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

Community Broadband Media Roundup - January 19

By on Jan 19, 2016

California

Catching fiber by Kara Guzman, Good Times Weekly

Minnesota's Arrowhead Region Points to High-Speed Internet

By on Jan 19, 2016

Welcome to high-speed Internet on the Iron Range! This past fall, the Northeast Service Cooperative (NESC) completed a multi-year project, a fiber optic network spanning nearly 1,000 miles, on Minnesota’s north shore.

Education Week Shines Light on Rural Schools' Plight

By on Jan 18, 2016

A recent series of in-depth articles from Education Week brings to light a persistent aspect of the digital divide: the lack of fast, affordable, reliable connectivity in rural schools. Throughout the country, schools struggle to pay exorbitant fees for aging copper networks. Teachers and students are cut off from digital learning opportunities as whole regions fall farther behind.

Reedsburg Utility Commission Receives State Grant for Expansion

By on Jan 16, 2016

In April 2015, Wisconsin's Brett Schuppner from the Reedsburg Utility Commission (RUC) had a conversation with Chris about the utility's plan to expand the municipal fiber network.

Task Force in Rural Connecticut Explores Community’s Appetite for Fiber

By on Jan 15, 2016

The newly formed Utilities Task Force in the City of Redding, Connecticut, is exploring the potential of bringing fiber connectivity to this rural town of about

High-Speed Broadband Access Becomes Lifeblood for Modern Healthcare

By on Jan 14, 2016

More than ever before, innovations in healthcare technology are saving lives. A series of 2015 stories from around the nation highlight the importance of fast, affordable, reliable connectivity in using those technologies to serve patients in both urban and rural settings.

Broadband Speed and Medical Crises

Fifteen Fun Facts about NoaNet - Fifteen Years of Accomplishments

By on Jan 13, 2016

Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet) was just a dream back in 2000, but, fifteen years later, it’s one of the largest networks in the state of Washington. NoaNet is celebrating fifteen years of accomplishments, so we compiled fifteen fun facts everyone should know about this community network.

Op-ed: Next-Generation Networks Needed

By on Jan 12, 2016

The Knoxville News Sentinel published this op-ed about Tennessee's restrictive broadband law on January 9, 2016.

Christopher Mitchell: Next-Generation Networks Needed

John St. Julien, Lafayette Community Leader, Passes

By on Jan 12, 2016

We learned yesterday that John St. Julien, one of the leading voices behind the strong grassroots support of the LUS Fiber project, passed away on Sunday, January 10.

"Fusion Splicing" to Light Up Village Network

By on Jan 11, 2016

Mahomet, Illinois, population 7,200, wanted to do something special to mark the official launch of its community fiber network. The network connects local public facilities as well as some area businesses. Instead of the old-fashioned ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Village held a very 21st century event in November to commemorate the occasion: a "fusion splicing" ceremony.

Bradley County Urges Tennessee Lawmakers: High-Speed Internet Now!

By on Jan 9, 2016

Just this past week, we reported on the plight of Bradley County in Tennessee. Cut off from connectivity, families and businesses are considering leaving to nearby Hamilton County which has Chattanooga’s high-speed fiber network.

Community Broadband Media Roundup - January 8

By on Jan 8, 2016

Minnesota

Building a 21st century broadband infrastructure by Senator Amy Klobuchar, Walker Minnesota Pilot

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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.