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More Mississippians Anticipating Fiber Connectivity from Their Co-op in 2020
Mississippians served by electric cooperatives have had plenty to celebrate since the passage of the Mississippi Broadband Enabling Act last year. Recently, Northcentral Electric Cooperative announced that they're creating an affiliate to provide high-quality Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Internet access to members.
Report: Pew Charitable Trusts Researchers Examine State Broadband Efforts
In September 2019, we interviewed Kathryn DeWit from the Broadband Initiative at the Pew Charitable Trusts about their State Broadband Policy Explorer
Alaskan Telephone Co-op to Connect Remote Village With Fiber, Wireless Middle Mile
In 1999, Yakutat became home to one of Alaska’s first surf shops. Now, two decades later, the coastal community of 600 people is looking at another first for the community — high-speed Internet access. Cordova Telecom Cooperative (CTC) will be expanding its broadband network to Yakutat from the co-op’s headquarters 220 miles away in Cordova, Alaska. The new project will bring high-quality Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Internet access to the village, which has a large Native Alaskan population.
ReConnect Funding a Shot in the Arm for Virginia Co-op Fiber Broadband Deployment
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC), has been working on their plan to deploy Fiber-to-the Home (FTTH) to members and surrounding premises since 2017.
Arrowsic, Maine, Receives Federal Grant to Develop Fiber Network
There is a festive air in Arrowsic, Maine, after Governor Janet Mills announced on January 30th that the community will develop a publicly owned broadband network for fast, affordable, reliable connectivity.
Survey Supports Network Feasibility in Falmouth
Early survey results confirm the potential for a community broadband network in the coastal town of Falmouth, Massachusetts, reports The Falmouth Enterprise.
State Legislatures 2020: Broadband Preemption Still a Risk
As state lawmakers debate in committee rooms and Capitol chambers around the country, various broadband and Internet network infrastructure bills are appearing on agendas. Some are good news for local communities interested in developing publicly owned networks while other preemption bills make projects more difficult to plan, fund, and execute. We've gathered together some notable bills from several states that merit watching - good, bad, and possibly both.
Community Broadband Media Roundup - February 24
California
California’s broadband fund ignores fiber and favors slow DSL by Ernesto Falcon, EFF
Idaho House Bill Threatens Funding Option for Community Network Investment
The open access network in Ammon, Idaho, has been celebrated as visionary and viewed as a potential model for other communitie
North Carolina Takes a Deeper Look at Statewide Access, Adoption, Digital Divide
Determining the state of broadband in a local community can be challenging for professional who conduct surveys and develop feasibility studies. Finding out the same information on a state level is an even more complex task. Nevertheless, North Carolina is tackling the job and earlier this month, the N.C.
RVBA Expanding to Residential Fiber Connectivity in Virginia
The Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority (RVBA) in Virginia recently announced that they are now ready to begin developing residential Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections in Roanoke and Botetourt Counties and the cities of Salem and Roanoke.
Expect Broken Promises From T-Mobile/Sprint Merger
The merger between T-Mobile and Sprint is moving forward, notwithstanding legal opposition from multiple state attorneys general. In a recent article, Christopher Mitchell Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance's Community Broadband Networks Initiative, and Paul Goodman, Technology Equity Director from The Greenlining Institute, explained the tenuous reasoning behind the recent court decision and why they expect nothing good for subscribers and the state of competition as this deal comes to fruition.
Community Broadband Media Roundup - February 17
Georgia
USDA invests $4.4 million in rural broadband infrastructure in Georgia’s Gilmer County, USDA
Illinois
2020 Mountain Connect Set for May 18th - 20th
Make it to Colorado in the spring for Mountain Connect on May 18th - 20th. This is one of Christopher's favorite events located at the picturesque Keystone Resort and Conference Center in the Rockies. This year's theme is "Broadband: The Great Enabler for Disruptive Technologies."
Traverse City Handling Business of Broadband Branding
As the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) project moves along in Traverse City, Michigan, utility board members are establishing the elements to set the service apart from other Internet access options in the community.
