In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined again by longtime guest Blair Levin for a conversation that spans decades, from the origins of modern Internet policy to the uncertain future shaped by artificial intelligence.

They begin by revisiting the legacy of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the lesser-known policy decisions that helped shape today’s communications landscape, including spectrum auctions, number portability, and the push to make wireless a mass-market service. 

Along the way, Blair offers a candid look at what policymakers got right, what they got wrong, and how technocratic decisions quietly transformed competition and access.

From there, the conversation turns toward the future. As AI rapidly reshapes the economy, Chris and Blair explore what role the Federal Communications Commission should play in an AI-driven world and whether it is equipped to do so. 

They discuss the need for better data, long-term thinking, and a renewed focus on the public good in policymaking.

But this episode goes beyond infrastructure and regulation. In the closing segment, the discussion shifts to trust, power, and civic responsibility, reflecting on recent community actions in Minneapolis as an example of collective courage and local solidarity. 

It’s a reminder that while technology and policy matter, the choices people make for one another may matter even more.

This show is 70 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Riverside for the music. The song is Caveman and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In the first official episode of Unbuffered, Christopher Mitchell is joined by a powerhouse roundtable: Karl Bode, Gigi Sohn, Doug Dawson, and Sean Gonsalves. Together, they have a wide-ranging conversation on broadband policy, media consolidation, and the systems of power shaping both.

They unpack how decades of telecom mergers and inconsistent oversight from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have concentrated control over our media and reshaped how these issues are covered and understood. 

The group explores the erosion of local journalism, the growing influence of large corporations and billionaires, and how regulatory decisions continue to shape competition, affordability, and accountability.

The conversation also steps back to wrestle with a bigger question: is today’s Internet and technology ecosystem still serving the public good? From algorithm-driven media to infrastructure decisions that prioritize profit over people, the group reflects on how technology can both empower communities and reinforce existing inequities.

This show is 57 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Riverside for the music. The song is Caveman and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

Welcome to Unbuffered, a new podcast from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance that builds on the legacy of Community Broadband Bits and Connect This! while expanding the conversation around the Internet, technology, and power.

Hosted by Chris Mitchell, Unbuffered will continue to explore community broadband, digital equity, and local solutions, but with a broader lens on how technology shapes our lives, our communities, and our sense of agency. 

From local infrastructure to global platforms, the show asks a central question: who controls the systems we rely on every day, and how can communities take that power back?

Expect a mix of one-on-one interviews, roundtable discussions, and candid reflections on the policies, technologies, and ideas shaping our digital future. 

Same trusted conversations, new name, and a renewed focus on building an Internet that is open, accessible, and accountable to the people it serves.

This trailer is 3 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Riverside for the music. The song is Caveman and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by Doug Dawson to unpack the latest developments shaping the broadband landscape and what they mean for communities, providers, and policymakers alike. 

From evolving federal priorities to the realities of deployment challenges, Doug offers a clear-eyed look at how shifting rules and funding expectations are playing out in real time.

The conversation explores uncertainty around major programs, the ripple effects for rural and underserved areas, and how local decision-makers are navigating a constantly changing environment. 

This show is 45 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined again by Karl Bode for a wide-ranging conversation about media consolidation, government power, and what it all means for the future of journalism.

They explore how decades of mergers in the telecom and media industries have concentrated ownership among a small group of corporations and billionaires, reshaping the information landscape and contributing to the collapse of local journalism. 

The discussion touches on everything from antitrust enforcement and the future of the FCC to the role of algorithms, AI, and social media in shaping what people see and believe.

As the podcast prepares to evolve into a broader show about technology, media, and telecommunications policy, Chris and Karl reflect on the importance of rebuilding local information ecosystems and finding ways to foster more informed communities in an era of fragmented media.

This show is 42 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, we welcome back Sascha Meinrath for a timely and urgent conversation about surveillance, digital infrastructure, and the growing tension between connectivity and civil liberties.

Sascha explores how modern broadband networks are increasingly intertwined with systems of data extraction, monitoring, and behavioral tracking. 

The conversation digs into how surveillance operates at multiple levels: through corporate data collection, government monitoring, and emerging technologies that blur the line between public safety and privacy intrusion.

This episode challenges us to think beyond speed and access, and to grapple with what kind of digital future we are actually building.

If communities are investing in digital infrastructure, Sascha argues, they must also ask: Who controls the data? Who benefits? And who is being watched?

This show is 44 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris reconnects with Jason Mittler, manager of FPUAnet at the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, for a two-year update on the city’s smart city broadband strategy.

Since their last conversation, Fort Pierce has continued expanding its municipally operated fiber network — now passing thousands of parcels and accelerating construction toward a long-term goal of serving its electric territory. 

Jason shares how the phased, measured deployment approach has allowed the utility to learn, refine operations, and balance broadband expansion alongside major infrastructure investments like a new wastewater treatment facility.

The episode dives into Fort Pierce’s Lincoln Park Smart Neighborhood initiative, where fiber deployment, public Wi-Fi, and community partnerships aim to close persistent digital equity gaps. 

While subscription take rates have proven challenging in lower-income areas, expanded free Wi-Fi in public housing and parks has delivered immediate access benefits. 

Jason also explains how owning the fiber backbone enables Fort Pierce to support police cameras, smart grid infrastructure, and municipal networking at lower long-term cost.

Beyond infrastructure, the conversation highlights the broader value of municipal broadband: local technical expertise, collaborative planning with city and county partners, and reinvesting revenue back into the community. 

The episode closes with a notable milestone — FPUAnet recently lowered its broadband rates, reinforcing its commitment to affordability while continuing steady network growth.

This show is 32 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined again by Doug Dawson and Sean Gonsalves for a fast-moving discussion of the latest developments reshaping the broadband landscape. 

The trio unpacks a wave of major telecom mergers, including AT&T’s acquisition of Lumen assets and Frontier’s consolidation, and what growing market power means for prices, competition, and consumers.

They dig into new research from Chattanooga showing the long-term economic and community benefits of municipal fiber, alongside a major California Public Utilities Commission study revealing how lack of competition drives higher broadband prices—especially for low-income households. 

Doug explains how ISPs increasingly use neighborhood-by-neighborhood pricing tactics, leaving long-time customers paying the most for the slowest speeds.

The conversation also revisits Starlink’s controversial demands to rewrite BEAD program rules, the uncertain future of non-deployment funds, and why satellite solutions continue to fall short of their promises. 

Rounding out the episode, the group explores emerging pressures from AI-driven bandwidth demands, consolidation in wholesale fiber markets, and troubling legal trends that raise questions about accountability, regulation, and consumer protections.

This show is 51 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by Doug Adams, head of Broadband Marketers and writer at Broadband.io, and Karl Bode for a wide-ranging discussion on recent developments reshaping federal broadband policy.

The conversation centers on Starlink’s latest efforts to reshape BEAD program requirements through confidential riders sent to state broadband offices—requests that would dramatically reduce accountability, alter performance standards, and deliver large sums of public funding upfront. 

Doug breaks down what states are being asked to accept, why NTIA has reportedly warned states not to sign on, and how these demands differ from the obligations placed on fiber and fixed wireless providers.

Chris and Karl place the moment in historical context, comparing it to past telecom subsidy failures and raising concerns about affordability, capacity limits, consumer protections, and long-term resilience. 

The discussion also touches on broader themes: the erosion of federal oversight, the future of municipal broadband, how ARPA funds are still quietly delivering results in states like New York, and why community-driven fiber networks may once again become the fallback as federal promises falter.

The episode closes with reflections on accountability, public trust, and the real-world impacts of policy decisions on rural communities.

This show is 50 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris and Sean Gonsalves are joined by Brendan Kelly, founder of REVinternet, a new Internet Service Provider focused on bringing better connectivity to manufactured housing communities. 

Brendan shares how years working inside large telecom companies—and later with smaller ISPs—revealed just how consistently these communities are overlooked, locked into aging coaxial networks, and offered little incentive for upgrades.

The conversation explores why manufactured housing parks present unique challenges for broadband deployment, from private land ownership and outdated infrastructure to stigma and lack of competition. 

Brendan explains REVinternet’s service-agnostic approach, combining fiber, fixed wireless, and other technologies to deliver affordable, reliable Internet while working directly with park owners and residents.

Chris, Sean, and Brendan also dig into the role of digital equity, customer support, and trust-building—discussing everything from payment flexibility and digital navigation to partnerships with municipal networks. 

The episode offers a thoughtful look at how targeted, community-centered broadband strategies can succeed where one-size-fits-all policies have failed, and why manufactured housing residents deserve the same quality connectivity as any other neighborhood.

This show is 28 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license