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Meet the Municipal Networks that Launched in 2025
In 2025, we saw seven new municipal broadband networks across the country that were lit up for service. As is usual, it was a mixture of partnerships, business models, and construction approaches to meet the unique challenges of a patchwork broadband landscape.
Kitsap PUD Continues To Expand Popular Open Access Fiber Network
Kitsap Public Utility District continues to expand its popular open access fiber network, bringing affordable next-generation broadband access to island locals. An updated KPUD case study indicates that the existing network is currently comprised of more than 900 miles of fiber, with 21 new distribution nodes coming online early 2026. That node expansion is being heavily aided by $6.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
AAPB and ILSR to Host Webinar on Legal Challenges Facing Community Broadband
The free event, featuring Keller & Heckman attorneys Sean Stokes and Casey Lide, will focus on the most pressing legal considerations facing community broadband projects, partnerships, and compliance. The discussion will be moderated by Sean Gonsalves of ILSR and Gigi Sohn, executive director of AAPB, who will guide the conversation designed to draw out practical insights for local governments, utilities, cooperatives, and broadband advocates.
Williston, Florida’s $4.6 Million City-Owned Fiber Network To Go Live Soon
The city of Williston, Florida is joining the ranks of municipalities across the nation that are building their own fiber broadband networks with an eye on ubiquitous, affordable access. City leaders say they’re preparing to launch a city-owned $4.6 million fiber optic ISP to break the local telecom monopoly logjam and finally provide fast, affordable access to the local populace.
Alton, Illinois Altonworks Partnership Eyes Citywide Fiber
Alton, Illinois officials say they’ve struck an expanded agreement with AltonWorks, a company built specifically to revitalize the city and deal with residents’ longstanding frustration at the lack of affordable, next-generation broadband access. Altonworks is partnering with i3 Broadband, which broke ground on a new $25 million FiberNet project. FiberNet is projected to reach 94 percent of the city's residents with fiber broadband speeds up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps).
Chicopee Electric Light, Sertex Renew Partnership To Expand Affordable Fiber Access
Chicopee Electric Light (CEL) has chosen Sertex Broadband Solutions to help the Massachusetts-based municipal utility expand access to affordable fiber across the city of 55,000.
Gateway Cities Fiber Project Rolls On, Aims To Revolutionize California Broadband
Two dozen California cities are making progress bringing affordable fiber to 16,500 new locations in the Golden State. The collaborative middle mile project, dubbed the Gateway Cities Council of Governments' (GCCOG) Gateway Cities Fiber Optic Network Project, could revolutionize connectivity for a broad swath of Californians long stuck on the wrong side of the digital divide.
Digital Equity Unwrapped: A Look Back at a Challenging Year – and the Hope That Remains
“Digital Equity Unwrapped” – a special livestream bringing together advocates and broadband-for-all leaders who spent 2025 pushing for a more connected and inclusive nation – is slated for next Wednesday, December 17, beginning at 3 pm ET. Attendees will have screen-side seating for a virtual fireside chat with NDIA executive director Angela Siefer and American Association for Public Broadband (AAPB) executive director Gigi Sohn, two leaders who have shaped national conversations around broadband, digital inclusion, and local power.
IN OUR VIEW: Decoding The Possible Meaning of “Reforms” to the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program
With nearly $500 million still available in the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, recent announcements from the Trump Administration about how the program will move forward raised more questions than it answered, and only seemed to confirm many of the fears Tribal leaders had about the direction of the program. The announcement raised fears that NTIA may decrease investment in future-proof technologies, throw up hurdles for Tribal nations still wrestling with bad data, force Tribes to accept subpar solutions through the BEAD program, and weaken Tribal consent requirements.
Chattanooga’s Municipal Fiber Network Has Delivered $5.3 Billion in Community Benefits, New Study Finds
Since 2011, a new study finds that Chattanooga's city-owned fiber network has generated $5.3 billion in net community benefits for Hamilton County. Conducted by researchers at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the study finds that the municipal fiber network has dramatically reshaped the regional economy, supporting 10,420 jobs from 2011 to 2024 – about 31 percent of all net new jobs created locally over the past decade.
Affordable Broadband Subsidy Boosts Jobs, Especially for Women, New Study Shows
A new study shows that the now expired Affordable Connectivity Program helped low-income Americans get better access to jobs, with particularly strong effects for women. The ACP program ended in May 2024 – thanks to GOP Congressional leaders blocking efforts to allocate additional money when the fund was depleted. Still, the study remains relevant as affordability advocates continue to look for ways to fund a similar program in the future.
Traverse City, Michigan Finalizes Citywide Fiber Expansion
Traverse City, Michigan’s public, community-owned utility, Traverse City Light and Power (TCL&P), is putting the finishing touches on its $14 million plan to deliver affordable fiber to the community of 15,424. With build out estimates significantly lower than initial projections, the utility is finalizing an additional $1 million in loans to fund the recently started build.