News

Housekeeping: Recent Changes on MuniNetworks.org

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It has been a year now that MuniNetworks.org has been live. For those who only read the feed, we have updated the logo on top of the site to make it more attractive. When we launched the site, we threw the theme together quickly and focused on getting good content.

If Only George Carlin Were Here

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Connected Nation and the utter lack of accurate maps depicting broadband options and metrics in this country reminded me of possibly my favorite comedian. George Carlin had a great routine about airlines and the safety speech given by flight attendants.

Chelan PUD, Citizens, Ponder Fiber Expansion in Rural Washington

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The Chelan Public Utility District in Washington began its county-wide fiber-optic network build. They have since passed some 80% of the county but are temporarily pausing expansion efforts. Chelan is a rural county and the network is not expected to break even for quite some time. In Washington, state law limits the powers of public utility districts to offer broadband.

North Carolina Video of Committee Hearing to Preempt Communities

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"My issue is that cities should not be competing with private enterprise." - Senator Hoyle of North Carolina Given this Senator's opposition to the public sector competing with the private sector, I assume he is fighting just as hard to shut down the libraries (or have Borders and Barnes and Noble neglected to donate enough to his candidacy?), as well as the schools (there are pr

Lafayette and a Level Playing Field

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This is a great inside look at how one community built a globally competitive broadband network (probably the best citywide network in the US) and the barriers they faced from incumbent providers Cox and BellSouth. Terry Huval, the Director of Lafayette Utilities System in Louisiana, spoke to the U.S.

Connected Nation and Lies About DSL Speeds

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On Wednesday, I testified at an informational hearing before the House Telecom Subcommittee of the Minnesota Legislature. Connected Nation was giving an update on their contract to map broadband availability in Minnesota and I wanted to record some dissent regarding their claims and the usefulness of maps in general. For those who have not used the Connected Nation tool, it is horrible.

Time Warner Reverses Direction in NC, Fights Competition with New Strategy

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Time Warner, AT&T, and other incumbents have radically changed their strategy to prevent broadband competition in North Carolina via new restrictions that are being debated in the Legislature currently. This switch in strategy offers more proof that they stand on no principle aside from protecting their monopoly. The famous HB 1252 in North Carolina is back... but different.