I just booked my ticket for NATOA's annual conference in San Francisco in September - the theme is Gigabit Communities. This conference has some great supporters of community broadband networks, including Joanne Hovis, Jim Baller, David Isenberg, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, among others. People from a number of communities that have already built networks will also be there. Representatives from some of the big cities that have come closest to making investments will also be there - Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco. Be sure to check out the agenda and drop by if you can!

Some still question whether we need FTTH networks, suggesting that modest copper upgrades will be fine for most over the next 5-10 years.  When it comes to essential infrastructure, the idea that we should "cut costs" by operating right on the margin usually ends poorly -- and costs more, particularly in lost opportunities.

But to get a taste of what is possible on next-generation networks, check out a short video synopsis (the first video) of an entire conference discussing this subject.  

The following videos are much more in-depth (and in chronological order), following the theme of "Public Services in a Gigabit World."

I have long been a fan of Larry Lessig's work, so I was proud to see him use our work as the foundation for his presentation at the 2011 Personal Democracy Forum.  He talks about the fundamental right of communities to build their own networks as well as Time Warner Cable's successful purchase of competition-limiting legislation in North Carolina.

Folks in Colorado will want to check out the 2011 Rural Broadband MountainConnect conference at Mt Princeton Springs, Nathrop, Colorado from June 12-13. Those who want to go will have to Request an Invitation (see the site for details). Some of the discussion topics include:

• What exactly is Rural Broadband?
• What are the real Community Benefits?
• How do we get to Gigabit Speeds?
• Success stories: Lessons learned
• National Trends & Regulation

I have been assured that this is not some vendor-dominated event trying to selling you something, so if you are nearby, consider checking it out.