Time Warner Cable subscribers across the country who enjoy CBS programming are out of luck. The two media giants have reached an impasse in their fight over retransmission consent so several major markets are now missing out. CBS has also taken the fight one step farther, blocking TWC broadband subscribers from accessing CBS.com video content. Public … Read More
A Wenatchee World article recently announced that Douglas County Public Utilities District is reducing the rate it charges to connect to the community fiber network. According to the July 18th article, connecting to the Douglas County Community Network (DCCN) previously cost a one time fee of $250. The PUD Commissioners decided to shave $100 off the … Read More
You will soon start seeing some stories by David Collado, under the byline “dcollado.” David has been researching community owned networks with ILSR for the summer and will continue for a few more months. Here is some background biographical details on David. David Collado is currently a JD candidate (2014) at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of … Read More
This summer, Broadband Communities Magazine published its list of 135 municipalities that have invested in their own FTTH networks. In the May/June issue, Masha Zager finds that a growing number of communities are building fiber to the home networks. Subscriptions to the magazine are available here. In her accompanying article [PDF], Zager describes her precise criteria … Read More
In Florida, Lakeland is one of several communities that has built a dark fiber network in a low-risk bid to expand connectivity for anchor institutions and to spur economic development. City of Lakeland Fiber Optics Supervisor Paul Meyer joins us for episode #58 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. Meyer explains why Lakeland began offering dark … Read More
The Roanoke Valley, nestled in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, grapples with the same connectivity problems facing many communities in rural Virginia. Private providers have few incentives to invest in next-generation Internet networks because the low density population promises too little profit. Like Danville, Bristol, and the Rockbridge area, communities in the Roanoke Valley are taking matters … Read More
Since the story broke about the NSA domestic spying practices, debate among concerned citizens has revolved around the Big Brother surveillance model. Most of us shudder at the thought of our federal agencies from DC watching, noting, and recording our actions. However, there is another type of Internet surveillance that largely escapes notice and likewise threatens … Read More
Near the center of Florida sits Lakeland, the largest city between Orlando and Tampa with 98,000 residents. The area boasts 38 lakes, citrus crops, and a growing healthcare industry. Lakeland also owns a fiber optic network serving education, business, and government. To learn more, we spoke with Paul Meyer, Lakeland Electric City of Lakeland Fiber Optics … Read More
Shafter, California, faced tough economic times when the end of the housing boom derailed its fiber optic network plans. Rather than discard a vision to use high-speed broadband as a catalyst for better quality of life and economic development, the community adjusted its plan and is realizing its long-term goal. With no borrowing or bonding, this … Read More
