In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris and Sean Gonsalves talk about Vermont’s push for universal connectivity, the future of Starlink and SpaceX, and major changes coming to Google Search.

They begin with Vermont and the state’s unique approach to broadband expansion through Communication Union Districts. Sean shares reporting on how Vermont is using local leadership, apprenticeship programs, community networks, and federal funding to bring fiber connectivity to the most rural state in the nation. You can find Sean's story about Vermont Closing In on Universal Broadband Access here.

Chris reflects on the long history behind these efforts, including earlier fights over wireless towers, Burlington Telecom, and the emergence of EC Fiber as a model for community broadband. 

Together, they discuss why Vermont’s approach “wasn’t inevitable,” and why local power and community organizing matter when building long-term infrastructure.

From there, the conversation turns to Starlink, SpaceX, and the future of the Universal Service Fund. Chris and Sean discuss Starlink’s rapid growth, SpaceX’s position on universal service, and concerns about replacing locally rooted providers with a monopoly platform that may not be able to serve everyone equally well. 

They also talk about rural connectivity, customer service, satellite capacity, and what happens when essential communications infrastructure is treated only as a market problem.

The episode closes with a “What the Tech!?!” segment focused on Google’s latest AI-powered search changes. Chris and Sean reflect on what it could mean for the future of the Internet, online content, platform economics, and the growing role of AI in everyday life. 

Along the way, they discuss “enshittification,” the pressure to monetize AI, and concerns about making human-created content harder to find online. 

This show is 30 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).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Sean Gonsalves, Doug Dawson, and Bill Callahan for a conversation about digital discrimination, digital equity, and the growing challenges around Internet access in the United States.

They begin by discussing the “regressive moment” surrounding digital equity, including the cancellation of the Digital Equity Act, the Eighth Circuit ruling, and broader questions about what digital discrimination actually means in practice. The group reflects on how many people still do not have access to “a normal Internet connection,” as well as the barriers created by affordability, devices, skills, and reliability.

Chris, Sean, Doug, and Bill then discuss monopoly power, local organizing, municipal networks, and the role of money in politics. They reflect on local fights over broadband projects, efforts to undermine public options, and why communities often face organized opposition when trying to build their own infrastructure.

The episode also explores BEAD, NTIA guidance, low-income broadband requirements, and the tension between federal policy and state decision making. Along the way, the group discusses New York, Pennsylvania, co-ops, affordability programs, and the limits of relying on large monopoly providers to solve access problems.

This show is 53 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).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Ernesto Falcon, Program Manager of Communications and Broadband Policy with the Public Advocates Office for a conversation about competition, mergers, and how to make sure the lowest-income households have access to an Internet connection that allows them to participate in the economy and civic life, as well as access telehealth and educational services on an equitable playing field.

Along the way, they talk about how public advocate offices like the state of California's serve the public interest, and serve also to inform policies that make state infrastructure and affordability programs as impactful as possible. Ernesto shares how recent research (and community partners) have driven new insight and tools to help level the playing field in a marketplace mishapen by promotional pricing schemes by the biggest ISPs. Finally, Chris and Ernesto talk about the Charter Spectrum/Cox merger, and the strong set of comittments the state of California has gotten in exchange for letting the action proceed, including multi-year commitments that should make getting online easier for all households.

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 (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).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Neil Chilson, head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute and author of Getting Out of Control: Emergent Leadership in a Complex World, for a conversation about AI policy, technology, systems, and complexity.

Chris and Neil begin by discussing technology, law, and policy, and how people who work in tech policy often reach very different conclusions while still trying to grapple with the same underlying issues. From there, the conversation turns to “bottom-up complex systems,” emergent order, and the idea that systems are often “more than the sum of the parts.”

They also explore the role of markets, manufacturing, and distributed knowledge, including the idea that “nobody controls that process,” even as systems continue adjusting to changing conditions and choices. Along the way, they discuss Hayek, metis, ant colonies, “I, Pencil,” and why the things that are easiest to measure “might not be the right things to measure.”

The episode closes with a broader conversation about education policy, tax policy, AI, and what it means to build systems that can respond to complexity rather than pretend it does not exist.

This show is 54 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 live episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Heather Mills, Doug Dawson, and Drew Garner for a wide-ranging conversation about BEAD, permitting, mobile wireless, and the latest debates around broadband policy and infrastructure.

They begin with a discussion about Amazon’s Leo service, efforts to preempt local government “to encourage more investments in Internet access,” and the realities of mobile wireless performance after Chris spent weeks traveling around the country.

From there, the conversation turns to BEAD and where things currently stand. Drew explains that most states and territories have finally signed their award agreements and are getting closer to construction, while also warning that the process remains “interminable” because there are so many seeming final steps. Chris, Heather, Doug, and Drew discuss delays, permitting, workforce challenges, NTIA guidance, and concerns that states may face a very narrow list of eligible uses for remaining funds.

The group also talks about affordability, quality, and value in broadband infrastructure, including whether LEO satellite service is truly an acceptable alternative to fiber-based networks. Heather reflects on the risks of creating “a class system of who gets what,” while emphasizing that affordability programs and local capacity still matter for communities trying to get connected.

The episode closes with a conversation about mobile networks, fixed wireless capacity, and why networks may feel like they are “running hotter” than they used to.

This show is 64 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 this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined again by Jade Piros De Carvalho and Sean Gonsalves for a conversation about Internet access, digital equity, and how we organize society.

They begin with an article by Stefan Schüller that compares the United States, Switzerland, and Germany and tries to draw lessons about how networks are built and governed. The discussion looks at how you can “do it way wrong” in different ways, from privatizing everything to gold plating systems, and what those choices mean for competition and outcomes.  

From there, the conversation turns to a central question: how do you go back from where we are now in the United States? Working within a privatized model, they explore whether it is possible to move toward something different, and what it would take to create more competition and better results for communities.

They also talk about digital equity, including how training and local investment can change people’s lives and why those investments matter. Sean highlights the benefits of these investments in his latest story on Belinda Parker-Mendoza from San Antonio. You can find that story on our main page here. 

Along the way, they reflect on the role of federal and state policy, the limits of simply “removing barriers to competition,” and the challenges of solving problems in places with existing infrastructure.

The episode also introduces a new recurring segment, “What the Tech!?!,” and closes with a look ahead to our first Unbuffered live show on April 28th at 2:00 PM ET. For more information, check out our story here.

This show is 48 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 this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by David Brauer and Lisa for a candid conversation about what happened when federal agents came to Minnesota and how communities responded.

The episode begins with a timeline of events, from early organizing efforts to a significant escalation, when thousands of federal agents, including ICE and Border Patrol, came to Minnesota. They discuss how rhetoric increased over time, how certain communities were targeted, and how a “multi-jurisdictional” federal presence took shape.

From there, the conversation focuses on what people experienced on the ground. Lisa shares what she was seeing and hearing in South Minneapolis, while David adds context from years of reporting in the Twin Cities. Together, they reflect on how neighbors communicated, how local groups had been planning for this moment, and how a widely distributed response came together across the region.

They also talk about the role of technology, both in how the federal government acted and how residents responded. From identifying targets to sharing information and video, technology shaped the experience on all sides, sometimes helping people stay safe and other times creating new risks.

Throughout the conversation, they return to a central question: why Minnesota reacted the way it did. They connect this moment to longer histories, including organizing, race, and the aftermath of George Floyd, while emphasizing that this is a recounting of their experiences, not a definitive account.

This show is 80 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 this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Roger Timmerman, Executive Director of UTOPIA Fiber, for a deep dive into what it takes to build fast, reliable, and community-focused broadband networks.

They begin with a closer look at a recent Ookla report and what it reveals about network performance, unpacking why latency matters more than most people realize and how UTOPIA’s open access, active ethernet model delivers a different kind of Internet experience. Along the way, they explore how common industry metrics can miss the full picture, especially when it comes to publicly owned, multi-provider networks.

The conversation then turns to UTOPIA’s origin story and evolution. Roger reflects on the early challenges, from technical missteps to political opposition, and how the network was rebuilt into one of the most successful municipal fiber systems in the country. He shares his own journey from engineer to CEO, including why he left for the private sector and what ultimately brought him back to public infrastructure work.

From there, the discussion broadens to the role of municipal broadband in today’s landscape. Chris and Roger examine the limitations of federal funding programs, the gaps facing small and mid-sized cities, and why communities across the country are still seeking better options. They make the case that broadband should be treated as essential infrastructure, not just a private commodity, and that local investment can deliver long-term economic and social benefits.

The episode closes with a wide-ranging conversation on the future of technology, from AI and automation to data centers and resource constraints. It’s an honest look at both the promise and the risks of rapid technological change, and a reminder that how we build and govern our networks will shape who benefits from what comes next.

This show is 52 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 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