie Ramsay, Marketing and Business Development from the company, tells us more about the company and their work. View Transcript
324 Great Lakes Energy's Big Plan for Big Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 324 Great Lakes Energy (GLE) in Michigan decided in late 2017 to approve a plan to incrementally deploy Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to cooperative members, beginning with a pilot project in Petoskey. This week, Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Energy Optimization Shari Culver from GLE joins Christopher to talk about what could possibly become the largest FTTH project in the state. View Transcript
323 Building Digital Equity in Detroit - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 323 This week on the podcast, we get insight into a community network that puts extra emphasis on the word “community.” Diana Nucera, Director of the Detroit Community Technology Project (DCTP) talks with Christopher about how the people in her city and their diversity are the driving forces behind the connectivity they have created. , View Transcript
322 Stop the Spoof, Resist the Robocall - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 322 Caller ID spoofing, robocalls, and general spam phone calls are one of the hassles of 21st century life. This week on Community Broadband Bits, Christopher and Richard Shockey of Shockey Consulting talk about how the problem has progressed and what leaders in telecommunications are doing about it. View Transcript
321 Analyzing the Auction With Jonathan Chambers - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 321 A year ago, we last had Jonathan Chambers of Conexon on the podcast to discuss the pros and cons of the Connect America Fund. Since then, the FCC has held an auction to expand connectivity in rural areas as part of the Connect America Fund Phase II (Auction 903) and recently released news of the winning bidders. In episode 321 of the podcast, he’s back for another conversation on the process and the results. View Transcript
320 Neighbors Investing Through Neighborly - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 320 Plenty of local communities are interested in the possibilities of creating publicly owned Internet infrastructure but pause when it comes to funding. This week on the podcast, Christopher interviews Jase Wilson, CEO, and Lindsey Brannon, Head of Public Finance, from Neighborly. The firm is working with local communities and using an innovative approach to financing publicly owned infrastructure projects, including broadband networks. View Transcript
319 A Monkeybrainey Plan to Improve Connectivity in San Francisco Public Housing - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 319 Communities who want the best for their citizens typically recognize the importance of digital equity and often take steps to develop digital inclusion programs. Last year on the podcast, we invited folks from the ISP Monkeybrains to explain how they were working with the city of San Francisco to develop a way to provide high-speed connectivity to residents living in several public housing facilities. We decided it was time to share the details of their model so other communities could consider their approach as a workable plan. Our summer Public Policy Intern Hannah Rank took on the task of writing a detailed report about the project. This week, she sat down with Christopher to offer a preview of what she’s learned. View Transcript
318 Are CAF II Investments Helping Rural Minnesota? Blandin Report Looks at the Data - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 318 In the most recent report from the Blandin Foundation, Researcher Bill Coleman from Community Technology Advisors and his crew put boots to the ground to examine the results of Connect America Fund (CAF II) investments. Bill recently visited our office in Minneapolis to discuss the report with Christopher for episode 318 of the  podcast. View Transcript
Sometimes Things Don't Go As Planned - Pardon Our Podcast Delay They say the “finger of fate” is fickle, but this week it was our recording equipment that turned on us. Unfortunately, time constraints and prior commitments didn’t allow Christopher the opportunity to make a useable recording of his interview with Bill Coleman from Community Technology Advisors Bill was going to be our guest for episode 318. As a result, we’ve had to shuffle schedules and episode 318 will be available later this week. Thanks for your patience! View Transcript
317 Mapping Monopolies and Making Recommendations - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 317 If you haven’t already taken a look at our most recent report, now is your chance to get some insight before you download it and dive in. Profiles of Monopoly: Big Cable and Telecom, written by our Hannah Trostle, recently left ILSR to attend grad school, and Christopher Mitchell, transforms FCC Form 477 data into a series of maps that reveal a sad state of competition in the U.S. broadband market. For episode 317 of the podcast, Hannah and Christopher discuss the report and the main findings. View Transcript
316 Mason County PUD 3 Uses Innovation for Strategic Deployment - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 316 When we spoke with Justin Holzgrove, Mason PUD 3 Telecommunications & Community Relations Manager, back in October 2017, we discussed how the public utility district in Washington was about to embark on expanding its services. This week, Justin is back and he’s joined by Isak Finer, who works as Chief Marketing Officer for COS Systems. The company is helping Mason PUD 3 develop strategic deployment plan with COS Service Zones, their demand aggregation tool. Isak Finer View Transcript
315 Vistabeam Internet: Driven to Connect Rural Communities - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 315 When you hear founder and CEO Matt Larson talk about his company Vistabeam Internet, you’ll understand he and his team received the 2018 Provider of the Year Award at Mountain Connect. At the conference in June, Matt sat down with Christopher to discuss what it’s like to be in his shoes — starting up and operating a wireless Internet service company primarily in the rural areas in some of the most rural areas of the country. View Transcript
314 DMEA Co-op Serving Up Broadband and Innovation in Colorado - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 314 An increasing number of local communities in Colorado are finding ways to improve rural connectivity. The Delta Montrose Electric Association (DMEA), a cooperative bringing electricity to approximately 28,000 members in southwest Colorado is in the midst of Elevate, their Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network that will, when complete, connect all co-op members. We’ve brought co-op Board Members John Gavin and Brad Harding on the show this week to talk about the project and DMEA. View Transcript
313 Catching Up With Terry Huval from Lafayette - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 313 We’ve been following the community of Lafayette, Louisiana, and their LUS Fiber community network from the early days. Director of Utilities Terry Huval was one of the people responsible for bringing high-quality Internet access to the community back in 2009. Terry is about to retire so we wanted to have one more conversation with him before he pursues a life of leisure. View Transcript
312 At the State Level With Tony Neal-Graves in Colorado - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 312 The State of Colorado has made some changes in the past few years that are improving broadband deployment, especially in rural areas. In this episode of the podcast, Christopher talks about some of those changes with Tony Neal-Graves, Executive Director of the Colorado Broadband Office. While Christopher was in Vail at the Mountain Connect event, he and Tony sat down to have a conversation about broadband and deployment in Colorado. , View Transcript
311 Larimer County, Colorado, Interpreting Early Feasibility Results - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 311 Late last year, Larimer County, Colorado, commissioned a broadband feasibility study to examine the possible solutions toward better connectivity across its more than 2,600 square miles. This week, three guests from Larimer County are here to discuss the community’s plan as it’s taking shape, Broadband Program Manager Drew Davis, Director of Economic and Workforce Development Jacob Castillo, and CIO Mark Pfaffinger. The interview was one of several Christopher conducted while at the Mountain Connect conference in Vail. View Transcript
310 Cortez Discovering Future Possibilities With Muni Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 310 Cortez, Colorado, has been serving public facilities, community anchor institutions (CAIs), and businesses officially since 2011. In 2015, they expanded to bring fiber connectivity to more businesses; today, seven providers offer services on their open access infrastructure. Now, Cortez is ready to take the next step by offering retail services to residents as an ISP; they’re engaged in a pilot project that will help them determine the best way to move forward. This week, General Services Director Rick Smith joins Christopher to discuss past, present, and future in this town of approximately 9,000. View Transcript
309 Making A Broadband Utility in Maine - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 309 The Maine towns of Baileyville and Calais are known for their beautiful scenery and their clean rural lifestyle; soon the region will also be known for its broadband. The two communities have joined together to form the Downeast Broadband Utility (DBU) in order to develop a regional fiber optic network for businesses and residents. Julie Jordan, Director of DBU has joined Christopher this week to talk about the project. View Transcript
308 Postmortem in Wyoming: Cheyenne Mayor on Interrupted Legislation - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 308 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. View Transcript
307 Don't Forget the Financing! - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 307 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. View Transcript
306 Doug Dawson, Broadband Industry Guru - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 306 Doug Dawson and his firm, CCG Consulting, recently marked their 20th year working in the telecommunications industry. Doug belongs to a small cadre of professionals who have the technical expertise and policy knowledge to set them apart. Listen to Christopher and Doug's conversation at the Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, for episode 306 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. Doug Dawson from CCG Consulting View Transcript
305 Digging Into the Details With RVA Market Research & Consulting - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 305 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. View Transcript
304 Grassroots for Better Connectivity in Cambridge, Massachusetts - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 304 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 Cambridge. As one of the city's fiercest municipal network advocates, Saul started the group when city efforts at better connectivity hit a brick wall. View Transcript
303 State Legislatures Take Action On Broadband - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 303 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 have been taken up at state Capitols. View Transcript
HBC Spreads The Know-How: Working With Others To Improve Rural Connectivity 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 to listen to episode 297, when Gary and Christopher concentrate on the history of the company. View Transcript
301 Wireless And Wired; US Internet Knows Both - Community Broadband Bits 301 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 both wireless and fiber networks in Minneapolis. View Transcript
300 Neighbors Helping Neighbors For Fiber In Rural Tennessee: Newport And Morristown Join Forces - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 300 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 in Tennessee, for episode 300 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. View Transcript
299 Straight Talk About 5G; Potential, Limitations, Hype - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 299 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 some time during the conference to sit down with the mics and have a conversation for episode 299 of the podcast. View Transcript
298 Central Vermont Internet: Communities Commit To Communications Union District - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 298 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 298 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher interviews Jeremy Hansen, local Select Board Member and the person who spearheaded the effort to bring the issue to voters in his region. View Transcript
297 Hiawatha Broadband Communications: One Of The Small Players That Helped Shape The Internet - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 297 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 frontiers in bringing the Internet to everyday folks, Gary Evans. Gary is retired now, but he spent many years developing a company that is now known as Hiawatha Broadband Communications, or HBC. , View Transcript
296 Fibering Up Emmett, Idaho - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 296 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. View Transcript
295 Santa Cruz County Moving Beyond Incumbent Inaction - Community Broadband Bits 295 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 plans. , View Transcript
294 Virginia's Eastern Shore Broadband Authority Steadily Expands Fiber Network - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 294 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 how it was initially funded with grants that were later repayed because the network was so successful. They also used some community development block grants though the network has since expanded with its own revenues. View Transcript
293 Arlington Expands Internet Access for Low-Income Households - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 293 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, Arlington Mill, will feature affordable Internet access delivered via Wi-Fi for low-income families. It was financed in part with Tax Increment Financing and required a collaboration between multiple departments to create. View Transcript
292 FairlawnGig Keeps Businesses in Town, Attracts More - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 292 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 ago in episode 201. Fairlawn is located near Akron and a city without a municpal electric utility. Though they started expecting to work with a local partner ISP, they quickly decided it would be better to both own and operate the network. View Transcript
291 Wilson Tackles Digital Divide with Pay Ahead Option - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 291 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. Will Aycock, General Manager of Greenlight Community Broadband, is back once again to discuss another new program they have developed - a new billing option that unlocks broadband access particularly among low-income households with low credit ratings. View Transcript
Wrestling With Redlining in Cleveland, Lessons For All 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 key lessons. View Transcript
289 Retail Muni Fiber Networks Charge Less - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 289 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 discuss the study, conclusions, and challenges. He was last on episode 162 to talk about a report they did on muni fiber in Massachusetts. View Transcript
288 North Dakota's Exceptional Fiber Networks - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 288 With only about 757,000 residents and more than 710,000 square miles North Dakota is ranked 53rd in population density among U.S. states, territories, and Washington DC. There may not be many people there, but North Dakota has some of the best connectivity in the United States. Why? Rural cooperatives and independent companies have made continued investments. View Transcript
287 The Challenge of Mobile Only - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 287 With the Federal Communications Commission Republicans poised to redefine broadband to include slow, unreliable, and often bandwidth-capped mobile service, we talk with two high school students from southeast Ohio, Herron Linscott and Lilah Gagne, that have succeeded despite the lack of fixed broadband access in their homes. Soon the FCC may include those homes as having broadband though they clearly don't fit the description of what any sane person would call advanced telecommunications. View Transcript
286 2017 in Review and a Preview of 2018 - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 286 It is that time of year - as 2017 draws to a close, we pulled Nick, Hannah, Lisa, and myself back into a podcast to talk about the predictions we made one year ago on episode 234. And despite having to deal with our failed predictions from last year, we dive right into making more predictions for next year. View Transcript
285 Catching up with Lincoln on Fiber, 5G, and US IGNITE - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 285 David Young is a veteran of our Community Broadband Bits podcast, having been interviewed in episodes 182, 228, and 238. For reasons that are beyond this interviewer, he still has a job in Lincoln as the Fiber Infrastructure and Right of Way Manager. Just kidding David - you are such a friendly person I cannot help but say mean things about you due to my own character flaws. Don't worry folks, I'm just a little bit anxious to get out of 2017 alive. And does anyone actually read these podcast descriptions anyway? View Transcript
284 Discussing the Digital Divides On Road to Digital Equity - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 284 If everyone subscribed to Internet access, the business models for supplying it would be much easier. But there are strong reasons for why many are locked out of Internet access today, a subject we explore with National Digital Inclusion Alliance Executive Director Angela Siefer in episode 284 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. We discussed what digital inclusion is and what prevents people from subscribing to the Internet. There are no solutions to these problems from the federal or state levels - the most promising solutions are bubbling up from communities. Angela tells us how. View Transcript
283 Reinventing Burlington Telecom - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 283 We're continuing the interviews Christopher conducted while at the November Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference in Atlanta; this week, he's talking with Stephen Barraclough, General Manager for Burlington Telecom (BT) in Vermont. Stephen has worked diligently to reinvigorate and preserve the publicly owned network that, regardless of troubles, has been popular with subscribers. View Transcript
282 Organizing For a Community Network, Against Big Cable - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 282 Fort Collins, like more than 100 communities in Colorado, had already opted out of the state law that requires a referendum prior to a city or county investing in an Internet network, even with a partner. But it went back to another referendum a few weeks ago to amend its city charter to create a telecommunications utility (though it has not yet decided whether it will partner or operate its own network). View Transcript
281 Another Perspective on Policy From American Action Forum - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 281 Christopher went to Atlanta for the Broadband Communities Economic Development Conference in early November, and while he was there, he touched base with this week’s guest Will Rinehart. Will is the Director of Technology and Innovation Policy at the American Action Forum, a DC nonprofit organization that’s been around since 2009. View Transcript
280 NC Hearts Gigabit - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 280 NC Hearts Gigabit is a grassroots group recently launched in North Carolina that aims to dramatically improve Internet access and utilization across the state. We caught up with Economic Development Consultant Christa Wagner Vinson, CEO of Open Broadband Alan Fitzpatrick, and Partner of Broadband Catalysts Deborah Watts to discuss what they are doing. View Transcript
279 Lessons From the Nation's Oldest Open Access Fiber Network - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 279 Grant County's Public Utility District was, along with some nearby PUDs, among the very first deployers of Fiber-to-the-Home networks shortly after the turn of the millennium. And per Washington's law, they built an open access network that today has more than twenty service providers. View Transcript
278 Intelligent Communities In Dublin, Ohio, And Beyond - Community Broadband Bits Episode 278 As an increasing number of communities invest in and explore the advantages of publicly owned networks, Christopher finds himself making more trips to cities and towns across the country. In addition to sharing what we discover about all the communities we research, he absorbs what he can from others who also document the way local folks are optimizing connectivity. Sometimes, he’s able to interview people like this week’s guest, Dana McDaniel from Dublin, Ohio. View Transcript
277 Kit Carson Fibers up New Mexico - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 277

The Kit Carson Electric Cooperative serves rural north central New Mexico and has been an early investor in a fiber-optic network that has brought high quality Internet service to a state largely s

View Transcript
276 Allband All-in For Rural Michigan Internet Access - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 276 After being told by the large telephone incumbent that he could pay a nominal fee in rural Michigan to get phone service, John Reigle built a home. And when the telephone company changed its mind after quoting an outrageous price, he created a cooperative that is building fiber networks in a very rural region of Michigan. View Transcript
275 Garrett County Builds Better Connections By Combining Technologies in Rural Maryland - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 275 Maryland may be home to our nation’s bustling, urban capital, but on the other side of the state are the Appalachians and many rural communities that struggle with poor Internet access. One of those communities is Garrett County. Residents, businesses, and institutions have limped along for years using outdated connections.  Some people don’t have any access to the Internet; all that is changing. View Transcript
274 Mason PUD 3 Responds to Muni Fiber Demand with Fiberhoods - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 274 Mason PUD 3 Telecommunications & Community Relations Manager Justin Holzgrove and Public Information & Government Relations Manager Joel Myer join us for episode 274 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast to discuss how they are expanding their open access fiber optic network to the public after seeing tremendous support not just for Internet access but specifically for the PUD to build the infrastructure. View Transcript
273 Louisville To Save Big With Embattled Anchor Network - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 273 Back in June, Louisville had a close call with missing a key opportunity to build municipal fiber to local anchor institutions at a substantially reduced cost. An anti-muni broadband group pushed hard to disrupt the project but city staff educated metro council-members and moved forward with a unanimous vote. Louisville Chief of Civic Innovation Grace Simrall and Civic Technology Manager Chris Seidt join us for episode 273 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast to discuss the project and the importance of educating local decision-makers well in advance of they decisions. View Transcript
272 Referendum Lights Up Lyndon Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 272 Michigan's Lyndon Township set a local election turnout record in August when voters supported a measure to build a municipal fiber network by 2:1 margin. The initiative was largely organized and supported by the Michigan Broadband Cooperative, a local effort to improve Internet access in the community. To better understand their approach, organizing, and future plans, we have three guests on episode 272 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. Ben Fineman volunteers as the president of the Michigan Broadband Cooperative, Marc Keezer is the Lyndon Township Supervisor, and Gary Munce led the ballot campaign and is also a board member of the Michigan Broadband Cooperative. View Transcript
271 Fiber For All and More - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 271 After a friendly coup in the offices of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Hannah has taken the podcast host chair from Christopher for episode 271 of the Community Broadband Bits. Hannah grills Christopher on where he has recently traveled, interesting lessons, and recent news around community broadband. (Christopher mentions a great event in Pittsfield. View Transcript
270 Uncommon Knowledge of Common Carriage - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 270 The modern fight over network neutrality isn't a few years old. It is well over 1,000 years old across a variety of infrastructures and is totally wrapped up in a legal concept known as common carriage that has governed many kinds of "carriers" over the years. Few, if any, are as conversant in this subject as Barbara Cherry - a lawyer and PH.D in communications. She has worked in industry for 15 years, at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for five years, and is currently a professor in the Media School at Indiana University. View Transcript
269 Holland's Muni Fiber Pilot Expands in Michigan - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 269 Holland is expanding its pilot area for municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) services in Michigan's Dutch outpost. To explain the past, present, and expected future of muni fiber in Holland, Broadband Services Manager Pete Hoffswell for the Board of Public Works, joins us in episode 269 of the Broadband Bits podcast. The city has some 25 years of experience with dark fiber and open access with 6 ISPs serving some 200+ business locations. In recent years it has looked to expand that network, starting with a gigabit passive optical network (GPON) network in the higher density areas of downtown. View Transcript
268 Jon Chambers: Rethinking The Rules on The Connect America Fund - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 268 Jon Chambers, a partner at Conexon, returns to visit us this week to talk about rural connectivity and the approaching Connect America Fund (CAF) auction. Conexon works with electric cooperatives to establish high-quality Internet networks for members, typically in rural areas where national providers don’t offer the kinds of services communities need. View Transcript
267 Spiral Investing in Rural California While AT&T Invests in Sacramento - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 267 With the right policies and local investment, Spiral Internet could bring high quality Internet access to much of northern California. Spiral is a small private company and its CIO, Michael Anderson, talks with us today for episode 267 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. We discuss Spiral's enthusiasm for open access fiber networks and how the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is funding some rural Internet investment. In particular, we get a sense of how Spiral is making the transition from reselling DSL to fighting for open fiber networks in rural California. , View Transcript
266 Benoit Felten of Diffraction Analysis Talks Global Strategies - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 266 When policy and decision makers discuss how to improve connectivity in the U.S., they often compare Internet access in other parts of the world to connectivity in America. We can learn from efforts in other places. Benoit Felten, CEO of Diffraction Analysis, has analyzed business models, approaches, and infrastructure development all across the globe. His company has studied infrastructure and Internet access from short-term and long-term perspectives through the multi-faceted lens of international economies. Benoit joins us for episode 266, his second appearance on the Community Broadband Bits podcast. View Transcript
265 Pasadena Benefits From Municipal Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 265 It shouldn't be surprising that the city that is home to CalTech and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory needs high-quality connectivity. Those institutions are part of the reason Pasadena began investing in its own fiber network. To learn the other reasons and how they went about it, Pasadena's Telecom & Regulatory Administrator Lori Sandoval joins us on Community Broadband Bits podcast 265. View Transcript
264 Connecting San Francisco Low-Income Housing with Monkey Brains - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 264 After we saw April Glaser's article on a local San Francisco ISP connecting low-income housing to high-quality Internet access, we knew we wanted to learn more. Preston Rhea is the Senior Field Engineer for Monkey Brains and someone we knew from his work with the Open Technology Institute at New America. He joins us with Mason Carroll, Lead Engineer for Monkey Brains, to explain what they are doing in Hunters Point and more broadly across San Francisco. View Transcript
263 Dark Fiber Brightens Downtown Business Climate in Eugene - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 263 Eugene is a good example of recent public-public partnerships developing to expand fiber optic Internet access. The city of 166,000 in Oregon helped finance a downtown dark fiber network by the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB), which is publicly owned but has an independent governing board from the city. Eugene's Economic Development Planner Anne Fifield and EWEB Engineering Technician Nick Nevins joined us for episode 263 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast to discuss the project and early results. View Transcript
262 Microsoft Supercharges TV White Spaces - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 262 After a recent announcement from Microsoft committing to building rural networks using TV white spaces [NYT, Ars Technica stories], we asked Public Knowledge Senior Vice President and long-time TVWS enthusiast Harold Feld to explain the significance. We discuss what TVWS are and why this announcement is such a big deal given that we have previously covered multiple deployments of TVWS over the years. In short, Microsoft's commitment can drive TVWS from niche to mainstream. View Transcript
261 Sonic Suggests Dark Fiber for Munis - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 261 Sonic is one of the best ISPs in the nation - well beloved by its California subscribers and policy geeks like us in part because of its CEO and Co-Founder, Dane Jasper. Dane combines a tremendous amount of technical and business knowledge in a thoughtful and friendly personality. And while we don't always agree, we are always interested in what he is thinking about. View Transcript
260 Broadband Planning and How Government Creates Markets - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 260 Just what does it take to have a market? It may be more complicated than you think -- and in large part because of the things most of us don't notice that governments do. We discuss this and the role of broadband planners with Alex Marshall on Community Broadband Bits podcast 260. Alex is the author of The Surprising Design of Market Economies, a columnist for Governing magazine, and Senior Fellow at the Regional Plan Association in New York City. In the course of our conversation, he notes the Portland Speech from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. View Transcript
259 Ammon Examines Muni Fiber Impact - Community Broadband Bits 259 For episode 259 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we are going back to the well in Ammon, Idaho - one of the most creative and forward-thinking fiber network deployments in the country. Strategic Networks Group has completed a study examining the impact of Ammon's open muni fiber network on local businesses and residents. To discuss the results, we welcome back Ammon Technology Director Bruce Patterson and SNG President Michael Curri. After a quick reminder of how Ammon's network works and what SNG does, we dive into how Ammon's network has materially benefited the community. View Transcript
258 Roosevelt Institute Argues for Better Broadband Policy - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 258 As the telecommunications and broadband market has become more and more consolidated, it has drawn more attention, leading to more attention from people that actually care about functioning markets. Enter the Roosevelt Institute and their report, Crossed Lines: Why the AT&T-Time Warner Merger Demands a New Approach to Antitrust. View Transcript
257 Chattanooga Fiber Surpasses Expectations, Offers Lessons - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 257 One of the very many treats at Mountain Connect this year was a keynote from Chattanooga EPB's Director of Fiber Technology, Colman Keane. (Watch it here.) After discussing their remarkable successes, we snagged an interview with him (he was last on the show for episode 175). We discuss whether or not Chattanooga is an appropriate role model for other cities considering a municipal fiber investment and the general viability of citywide approaches in the current market. View Transcript
256 Colorado Chooses to Subsidize DSL Rather than Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 256 In an exciting milestone, this is podcast 100000000. Or 256 in decimal - you know, for the squares. While at the always-amazing Mountain Connect event in Colorado, I snagged an interview with Doug Seacat of Deeply Digital and Clearnetworx. They sought a grant from the Colorado Broadband Fund to deploy fiber and wireless to underserved Ridgway in western Colorado. View Transcript
255 Considering PPPs, Marketing For Munis - Broadband Bits Podcast 255 While attending the Broadband Communities Summit in Dallas, Christopher had the opportunity to interview some of the people he’s been wanting get on the show, including Kyle Hollifield, Senior Vice President from Magellan Advisors. Magellan and Kyle have been working with a growing list of communities across the country exploring opportunities to improve local connectivity. In addition to helping communities find ways to bring better telecommunications services to residents, local leaders are turning to Kyle and Magellan for advice on what to do about better connectivity for businesses, community anchor institutions, and government facilities. Kyle and Christoper discuss the considerations local communities wrestle with as they search for the best approach for their unique situation. View Transcript
254 NYC Works With Grassroots for Low-Income Access - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 254 Some time ago, when speaking with Joshua Breitbart, the Senior Advisor for Broadband to the New York City CTO Miguel Gamiño, he mentioned to me that any subset of the issues they face with regard to improving Internet access in New York City is itself a massive issue. Joshua joins us to elaborate on that challenge and an exciting project that points to the way to solving some of their problems on episode 254 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. View Transcript
253 Great Community Advice and Colorado Update - Broadband Bits Podcast 253 Bonus episode! We did several interviews while at the Broadband Communities Summit and Dallas, so we are publishing two episodes this week. Diane Kruse joined us for today's discussion, episode 253, with an update about progress around community broadband in Colorado and great advice for communities considering an investment. View Transcript
252 Update on Westminster's High Profile PPP Network - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 252 If you picked up the Institute for Local Self-Reliance dictionary, under "public-private partnership," it would say "See Westminster and Ting fiber-optic network." We discussed it with Westminster City Council President Robert Wack in episode 100 of Community Broadband Bits and he rejoins us for episode 252 to update us on the progress they have made. View Transcript
251 ECFiber Connecting Rural Vermonters To The Speed They Need - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 251 We’ve been covering the East-Central Vermont Community Fiber-Optic Network (ECFiber) since 2009; it has come a long way from inception. ECFiber is a group of rural Vermont towns that are working together to deploy a regional network to offer high-quality Internet access to communities typically stuck with slow, unreliable connections such as DSL and dial-up. In this episode, Christopher talks with Carole Monroe, CEO of ValleyNet, and Irv Thomae, District Chairmen of ECFiber’s Governing Board. The not-for-profit ValleyNet operates the ECFiber network. Carole Monroe View Transcript
250 Policies to Make Markets Work - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 250 The larger focus of our work in the Community Broadband Networks Initiative is to ensure communities have the networks they need. Our guest for Community Broadband Bits episode 250 is an expert in how markets break and the policies that make them work. Gary Reback is a well known Silicon Valley lawyer and Of Counsel at Carr Ferrell LLP. He also wrote an excellent book, Free the Market: Why Only Government Can Keep the Marketplace Competitive that I fully recommend. Reback has had a front-row seat to the failings of government policy that has allowed a few technology firms to garner so much market power today. View Transcript
249 Rural Electric Co-ops as Reluctant Warriors for Broadband - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 249 As we continue to cover the growing movement of rural electric cooperatives to bring high quality Internet networks to their members, we wanted to bring Alyssa Clemsen-Roberts back on the show. Alyssa was last on the show for episode 109 and has since moved from the Utilities Telecom Council to Pedernales Electric Co-op in Texas. Though Pedernales is not considering a major broadband investment, Alyssa's insights from her years working with many electric utilities are valuable in understanding what electric co-ops have to consider before making a network investment. View Transcript
248 LanCity Connect Partnership Brings Gig to Southeast Pennsylvania - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 248 Located in southeast Pennsylvania, Lancaster will soon have some of the fastest Internet access in the entire state due to its partnership with a local telecommunications firm, MAW Communications. We reported on many details about this approach here, but Community Broadband Bits podcast episode 248 offers an in-depth look. Lancaster Business Administrator Patrick Hopkins and MAW Communications Operations Director Brian Kelly joined me to talk about the history of their partnership and the next big step: a citywide gigabit fiber-optic network. View Transcript
247 Using Fiber for Smart Grid and the Pole Problem in Nashville - Community Broadband Bits 247 While at the annual Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Broadband Conference, I forced Ken Demlow to be our guest on Community Broadband Bits Podcast 247. Ken is the Sales Director for Newcom Technologies, where he has worked with many different fiber-optic deployments on the ground and is a fun guy to talk to more generally. Our discussion focuses on two main topics - the benefits of using fiber-optic connections to smart-grid applications rather than relying on wireless and the challenges that Google faced in getting on the poles in Nashville to build its fiber-optic network (which seems to be stalled). View Transcript
246 Feasibility Study? How to Start a Community Network - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 246 After discussing this issue time and time again, with community after community, we finally recorded our thoughts on how communities should get started when considering a community network. Eric Lampland, the guy behind Lookout Point Communications, is our guest on Community Broadband Bits podcast episode 246. We talk about common mistakes and the importance of developing a comprehensive vision when evaluating an investment or partnership to improve Internet access. View Transcript
245 netBlazr Offering Blazing Fast Fixed Wireless - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 245 Like other urban centers in the U.S., Boston is filled with multi dwelling units (MDUs) and buildings that house multiple business tenants. Obtaining high-quality connectivity in such an environment can be a challenge, especially if choices are limited to just one or two incumbents with little or no competition. With the advancement of new fixed wireless technologies in recent years, however, residential and business subscribers now have better options. View Transcript
244 West Plains Builds Network to Preserve Jobs - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 244 West Plains is one of the many population centers of rural regions that have been left behind by big cable and telephone companies. Located in the scenic Ozarks of southern Missouri, they are taking their digital future into their own hands with a modest fiber-optic investment. City Administrator Tom Stehn strolls by our podcast this week to discuss what they are doing and why with a municipal fiber network that will connect anchor institutions and local businesses with high-quality Internet access. View Transcript
243 What's NEXT In North Arkansas? - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 243 As an increasing number of rural electric cooperatives are working to bring high-quality Internet access to their members, we’re learning more about new projects and the people behind them. This week, we talk with the CEO of the North Arkansas Electric Cooperative, Mel Coleman. As an added bonus, we get Mel’s insight as President of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). View Transcript
242 Susan Crawford's Road Trip - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 242 Susan Crawford has come back to the podcast to tell us about her recent travels in North Carolina and Tennessee, talking to people on the ground that have already built fiber-optic networks or are in the midst of figuring out how to get them deployed. Susan is a professor at Harvard Law, the author of The Responsive City: Engaging Communities Through Data-Smart Governance and Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age, and a champion for universal high quality Internet access. View Transcript
241 The Cable UnBundling Challenge - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 241 One of the most recurring complaints about cable television is the bundles - people resent having to pay for channels that they do not watch. Especially when those cable prices go up consistently. The cable companies tend to absorb most of the blame and anger for this model, but they aren't entirely responsible. To explain how the cable industry works, Public Knowledge Senior Counsel John Bergmayer joins us for Episode 241 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. We talk about overlapping monopolies, market power, and how the cable companies themselves are somewhat imprisoned by content owners. View Transcript
240 United Fiber Tackles Missouri's Most Rural - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 240 The most rural area of Missouri is getting a Fiber-to-the-Home network from the United Electric Cooperative, which has created United Fiber and is expanding across its footprint and to adjacent areas that want better Internet access. Chief Development Officer Darren Farnan joins us to explain why his co-op has taken these steps. We discuss how they are rolling it out - focusing on areas that need the service while respecting the telephone cooperatives that are within their electric footprint. The project has benefited from a broadband stimulus award and also incorporates fixed wireless technology in some areas. View Transcript
239 Small Cells, Fiber, and Local Governments - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 239 After last week's podcast on Lincoln and its small cell policy, we wanted to offer a longer discussion about small cell wireless technology and the policy around it. Crown Castle is a firm focused on enabling wireless solutions and Acquisitions Manager in Corporate Development Strategy Duffy Newman joins us for episode 239 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. We explore what small cells are and how important they are to the future of improved wireless access. These devices are usually connected by fiber and allow an existing wireless service to improve bandwidth and reliability. Duffy offers the example of Philadelphia during the Pope's visit as a particularly good example of small cells in action. View Transcript
238 Small Cells Yield Big Results In Lincoln - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 238 We’ve been covering happenings in Lincoln, Nebraska for several years now. The city’s Right of Way Manager David Young joins us for episode 238 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. David is a returning guest; this week, he’s here to talk about Lincoln’s new venture into small cell technology. The state imposes restrictions on municipalities in Nebraska. Nevertheless, Lincoln has found a way to make a smart investment in conduit and public fiber to create a welcoming environment for providers. An extensive conduit network and smart local policies in Lincoln have improved competition, expanded access, and now the small cell program is improving mobile broadband. View Transcript
237 Kitsap Residents Demand Fiber - And Get it - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 237 When we first learned of the Lookout Lane fiber-optic project in the Kitsap Public Utility District in Washington, we knew we wanted to learn more. Kitsap PUD General Manager Bob Hunter and Telecommunications Superintendent Paul Avis join us for episode 237 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. KPUD has historically focused on water and wastewater services but they increasingly hear from residents and businesses that Internet access is a major priority. We talk about their approach and how neighborhoods are able to petition KPUD to build fiber to them. The first area to use this option had very poor Internet access from the incumbent telephone provider. View Transcript
236 Wilson Greenlight, Public Housing Authority Solve Access Gap - Community Broadband Bits Episode 236 From our research, we believe the municipal fiber-optic network in Wilson, North Carolina, has the best low-income Internet access program in the nation. Called Greenlight, the fiber network has led to job growth and been a financial success. And now it also offers $10 per month 50 Mbps symmetrical Internet access to those living in housing units owned by the public housing authority. Greenlight General Manager Will Aycock is back again to tell us about this program and is joined by two additional guests: CEO and President Kelly Vick from the Wilson Housing Authority and Wilson Communications and Marketing Director Rebecca Agner. View Transcript
235 Erwin Deploys Phased Fiber Plan - Community Broadband Bits 235 Nestled in the Cherokee National Forest on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, not far from Virginia, is Erwin. Erwin Utilities runs the water, wastewater, and electricity for the town of 6,000 and long wanted to invest in a fiber network. After years of following industry trends, they developed a plan to build it and tell us how in Community Broadband Bits episode 235. General Manager Lee Brown and Fiber-Optic Engineer John Williams join us to discuss what started as a pilot project but is now an incremental plan to connect the entire community with a Fiber-to-the-Home network offering high speed Internet access and telephone service. View Transcript
Community Broadband Bits Podcast Will Be Back Next Week Due to illness during the past few weeks, Christopher has been out of commission, in a podcasting sense. He’s on the upswing now, but we’ve decided to give him the week off so he can come back strong for the first podcast of 2017. In the mean time, we hope you will expand your ILSR podcast menu and listen in to Christopher’s other production, the Building Local Power podcast. We recorded episode #8 earlier in December and posted it last week so it’s still fresh. In the podcast, Christopher interviews Olivia LaVecchia of the Community-Scaled Economies initiative, Karlee Weinmann of the Energy Democracy initiative, and Nick Stumo-Langer, ILSR’s Communication Manager. View Transcript
234 2016 Review, 2017 Predictions - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 234 It's that time of year - for reflection of the past and thinking about the future. Lisa, Nick, Hannah, and I discuss the previous year and then make some predictions for next year. Along the way, we have some banter and occasionally an insightful comment if you listen hard enough. View Transcript
233 Bozeman Unique Fiber Model Gets Good Start - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 233 This week, we return to Bozeman's unique model in Montana to get an update now that the network is up and running. President of Bozeman Fiber Anthony Cochenour and city of Bozeman Economic Development Director Brit Fontenot join us again to discuss their unique approach. We last spoke with them on episode 142. We discuss how they are doing two months after launching the network. With five ISPs already using it to deliver services a several more in the process of signing up, they are on target for where they hoped to be. Anthony Cochenour, Brit Fontenot View Transcript
232 Osage and the Iowa Legislature - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 232 Located in northwest Iowa, Osage has been an innovative utility leader with forward-looking investments in both telecommunications and clean energy with wind and solar. Osage Municipal Utilites General Manager Josh Byrnes joins us for Community Broadband Bits podcast 232. He is also in the midst of retiring after 3 terms in the Iowa Legislature. Osage built a hybrid fiber coaxial cable network many years ago that they are considering upgrading to being fully fiber-optic following a lot of community support for next-generation connectivity and most importantly, greater reliability. View Transcript
231 San Francisco Proposal For Tenant ISP Choice - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 231 Cities across America are implementing policies that create friendly environments for Internet Service Providers in order to encourage competition. In San Francisco, the Board of Supervisors is now considering legislation that will create choice for residents or businesses in multi-welling units, or MDUs. In episode 231, Mark Farrell, a member of the Board of Supervisors, joins us to discuss the proposal. View Transcript
230 The Deep History of Chattanooga's Fiber Network - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 230 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 Chattanooga's nation-leading fiber network and how the culture of the electric utility had to be changed long before it began offering services to the public. We also talk about the role of public power in building fiber networks. View Transcript
229 Rural Electrics Solve Rural Internet Access Problems - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 229 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 Policy Analysis. Jon is a strong proponent for ensuring rural residents and businesses have at least the same quality Internet access as urban areas. We talk about his experience and frustration at the FCC, which was content to shovel money at telcos for the most basic infrastructure rather than setting higher expectations to ensure everyone had decent Internet access. We talk about how Co-Mo rolled out fiber to its members without federal assistance, inspiring electric cooperatives around the nation to follow suit. View Transcript
228 City of Lincoln Conduit Spurs FTTH, School Network Innovation - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 228 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 to. We are once again joined by David Young, Fiber Infrastructure and Right of Way Manager in the Public Works Department. We offer a shorter background about the history of the project before focusing on the franchise they developed with local ISP Allo. Allo is building citywide Fiber-to-the-Home and has agreed to provision 15 VLANs at every endpoint. We talk about what that means and implications for schools specifically. David Young View Transcript
227 Madison Starts Muni Fiber Effort, Considers Citywide Effort - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 227 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. We start by discussing how they decided to deploy FTTH as a digital divide strategy. Like more and more of the communities considering this approach, Madison does not have a municipal electric utility. View Transcript
226 Pinetops Threatened by Hurricane and NC Legislature - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 226 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 Will Aycock, the General Manager of Wilson's fiber-optic Greenlight service, and Suzanne Coker Craig, a local business owner and town council member. They talk discuss the devastation from the hurricane and the threat from the town's only broadband provider being forced to leave town by an ill-conceived state statute. View Transcript
225 Midwest Energy Cooperative Connects Rural Michigan - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 225 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 bring fiber-optic connectivity to its members within its electric distribution grid. The multi-year project will bring better functionality to electric services and high-speed Internet access to areas of the state struggling with yesterday’s technologies. Bob and Dave describe the cooperative’s commitment to it’s members and discuss the deep roots of the cooperative in the region. They also touch on how the project is already improving lives in the areas that are being served. View Transcript
224 H.R. Trostle On Co-ops, Munis, Connectivity In North Carolina - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 224 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 talk about the report they co-authored, which gives a different perspective on the connectivity situation in the Tar Heel State. View Transcript
223 Update on Utah's Open Access UTOPIA - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 223 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 of the great advantages UTOPIA has brought the region is the element of competition. Rather than facing a choice of only one or two Internet Service Providers like most of us, people in UTOPIA cities sign up for a connection to the network and then choose from multiple providers who offer a range of services via the infrastructure. Competing for business brings better products, better prices, and better customer service. View Transcript
222 Carrier-Grade Fiber in Centennial, Colorado - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 222 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 Bits podcast episode 222. Centennial took advantage of a project installing fiber for Intelligent Transportation Signaling. But just putting in more fiber was not sufficient to establish a carrier-grade network that ISPs would want to use. Tim explains what they had to do to attract ISP interest. Centennial's shape is very conducive to their strategy (which may be a tautology - they chose that strategy because it works for them). At any rate, their arterial corridors run quite close to the majority of premises and therefore a well-designed fiber backbone network is more attractive in that community than others. View Transcript
221 Virginia's Roanoke Valley Opens Fiber Access - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 221 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 Bits episode 221, Frank Smith is the Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority CEO and President. We discuss their various options for ISPs to use their infrastructure and the various services their network is providing, including access to conduit and dark fiber leases. We also discuss why they formed a state authority to build their carrier-grade network. Though they have had some pushback from incumbents - something Frank seems unphased by in calling the Authority "the new kid on the block" - they have built local support by building relationships with local organizations like Blue Ridge PBS. Read all of our Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority coverage here. View Transcript
220 Medina County Aims to Be Mecca of Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 220 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 agency in building the network and the challenges of educating potential subscribers on the benefits of using a full fiber network rather than the slower, less reliable connections they were used to. Medina's approach allows carriers to buy lit services or dark fiber from the county network. And as we have seen elsewhere, the biggest challenge can be getting the first and second carriers on the network. After that, it can really pick up steam as other carriers realize they are missing out if not using it. At the end of our interview, we added a bonus from Lisa - she just produced a short audio segment about Pinetops losing its Internet access from the city of Wilson in North Carolina. View Transcript
219 Saint Louis Park is Prepared for the Fiber Future - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 219 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 219. In one of our longest episodes, we discuss how Saint Louis Park started by partnering with other key entities to start its own fiber network, connecting key anchor institutions. Years later, it partnered with a firm for citywide solar-powered Wi-Fi but that partner failed to perform, leaving the community a bit disheartened, but in no way cowed. They continued to place conduit in the ground wherever possible and began striking deals with ISPs and landlords that began using the fiber and conduit to improve access for local businesses and residents. And they so impressed our previous podcast guest Travis Carter of US Internet, that he suggested we interview them for this show. Clint Pires has learned many lessons over the years and now we hope other communities will take his wisdom to heart. Well-managed communities can make smart investments that will save taxpayer dollars and drive investment in better networks. View Transcript
218 Eliminate the Digital Divide - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 218 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 Carolina's municipal MI-Connection but is now expanding through Charlotte and working with incumbent operators. E2D has arranged an innovative and replicable program to distribute devices, provide training, and arrange for an affordable connection. Along the way, they developed a sustainable funding model rather than merely asking people with deep pockets for a one-time donation. An important lesson from E2D is the richness of opportunity when people take action locally. That is often among the hardest steps when success is far from assured - but these local actions are the ones that can be the most successful because they are tuned to local needs, assets, and culture. View Transcript
217 North Carolina and Tennessee Lose in 6th Circuit - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 217 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 FCC narrowly - finding that while it had no dispute with the FCC's characterization of municipal networks as beneficial, Congress had not given the FCC the power to overrule state management of its subdivisions (cities). As we have often said, restricting local authority in this manner may be stupid, but states are allowed to do stupid things (especially when powerful companies like AT&T and Comcast urge them to). Lisa and I explore the decision and explain why we are nonetheless glad that FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioners Rosenworcel and Clyburn moved on the petitions from Chattanooga and Wilson to remove state barriers to next-generation network investment. We also reference this blog post from Harold Feld, which is a well-done summary of the situation. View Transcript
216 Just What is the Internet? Community Broadband Bits Podcast 216 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 Bits 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 allowed the Internet to flourish, we now focus on what exactly the Internet is (hint, not wires or even physical things) and spend a long time talking about Fred's persuasive argument on how the FCC should have resolved the network neutrality battle. We also talk about why the Internet should properly be capitalized and why the Internet is neither fast nor slow itself. These are core concepts that anyone who cares about getting Internet policy correct should know -- but far too few do. Not because it is too technical, but because it does require some work to understand. That is why this is such a long conversation - probably our longest to date in over 200 shows. View Transcript
215 Open Cape Works With Communities for Last Mile - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 215 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 as executive director in meetings with people all across the Cape. We talk about how important those meetings are and why Steve made them a priority in the effort to expand OpenCape. We also talk about the how OpenCape is using Crowd Fiber to allow residents to show their interest in an OpenCape connection. They hope that expanding the network will encourage people to spend more time on the Cape, whether living or vacationing. The Cape is not just a vacation spot, it has a large number of full time residents that are looking for more economic opportunities and the higher quality of life that comes with full access to modern technology. View Transcript
214 Middle Mile vs Last Mile - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 214 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 the stimulus package passed in 2009. To discuss the relevance of middle mile investment against last mile investment, we brought Fletcher Kittredge back, the CEO of GWI in Maine. Fletcher has extensive experience with both middle mile and last mile investments. We talk about whether more middle mile will actual incent last mile investment and, more importantly, how to build middle mile correctly to get the best bang for the buck. Along those lines, we talk about avoiding cherry-picking problems and one of my favorites, how to ensure that rural investment does not inadvertently promote sprawl. View Transcript
213 Smart FCC Decisions Helped Create the Internet - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 213 We originally planned this episode of the Community Broadband Bits 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 how the Department of Defense and university researchers created the ArpaNet. We are focused on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and telephone companies and how the FCC's Computer Inquiries allowed the Internet to thrive. Fred lived it and offers a passionate retelling of key events, motivations, and more. This conversation is setting the stage for a future show - later this month - focused on answering the original question: "Just what, exactly, is the Internet?" And we'll also talk about network neutrality and other hot topics in answering it. But for now, we hope you enjoy this show. We went a bit long and it is a bit technical in places, but we think the history is important and a reminder of how good government policy can lead to great outcomes. View Transcript
212 Tiny Mt Washington Builds Fiber-to-the-Home - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 212 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 lot of local groundwork and organizing. Select Board member Gail Garrett joins us for episode 212 of the Community Broadband Bits to discuss their process and the challenges of crafting an economical plan on such a small scale. It turns out that the rural town had some advantages - low make-ready costs from the lack of wires on poles and no competition to have to worry about. So they are moving forward and with some cooperation from the telephone company and electric utility, they could build it pretty quickly. We also discuss what happens to those homes that choose not to take service when it is rolled out - they will have to pay more later to be connected. Read the rest of our coverage of Mt Washington here. View Transcript
211 Fort Collins Mayor on Fort Collins Fiber Future - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 211 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 for episode 211 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast to talk about their situation and planning process. We talk about their need for better access and how they are committed to taking action even if they are not quite sure yet what it will be. They exempted themselves from the Previously-Qwest-But-Now-CenturyLink-Protection-Act that requires a referendum for the local government to introduce telecommunications competition... with 83 percent support. We end our discussion by talking again about undergrounding utility assets - which took them many decades but is very nearly complete. Watch a video of Mayor Troxell at the Digital Northwest - where I was moderating a panel. Read the transcript of this episode here. View Transcript
210 In Minnesota, Alexandria Connects Businesses - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 210 When the cable and telephone companies refused to offer dial-up Internet service 20 years ago in Alexandria, Minnesota, the municipal utility stepped up and made it available. For years, most everyone in the region used it to get online. Now, the utility has focused its telecommunications attention on making fiber-optic telecommunications services available to local businesses. Alexandria's ALP Utilities General Manager Al Crowser joins us this week to explain what they have done and why. Like us, Al is a strong believer that local governments can be the best provider of essential services to local businesses and residents. In the show, we talk some history and also about the difference between local customer service and that from a larger, more distant company. He discusses how they have paid for the network and where net income goes. And finally, we talk about their undergrounding project. View Transcript
209 Discussing (Ranting) Consolidation - Community Broadband Bits Episode 209 In celebration of Independence Day, we are focused this week on consolidation and dependence. At the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, we are very focused on independence and believe that the consolidation in the telecommunications industry threatens the independence of communities. We doubt that Comcast or AT&T executives could locate most of the communities they serve on a blank map - and that impacts their investment decisions that threaten the future of communities. So Lisa Gonzalez and I talk about consolidation in the wake of Google buying Webpass and UC2B's partner iTV-3 selling out to Countrywide Broadband. And we talk about why Westminster's model of public-private partnership is preferable to that of UC2B. We also discuss where consolidation may not be harmful and how the FCC's order approving the Charter takeover of Time Warner Cable will actually result in much more consolidation rather than new competition. View Transcript
208 CityLink Telecommunications in Albuquerque Prefers Open Access - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 208 A small telecommunications company in Albuquerque embodies much of the philosophy that has powered the Internet. And CityLink Telecommunications President John Brown credits Vint Cerf for some of that inspiration. John Brown joins us for episode 208 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, where we talk not just about how enthusiastic he is for open access, but how he writes open access requirements into contracts to ensure CityLink would continue to operate on an open access basis even if he were struck down by an errant backhoe. We also discuss the Internet of Things and security before finishing with a discussion of how he thinks the city of Albuquerque should move forward with his firm to save money and improve Internet access across the community. We also touch on Santa Fe's decision to work with a different company in building their short spur to bypass a CenturyLink bottleneck. View Transcript
207 Ammon's Network of the Future - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 207 On the heels of releasing our video on Ammon, Idaho, we wanted to go a little more in-depth with Bruce Patterson. Bruce is Ammon's Technology Director and has joined us on the show before (episodes 173 and 86). We recommend watching the video before listening to this show. We get an update from Bruce on the most recent progress since we conducted the video interviews. He shares the current level of interest from the first phase and expectations moving forward. But for much of our conversation, we focus on how Ammon has innovated with Software-Defined Networks (SDN) and what that means. We talk about how the automation and virtualization from SDN can make open access much more efficient and open new possibilities. Check out Ammon's Get Fiber Now signup page or their page with more information. View Transcript
206 Glenwood Springs Shares Lessons Learned - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 206 Last week, while at my favorite regional broadband conference - Mountain Connect, I was asked to moderate a panel on municipal fiber projects in Colorado. You can watch it via the periscope video stream that was recorded. It was an excellent panel and led to this week's podcast, a discussion with Glenwood Springs Information Systems Director Bob Farmer. Bob runs the Glenwood Springs Community Broadband Network, which has been operating for more than 10 years. It started with some fiber to anchor institutions and local businesses and a wireless overlay for residential access. Though the network started by offering open access, the city now provides services directly. We discuss the lessons learned. Bob also discusses what cities should look for in people when staffing up for a community network project and some considerations when deciding who oversees the network. Finally, he shares some of the successes the network has had and what continues to inspire him after so many years of running the network. View Transcript
205 Whip City Fiber Expanding - Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 205 Last month we wrote wrote about the Whip City Fiber Pilot project in Westfield, Massachusetts expanding and this week we interview two people from Westfield Gas & Electric about the effort. Aaron Bean is the Operations Manager and Sean Fitzgerald is the Key Accounts and Customer Service Manager. We discuss their pilot project, how they structured the services and pricing, and integrated the new telecommunications services into the municipal utility. We also discuss whether the lack of a television option is limiting interest from potential subscribers and how they are picking the next locations to expand the network. The sound effect we use in the intro is licensed using creative commons. We found it here. Read the transcript from this show here. View Transcript
204 Over 100 Years of Muni Telecom in Churchill County - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 204 For more than 100 years, Nevada's Churchill County has been operating its own telecommunications system, Churchill Communications. In recent years, they upgraded the vast majority of the county from copper to fiber offering a gigabit connection to the Internet. Churchill Communications General Manager Mark Feest joins us this week for Community Broadband Bits Episode 204. We discuss the fascinating history behind their network and how they have built it without using any local taxpayer dollars. Mark also explains two recent announcements that involve Churchill Communications offering its services in nearby areas where it already has some fiber. Finally, we discuss how some of the people that were originally skeptical of municipal networks have come around and are even asking Churchill Communications to expand. View Transcript
203 Tennessee Potential Partnership Between Morristown Muni and AEC Co-op - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 203 In Tennessee, this month marks 10 years of Morristown Utility Systems delivering fiber-optic triple-play service to the community, including great Internet access. But those living just outside the city and in nearby cities have poor access at best. MUS General Manager and CEO Jody Wigington returns to our show this week and we also welcome Appalachian Electric Cooperative (AEC) General Manager Greg Williams to discuss a potential partnership to expand Morristown services to those that want them. As we have frequently noted, Tennessee law prohibits municipal fiber networks from expanding beyond their electric territories. The FCC decision repealing that favor to the big cable and telephone company lobbyists is currently being appealed. But Tennessee also prohibits electrical co-ops from providing telephone or cable TV service, which makes the business model very difficult in rural areas. Nonetheless, MUS and AEC have studied how they can team up to use the assets of both to deliver needed services to those outside Morristown. We discuss their plan, survey results, the benefits of working together, and much more. Read the transcript from this show here. View Transcript
202 Meeting the American Cable Association - Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 202 The American Cable Association (ACA) represents over 800 small and medium-sized cable companies around the United States, including many municipal cable and fiber-optic networks. This week, we talk with ACA President and CEO Matt Polka about what they do and how small cable companies are vastly different from the big companies like Comcast and Charter. We spoke after it was clear Charter's merger with Time Warner Cable would be approved, but before this article in Ars Technica effectively missed the point of Matt Polka's objection to the competition requirement in the merger. In our interview, we discuss the larger problem - that the federal government consistently puts its thumb on the scale to benefit the biggest cable companies at the expense of smaller ones. Forcing Charter to compete with Comcast would be a far bigger benefit to communities than having it take over small cable networks. We wrap up with a discussion about how smaller companies, which includes all municipal networks, are disproportionately impacted by regulations that do not distinguish between the biggest providers (that tend to cause the majority of problems) and the smaller providers (that bear the brunt of regulations designed for reigning in the problems caused by the big carriers). Read the transcript from this show here. View Transcript
201 Fairlawn Focuses on Citywide Gig Infrastructure - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 201 On the outskirts of Akron, just south of Cleveland, the community of Fairlawn is building a citywide wireless and fiber optic network using an interesting model. Most of the citywide municipal Internet networks in the U.S. have been built by communities with a municipal electric power company. Fairlawn has no such utility, not even a water utility. So they have partnered with another Ohio company, Extra Mile Fiber. This week, Deputy Director of Public Service Ernie Staten joins us for episode 201 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast to discuss their approach and goals. Fairlawn is building a carrier grade Wi-Fi and fiber-optic network, financed by municipal bonds. They will own the network and are focused first on generating benefits for the community and providing essential infrastructure rather than making sure every dollar of the network is repaid solely by revenues from network services. We also discuss how they structured the revenue-sharing arrangement with Extra Mile Fiber. View Transcript
200 Crazy Talk from Another Telco-Funded Think Tank - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 200 This week, we discuss a report with zero credibility from the State Government Leadership Foundation, which was written by a well-known telco economist from the Phoenix Center. Entitled, "The Impact of Government-Owned Broadband Networks on Private Investment and Consumer Welfare," the report [pdf] makes so many factual errors that one wonders just how much these telco think tanks really take pride in their work. George Ford authored the report. Ten years ago, he demonstrated that municipal networks most certainly did not crowd out private investment. The biggest change since then is that his employer went from supporting competitive networks to opposing them - when SBC bought AT&T and took its name. Prior to that acquisition, AT&T actually supported competitive carriers and was even going to be an ISP on the UTOPIA network. As goes AT&T, so goes the Phoenix Center. For episode 200 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we discuss this report and why it has no credibility. One of my favorite points is that Ford argues municipal networks average an incredibly high take rate, which flies in the face of all the other criticism municipal networks typically face. You just can't make this stuff up. View Transcript
199 Valparaiso Embraces Dark Fiber - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 199 When Valparaiso, Indiana looked into solutions for a business that needed better Internet connectivity than incumbent providers were willing to reasonably provide, it quickly found that many businesses were lacking the access they needed. The market was broken; this wasn't an isolated incident. Valparaiso General Counsel & Economic Development Director Patrick Lyp joins us to discuss what Valparaiso is doing to ensure its businesses have the access they need in episode 199 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. View Transcript
198 A New Cooperative Model for Fiber to the Farm - Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 198 When we launched this podcast in 2012, we kicked it off with an interview from Minnesota's farm country, Sibley County. We were excited at their passion for making sure every farm was connected with high quality Internet access. After the project took a turn and became a brand new cooperative, we interviewed them again in 2014 for episode 99, but they hadn't finished financing. They broke ground 2015 and today we discuss the model and the new Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) case study that details how they built it. City of Winthrop Economic Development Authority Director Mark Erickson and Renville-area farmer Jake Rieke are both on the board of RS Fiber Cooperative and they join us to explain how their model works. View Transcript
197 Webpass and Its Fixed Wireless Seek Fix for Landlord Abuses - Community Broadband Bits Episode 197 San Francisco is one of the rare cities that has multiple high quality ISPs competing for market share, though the vast majority of people still seem to be stuck choosing only between Comcast and AT&T. This week, we talk to a rising ISP, Webpass, about their success and challenges in expanding their model. Charles Barr is the President of Webpass and Lauren Saine is a policy advisor - both join us for episode 197 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. View Transcript
196 Service Unavailable: The Failure of Competition - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 196 If you are paying close attention to discussions about broadband policy, you may have come across Fred Pilot's reminders that competition is not a cure-all for our Internet access woes across the United States. The blogger and author joins us for episode 196 of Community Broadband Bits. Fred Pilot's new book, Service Unavailable: America's Telecommunications Infrastructure Crisis, discusses some of the history behind our current challenges and proposes a solution centered around federal funding and cooperatives. View Transcript
195 Montgomery Sees Job Gains in Alabama After Establishing Internet Exchange - Community Broadband Bits Episode 195 In a partnership with the Department of Defense, the city of Montgomery has created Alabama's first Internet Exchange. This week, project manager for Montgomery Cyber Connection, Ben Venable, joins us to discuss this project and the gains the community is already seeing from it. The effort is a true partnership between General Steven Kwast at Maxwell Air Force Base, the city and county of Montgomery, and others like Wide Open West, the nation's 9th largest cable company. WOW!'s network architect brought not only important technical knowledge, but a major ISP that recognized the benefits of local interconnection. View Transcript
194 ISP US Internet Gets More Respect Than Rodney Dangerfield - Community Broadband Bits 194 In Minneapolis, a small and privately owned ISP has been steadily building fiber across the city and developing a stunning reputation for great customer service, low and predictable pricing, and generally being a great company to do business with. Co-founder Travis Carter of US Internet joins us for episode 194 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. We discuss their approach to building networks, especially their philosophy around customer service and just how poorly some of US Internet's competitors treat their customers. A