Residential Retrofit Program

Content tagged with "Residential Retrofit Program"

Related Topics
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2

Time for a Retrofit! - Episode 20 of Unbuffered

Unbuffered Logo - Two text bubbles
By
on

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Sean Gonsalves for a wide-ranging conversation about some of the latest stories shaping broadband and telecommunications.

Chris and Sean begin in Massachusetts, where they discuss the state's Residential Retrofit Program and how targeted investments are helping bring reliable, affordable Internet service to thousands of residents living in older affordable housing developments. They explore why focusing on existing housing can make a meaningful difference for communities that have often been left behind.

The conversation then shifts to Minnesota, where Windomnet, one of the state's longest-running municipal broadband networks, is being sold to a regional provider. Chris and Sean reflect on the network's legacy, the value it brought to the community over two decades, and why the success of community broadband shouldn't be measured by simple financial metrics alone.

From there, they examine new data showing how Americans are using more upstream bandwidth as upload speeds improve, reinforcing the importance of building networks that support both consumption and creation in an increasingly connected world.

Finally, Chris and Sean dive into one of the more unusual technology stories of the week: the Federal Communications Commission's approval of a proposal to test a satellite designed to reflect sunlight back to Earth. They discuss the regulatory questions surrounding the project, the potential unintended consequences, and what it says about the pace of technological innovation.

Throughout the episode, Chris and Sean connect today's headlines with broader conversations about community investment, local accountability, and building communications infrastructure that serves people for the long term.

This show is 40 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 Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

Read More

Massachusetts' Residential Retrofit Program Hits Its Stride

An MBI officials stands with microphone in front of Southbridge residents
By on

Late last month, officials from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) and Community Broadband Networks America (CBN America) —  an independently-owned fiber Internet service provider — gathered with dozens of residents at two Southbridge Housing Authority properties to celebrate the expansion of the state's Residential Retrofit Program. 

The event marked the latest milestone for a program that, more than two years after its launch, has grown from a $22 million pilot project into a $74 million initiative to rewire some of the Commonwealth's oldest affordable housing stock in order to allow residents living there faster and more reliable access to the Internet.

For the roughly 150 residents at the two Southbridge properties — many of them elderly, on fixed incomes, or living with disabilities — the occasion really hit home. 

Diane Servant, board chair of the Southbridge Housing Authority and a resident herself, told the crowd gathered for the celebration what the upgraded wiring will mean for broadband-hungry residents.

“It's going to save you money, and that's always a plus for all of us on very fixed incomes,” Servant said. “Some of the perks are you will be able to do telehealth, talk with your children, talk with your grandchildren. It's just going to be fabulous.”

MBI and CBN officials cut blue tape at ceremony

CBN America is handling the fiber build-out at the Southbridge properties, part of a broader push by the provider into southern Worcester County. In total, CBN was awarded $5.7 million in grant program funds to upgrade wiring in buildings across six different communities in the region, bringing all-fiber connections to 1,820 units, MBI officials tell ILSR.

Read More
Subscribe to Residential Retrofit Program