Top Stories

Critics Say Trump Administration Lifeline 'Reforms' Will Harm Most Vulnerable

on May 18, 2026

Consumer and civil rights groups last week told the Trump administration that their proposed “reforms” of the FCC’s Lifeline program would undermine efforts to ensure equitable, affordable access to the internet for all Americans, and are based on lies about immigrant fraud.

A sign that says "Vote" is taped to the side of a town building

Industry Astroturf Hits Longmeadow, MA Ahead Of Key Fiber Vote Today

Karl Bode

on May 12, 2026

Locals in Longmeadow, Massachusetts say they’re being bombarded with misleading mailers, texts, and phone calls from a telecom-industry linked group trying to mislead the public ahead of a key vote on the city’s plan to begin construction of a municipal broadband fiber network today.

Inside the empty Court of Appeals courtroom

Another Blow to Digital Equity: Court Kills FCC's Anti Digital Discrimination Rules

Sean Gonsalves

on May 7, 2026

In yet another bruising blow in the fight to ensure equitable access to high-speed Internet service, an appeals court struck down federal rules this week that aimed to combat digital redlining.

A line work is suspended in air reaching for fiber splice case on aerial fiber line next to a tree

Vermont Closes In on Universal Broadband Access as Federal Dollars, Local Innovation, and Workforce Training Converge

Sean Gonsalves

on May 21, 2026

In the marathon to bring universal high-speed Internet service to the most rural state in the nation, Vermont is heading into the last-mile stretch of the race with the finish line in sight.

The Digital Divide Is a Civil Rights Issue: The Fight for Digital Equity and the Battle Against Dark Money- Episode 9 of Unbuffered

A conversation about digital equity, dark money, and the fight over Internet access

National Fiber Buildout Goes Local as Co-ops, Munis, and Independent ISPs Drive 40 Percent of the Fiber Boom

Sean Gonsalves

on May 19, 2026

Leading members of the fiber industry descended on Orlando, Fla. this week for the Fiber Broadband Association's annual Fiber Connect conference to take stock of a national inflection point fueled by the federal BEAD program and the all-consuming rise of AI.

Longmeadow, Mass. Residents Vote Down Community Fiber Network

Karl Bode

on May 18, 2026

The city of Longmeadow, Massachusetts has failed to get a two-thirds voting majority necessary to move forward with its plan to deploy affordable fiber to every city resident.

Okanogan County Public Utility District Lights Up Fiber In Rural WA

Karl Bode

on May 11, 2026

The Okanogan County Electric Cooperative and the Okanogan County Public Utility District say they’re making steady progress on bringing affordable fiber broadband access to Okanogan County, a highly rural stretch of rugged land in Washington state on the border of Canada.

Latest Stories

Steamboat Springs Gets a Grant for Fiber for the Future

By on Jan 29, 2016

Last we checked in with Steamboat Springs they had just finished a connectivity project. Now the community is taking another step to improve local connectivity in this northwest Colorado ski resort town.

Solon Set to Save in Ohio: Big Plans for I-Net

By on Jan 28, 2016

Solon, located in Ohio's northeast corner, is looking to save approximately $65,280 per year with a publicly owned fiber institutional network (I-Net).

Missouri Legislature Off to Another Anti-Muni Session: Pick Up Your Phone and Call!

By on Jan 27, 2016

If you pay attention to state laws affecting municipal networks in Missouri, you are experiencing an unsettling feeling of deja vu right now.

Shoot-Out Over the WiredWest: MBI Pulls Funding in Massachusetts Saga

By on Jan 27, 2016

Officials from WiredWest Communications Cooperative in western Massachusetts spent years working with small towns creating a collaborative plan to develop a regional fiber network. The deadline for participation was, January 9th, a little more than a month away, and even though the trail had been thorny, the path now seemed clear.

Are You From Tennessee? Your Opinion Matters!

By on Jan 26, 2016

For the past several months, we have covered the plight of North Carolina and Tennessee. These states have passed laws that prohibit local governments from expanding beyond their municipal electric utility service area to bring better connectivity to neighboring communities.

Community Broadband Media Roundup - January 25

By on Jan 25, 2016

California

Huntington Beach, Calif., considers offering broadband as a utility by Anthony Clark Carpio, GovTech

Colorado

Hanover, New Hampshire, Taps New State Law for Network

By on Jan 25, 2016

The town of Hanover, New Hampshire (pop. 11,500), is considering building its own municipal fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network following the enactment of a new state law that makes it easier for communities to take on such projects.

Full Speed (and Price List) Ahead for the Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority

By on Jan 23, 2016

After a rocky start and a long period of transition, the Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority in Virginia is preparing for the years ahead.

Rural Kansas Cooperative Continues Fiber Network Expansion

By on Jan 22, 2016

In July, the Columbus Telephone Company (CTC), a cooperative in rural Cherokee County, Kansas, announced plans to expand its fiber-to-the-home network to the nearby city of Pittsburg.

Grassroots Springing Up In Holyoke, Massachusetts

By on Jan 21, 2016

For years, the city of Holyoke, Massachusetts, has built up a treasure trove of fiber that the municipal buildings [and some businesses] use to connect to the Internet. Now, some residents want to share in the bounty.

#RightToConnect Twitter Town Hall Jan. 21

By on Jan 20, 2016

On January 21st, join the Media Action Grassroots Network and its partners for the #RightToConnect Twitter Townhall. The event takes place at 3 p.m. EST/12 p.m. PST. The conversation will focus on lifeline and finding ways to bring more low-income families online.

Urban Renewal In Bozeman: Fiber Required!

By on Jan 20, 2016

Bozeman, Montana, continues to move forward toward a future of fiber optics connectivity.

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Reports

Abundant Home Broadband for All Californians: A Pathway to Digital Prosperity

Broadband ISPs should be held to a higher public interest standard and regulated like traditional utilities in California, a new joint study by nonprofit state policy news outlet Cal Matters and UC Berkeley’s Possibility Lab argues. State governments should also vocally support community broadband networks as a direct challenge to monopoly power, the authors state.

Seeking the Commonwealth of Connection: How Small-Town Volunteers and Public Partnerships Transformed Internet Access in Western Massachusetts

By Jessica Auer

Between 2018 and 2022, 19 very small towns in Western Massachusetts built fiber-to-the-home (ftth) networks and transformed their telecommunications future forever. The special nature of that change comes in no small part because of the public partnerships that have been established, both among themselves and with neighboring community Westfield - itself a municipal provider.

To Improve Broadband Deployment, Enhanced Data Collection Is Key

A new report from Pew Research Center provides a review of available federal sources of broadband data and gaps and issues with those data. Within the report, Pew also examines the implications of these gaps on public policy and offers potential solutions to address them.

New Ideas in Competition Policy

By Ry Marcattilio

A new report out from Vanderbilt University's Policy Accelerator re-emphasizes some of the important steps federal government agencies could take to make sure that upcoming Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding is used as efficiently and equitably as possible.

Native Nations and Federal Telecom Policy Failures: Lessons from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund

By Jessica Auer on Aug 5, 2024

A new report published today by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) reveals how the sovereignty of Tribal Nations and their own efforts to solve connectivity challenges on Tribal lands can be undermined by the poor design and maze of bureaucracy associated with some federal broadband programs. Even as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration takes over administration of the largest federal funding programs and re-situates Tribal closer to where they belong, the FCC continues its long-standing practice of scant engagement and infrequent consultation, complicating the terrain and stymieing Tribal efforts to close the digital divide in Indian Country.

Neighborly Networks: Vermont's Approach to Community Broadband

By Ry Marcattilio on Jun 4, 2024

In partnership with the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society, today ILSR releases a new report examining how the state of Vermont is supercharging its telecommunications infrastructure efforts to reach the unconnected by investing in community broadband-driven efforts. Today, there are ten CUDs covering 216 towns across the state, and Vermont’s leaders have put the lion’s share of public funds behind the communications union district model.

Increased Wellness and Economic Return of Universal Broadband Infrastructure: A Telehealth Case Study of Ten Southern Rural Counties

By Ry Marcattilio on Apr 26, 2023

In a new report, published in partnership with the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative (SRBWI), the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) Community Broadband Networks Initiative examines the link between high-speed Internet infrastructure, access to healthcare, and the economic implications involved. It shows the even small communities that commit to universal, affordable, reliable service can avoid millions in healthcare costs, recouping financing in short order and leading to healthier populations.

The Problem(s) of Broadband in America

By Sean Gonsalves on Jul 7, 2021

In a new policy brief, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance looks to provide clarity for policy-makers by exploring the real challenges of America’s connectivity crisis. The brief aims to clear up a common misunderstanding of exactly where the digital divide is located.