In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined again by Sascha Meinrath, Palmer Chair of Telecommunications at Penn State, for a wide-ranging, discussion about the book Abundance by Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein—and what it gets wrong about broadband and public policy. 

They dive into the historical failures of corporatist infrastructure models, the rise of regulatory complexity that benefits incumbents, and the dangers of framing government as the problem instead of part of the solution. 

From the Kingsbury Commitment to BEAD to trickle-down tech policy, Chris and Sascha explore why bold, community-centered visions of abundance are necessary to deliver real digital equity and structural change.

This show is 39 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.

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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 dive into three key issues shaping the broadband landscape. 

First, they celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Universal Service Fund and explain why it matters for schools, libraries, and low-income communities. 

Then, they take aim at corporate “sludge”—the deliberate barriers big companies use to frustrate customers—and how it reveals the importance of local broadband options. 

Finally, they unpack a promising new lawsuit filed by 21 states and D.C. challenging the Trump administration’s move to cancel Digital Equity Act grants, pushing back to defend federal broadband funding.

Click here to check out the Atlantic story discussing Customer Service and "Sludge".

Click here for more information about the lawsuit filed by 21 states and D.C. challenging the Trump administration’s move to cancel Digital Equity Act grants.

This show is 33 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 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 talks with Brian Vo (Connect Humanity) and Clara Miller (Federal Reserve Bank of New York) about unlocking mission-driven capital to bring broadband to historically excluded communities.

They explore how broadband networks, like other public utilities, can be funded through creative partnerships and financial tools that align with long-term community goals.

From the early lessons of the CDFI movement to success stories like Macon County, Alabama, this conversation highlights how inclusive, community-centered financing can build sustainable Internet infrastructure for the future.

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.

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 Harold Feld (Public Knowledge) and Michael Calabrese (New America’s Open Technology Institute) to unpack the growing threat to Wi-Fi and shared spectrum like CBRS. 

As Congress debates how to raise revenue through spectrum auctions, a Senate proposal could force the FCC to auction off the very spectrum Wi-Fi 7 needs to thrive—jeopardizing billions in economic value and the connected future we’ve come to depend on. 

They break down what’s at stake, how we got here, and what you can do to help protect this vital public resource.

This show is 43 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 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 David Zumwalt, President and CEO of WISPA, to sound the alarm on threats to shared spectrum—specifically CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service).

They dig into how CBRS has empowered wireless ISPs, school districts, airports, and tribal nations to innovate and serve hard-to-reach communities, all while coexisting peacefully with the Department of Defense. But with corporate giants lobbying to reassign CBRS for exclusive use, this unique model of dynamic spectrum sharing could be in jeopardy.

Tune in for an urgent conversation about the fight to preserve shared spectrum and what’s at stake for connectivity and the future of broadband.

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.

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 Monday edition of the podcast, Chris sits down again with Evan Feinman, former BEAD Director at NTIA, to unpack the fallout from the Trump administration’s sweeping changes to the BEAD program.

Feinman calls out the decision to prioritize short-term cost savings over long-term infrastructure, arguing that these policy shifts will slow progress, drive up monthly bills, and ultimately leave rural communities behind.

From satellite subsidies to the sidelining of fiber, they explore why the new guidance undermines state-level planning, threatens broadband quality, and may betray the very voters it claims to help.

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.

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 welcomes back Gigi Sohn, Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate, for a fast-paced reaction to recent testimony by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

They dig into the political motivations behind the BEAD program’s freeze, the misleading justifications around climate and affordability requirements, and the sweeping changes that could derail state broadband plans. 

Gigi brings sharp insight to a frustrating moment in broadband policy, explaining why the clock is ticking and who’s paying the price for the delay.

This show is 37 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 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 talks with Josh Etheridge, Chief Strategic Officer of EPC—a broadband construction company based in Louisiana—about the real-world consequences of the federal government’s pause on BEAD funding. 

Josh breaks down how the delay has disrupted local businesses, sidelined workers, and stalled broadband expansion in some of the country’s most disconnected communities. 

From equipment sitting idle to families laid off, he lays out how uncertainty at the top is rippling down through the industry—and what’s at stake if BEAD doesn’t move forward soon.

This show is 36 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 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 sits down with Tom Esselman of DEPO-KC to explore how Kansas City is meeting the digital equity challenge with grassroots action, local partnerships, and nonprofit leadership. 

They trace the city’s long digital inclusion journey—from the arrival of Google Fiber and early federal initiatives to today’s uncertain funding landscape. 

Tom shares powerful personal stories of connection, community trust, and workforce development that reveal why local, relationship-driven work remains central to closing the digital divide.

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.

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 speaks with Jade Piros de Carvalho about the cascading impact of the federal government’s decision to cancel the Digital Equity Act.

They discuss how this sudden move threatens not just digital inclusion programs, but the very foundation of state broadband offices—and by extension, the success of the $42.5 billion BEAD infrastructure program.

With broadband office funding models built on a delicate web of interconnected federal grants, Jade explains why pulling one thread puts everything at risk.

This show is 24 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 Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license