Morristown, Tennessee, is one of very few communities where anyone in town can immediately get a gigabit delivered to their home and business. General Manager and CEO Jody Wigington of the municipal electric utility, Morristown Utility Systems, joins me to discuss why they built their network and how it is has benefited the community. The network … Read More
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance has released a new interactive map showcasing 342 community owned networks throughout the United States that serve local businesses and residents. The Community Internet Map is available at MuniNetworks.org/communitymap/… Read More
As the Georgia legislature considers HB 282, a bill that will restrict local governments from investing in telecommunications networks, we are continuing coverage of the communities that will be harmed by passage of the legislation. Should the restrictions become law, existing networks will not be able to expand. No expansion means fewer opportunities to reap the … Read More
Fremont Public Schools and the City of Fremont are joining forces to bring better connectivity to students and government. According to a Fremont Tribune article, work has already started on a fiber optic project that will increase bandwidth for both entities. Fremont is a few miles northwest of Omaha and checks in with over 25,000 residents. … Read More
Recently on Gigabit Nation, host Craig Settles visited with Mayor Max Beverly from Thomasville, Georgia. As our readers know, the Georgia General Assembly is again considering a bill to limit municipal efforts to bring connectivity to local residents and businesses. That bill is currently scheduled to be heard on Tuesday afternoon, 2/26, but many people have … Read More
We recently came across a news report from Knoxville’s WBIR. The video touches on how the city has gone from a town that used to rely on the choo-choo to a metropolitan wonder that flies over fiber optic cables. Walter Cronkite called Chattanooga the “dirtiest city in America” but the network is transforming it into a … Read More
In Cuyahoga County, OneCommunity is leading the effort of upgrade the County’s networking ability. With a special focus on improving pubic safety, the project is estimated to save the county $10 million over the next 5 years. From the OneCommunity blog: The project provides high-bandwidth connectivity and secure video conferencing to more than 60 county offices … Read More
Last year, we reported on the failed SB 135, which would have eliminated the “carrier of last resort” requirement in the state. The bill, sponsored by Republican Senator Paul Hornback would have let AT&T decide who could receive basic telephone service and would have limited consumer protections. Last year’s bill did not become law, but a … Read More
This is a good resource for those still trying to wrap their heads around Internet policy. Vint Cerf of Decoding DC.
