Institute for Local Self-Reliance Podcasts

A Tool to Track Federal Funding for Affordable Broadband

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 16:00:25 +0000

In May, we published a story about the fate of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), based on a prediction model we built that was intended to visualize how long we might expect the $14.2 billion fund to last before needing new Congressional appro...… Read More

Massachusetts Broadband Coalition Is Formed With Focus on Public Private Partnerships

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 21:15:22 +0000

Representing 26 towns across Massachusetts, from Cape Cod to Chelsea, an informal group of mostly town officials have formed the Massachusetts Broadband Coalition in search of a way out of a broken monopoly broadband market to ensure that everyone in their individual communities has access to high-speed Internet.… Read More

Boulder, Colorado Gets Ready to Roll on Citywide Fiber Network

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 22:33:35 +0000

With the construction of its 65-mile dark fiber backbone nearly complete, city officials in Boulder, Colorado are now ready to move into the next phase of their plan: build out a citywide fiber network.… Read More

Realizing Ambitions of Open Access Broadband in Marin County, CA

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:48:28 +0000

Creative efforts are underway in Marin County, California to bring fiber connectivity to underserved pockets of the community and eventually the whole area.… Read More

Syracuse, NY Votes to Provide Low Cost Fixed Wireless Broadband to Low Income Households

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:47:06 +0000

City officials in Syracuse, New York have formally approved a new project to provide heavily discounted wireless broadband to low-income city residents. … Read More

Nationwide Push to Address ACP Anemia

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 20:18:14 +0000

The White House, in coordination with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Commerce Department, has kicked off a major push to get more of the estimated 52 million eligible households across the nation to take advantage of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).… Read More

Announcing the Debut of the New “Building for Digital Equity” Podcast

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 22:14:35 +0000

Our new podcast series, Building for Digital Equity, debuts with an insightful conversation with Margaret “Meg” Kaufer, President of the STEM Alliance in Westchester County, New York...… Read More

Making Waves in Baltimore with Community-Driven Connectivity

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 21:58:25 +0000

Profile on the people behind Project Waves, a non-profit organization founded in 2018 to bring broadband to mostly low-income households in Baltimore City...… Read More

Open Access Conduit in West Des Moines, Iowa Brings Google Fiber, Choice to City Residents

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 21:19:04 +0000

West Des Moines, Iowa is making steady progress on a $60 million open access fiber-optic conduit system to expedite the delivery of affordable fiber citywide. And they’re doing it with the help of Google Fiber...… Read More

Waterloo, Iowa Voters GO Forward with Municipal Fiber Network

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 21:28:58 +0000

After years of consideration and planning, Waterloo, Iowa is finally moving quickly forward with its plan to build a citywide municipal fiber network...… Read More

LA County Selects Pilot Communities for Major Broadband Expansion

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 19:32:31 +0000

LA County is accelerating its plan to deliver affordable broadband access to the city’s unserved and underserved, with an eye toward building one of the biggest municipal broadband networks in the nation...… Read More

Want to Work on Tribal Broadband Policy? ILSR is Hosting a 2023 ACLS Leading Edge Fellow

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 17:24:38 +0000

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) is pleased to announce that it has been selected by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) as a host organization for a Leading Edge Fellowship for the second time. The application window has opene...… Read More

Deadline to Challenge FCC Maps Highlights Failed Process

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 20:26:48 +0000

Last Friday was a major milestone in the process of moving $42.5 billion from the federal government to states to distribute mostly to rural areas to build new, modern Internet access networks. January 13th marked the deadline for error corrections (ca...… Read More

All States Now Have ‘Internet for All’ Planning Funds; Eyes Now on FCC Maps

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 21:08:09 +0000

As the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is set to unleash an unprecedented amount of federal funds to expand high-speed Internet access...… Read More

CUDs Lead Affordable Fiber Revolution in Vermont

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 01:00:38 +0000

When it comes to affordable broadband, Vermont has always been a trailblazer. From early adoption of municipal broadband and cooperatives to more recent experimentation with CUD (Communications Union District) fiber deployments, the state’s...… Read More

Pennsylvania Bill to Ease Municipal Broadband Restrictions; Experts Say It Doesn’t Go Far Enough

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 15:27:06 +0000

A bipartisan coalition of Pennsylvania lawmakers have introduced legislation that attempts to reverse some of the state’s stringiest provisions hamstringing municipal broadband builds. But experts suggest that while the bill may be well intentioned, a ...… Read More

New Resource: How to Submit Challenges to the FCC Broadband Map

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:02:52 +0000

With good reason, many are confused about the information shown in the FCC's new Broadband Availability map, the challenge process, and why we should care about helping the FCC make corrections. We believe it is importan...… Read More

Tribal Broadband Bootcamps Announced for 2023

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 13:26:15 +0000

The Tribal Broadband Bootcamps, which have worked with 20 Tribes and more than 100 participants over the past 2 years, offering hands-on training in wireless and fiber-optic networks, will continue in 2023 with an expanded schedule and expanded ...… Read More

Wave of Wireless Connectivity Crests in Enfield, North Carolina

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 01:03:42 +0000

Historically, Enfield was known for its tobacco and peanuts. Today, there’s a new wave cresting in this small rural community in eastern North Carolina. Thanks to a recent $350,000 investment from Connect Humanity, a start-up Internet service provider ...… Read More

New York City’s Ambitious Broadband Plan Is A Shadow Of Its Former Self

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 19:57:34 +0000

In 2020, New York City officials unveiled a massive new broadband proposal they promised would dramatically reshape affordable broadband access in the city. Instead, the program has been steadily and quietly dismantled, replaced by a variety of costly ...… Read More

Fairlawn Gig Adds Speed, Lowers Price

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 21:53:07 +0000

Subscribers to FairlawnGig – Fairlawn, Ohio’s municipal broadband network – are being upgraded to new service levels as the city-owned network bumps up speeds and slashes prices.… Read More

Following Through on Transparency: A Broadband Nutrition Label Status Report

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 21:52:08 +0000

The FCC is under deadline to release an order to “promulgate regulations to require the display of” the broadband nutrition label by November 15 of this year. We’ve taken a moment here to re-access the issue, offer a few updates, and… Read More

Hudson, Ohio Decides Time Has Come to Build Citywide Fiber Network

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 22:06:14 +0000

In northeast Ohio, the City of Hudson looks to modernize its telecommunications infrastructure through a public-private partnership that would expand the city-owned municipal fiber network… Read More

Study: Low Income LA County Neighborhoods Pay More for Internet Service Than Wealthier Neighborhoods

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 18:52:13 +0000

A new study from the Digital Equity LA initiative lays bare how low-income communities of color are impacted by the quiet business decisions of the county’s monopoly Internet service provider...… Read More

Cooperatives and Utilities Huge Winners in Tennessee Emergency Broadband Fund

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 14:57:37 +0000

Tennessee cooperatives and utilities came out at the top of the heap in the latest round of awards from the Tennessee Emergency Broadband Fund, netting nearly half of all money awarded for the expansion of more affordable broadband statewide...… Read More

Holland, Michigan Votes to Build Citywide Open Access Fiber Network

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 14:41:03 +0000

In early August, the city of Holland, Michigan (pop. 33,000) voted to fund the construction of a citywide, open access fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network. It’s the culmination of almost a decade of consideration, education, planning, and success, and bui...… Read More

Coalition of Congregations and Community-Based Organizations in Louisiana Delta Push for Better Internet

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 13:46:19 +0000

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced earlier this week that Louisiana will be the first state in the nation to receive federal grant planning funds to help states prepare for the deployment of high-speed Inter...… Read More

A New Tool to Track Federal Funding for Affordable Broadband

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 21:18:01 +0000

Duluth, Minnesota Could Revolutionize Affordable Internet Access Citywide

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 19:12:06 +0000

Like countless U.S. communities, Duluth, Minnesota (pop. 86,000) got a crash course on the importance of affordable broadband during the Covid-19 crisis. Those struggles in telecommuting and home education helped fuel a dramatic new broadband expansion...… Read More

Five Rural Maine Towns Form Coalition for Affordable Broadband

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 20:23:16 +0000

The Southwestern Waldo County Broadband Coalition (SWCBC) is close to securing a major victory for local Internet choice in the face of a well-funded opposition campaign sweeping the Pine Tree State as the Big Telecom lobby and its allies try to underm...… Read More

Rancho Cucamonga Cultivates Greenfield Fiber Vineyard

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 21:28:19 +0000

In the 1980s, Rancho Cucamonga proclaimed itself “The City with a Plan.” Back then, the plan was to remake this once rural enclave known for its vineyards into more than just one of the many sunny suburbs of Los Angeles. That forward-looking spirit was...… Read More

New York State Budget Bill Sets Table for Municipal Broadband

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 16:18:11 +0000

The recently enacted budget bill includes “the largest ever investment in New York's 21st century infrastructure (that) will leverage public and private investments to connect New Yorkers."… Read More

Stock Buybacks Remind Us That Monopoly ISPs Work for Shareholders, Not Subscribers

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 21:37:46 +0000

Business has been unmistakably good for Comcast recently, having added 1.3 million new broadband subscribers in 2021 alone. But that wasn’t the only cause for its increased earnings. … Read More

Study: Lack of Internet Access Leads to Increased Covid-19 Mortality Rates

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 20:04:36 +0000

Researchers at the University of Chicago show that a lack of Internet access has been strongly correlated with higher Covid-19 mortality rates.… Read More

Illinois (and Possibly New York) Poised to Fumble Federal Broadband Funds

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 20:54:16 +0000

Predictably, the big monopoly incumbents are aiming their lobbying efforts to influence state lawmakers as states funnel federal funds into state broadband grant programs. … Read More

LA County Moves Closer to Municipal Broadband

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 23:40:33 +0000

A newly approved plan aims to deliver wireless broadband to the 365,000 low-income households in Los Angeles county that currently don’t subscribe to broadband service. … Read More

Field Reports: Municipal Broadband and Digital Equity in Baltimore

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 22:56:28 +0000

The digital divide has only become more pronounced with the pandemic, prompting Baltimore officials to make moves in the direction of something exciting: building a city-owned, open access fiber network.… Read More

A Wave (of Fiber) Crests Across Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 21:46:48 +0000

The Dover Bridge is the span of infrastructure that crosses the Choptank River into Maryland’s Eastern Shore. But it’s the Choptank Electric Cooperative that’s building a bridge across the digital divide in the rural reaches of the region.… Read More

Upcoming Event: Building for Digital Equity – Demystifying Broadband Policy and Funding

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 22:56:15 +0000

Institute for Local Self-Reliance is teaming up with the National Digital Inclusion Alliance for a two-hour livestream event to demystify the landscape. On Wednesday, March 16th, from 2-4pm ET, we're hosting an online conversation to bring together local stakeholders, policy advocates, and funding experts in one place. We're calling it Building for Digital Equity: Demystifying Broadband Policy and Funding.… Read More

Monopoly Internet Service Providers Mire Grant Process With Costly, Empty Challenges

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 16:01:48 +0000

Over 230 communities have applied for National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Infrastructure Program grants. But community leaders increasingly say they’re facing costly, unnecessary challenges from incumbent broadband providers, who are exploiting unreliable U.S. broadband maps to overstate existing coverage and defend the status quo.… Read More

Alexandria Invests in Internet Infrastructure, Looks to Kick Comcast to the Curb

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 17:02:24 +0000

The city of Alexandria, Virginia, is moving to bring residents fast, reliable Internet access by building out an institutional network (I-Net) in the state’s seventh largest city.… Read More

A Nonprofit Builds Community and Connections in Montana

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:00:00 +0000

The Missoula Valley Internet Cooperative has successfully raised funds and designed, deployed, and launched a wireless mesh network delivering 150 Megabit per second (Mbps) symmetrical service to more than 50 of 550 pre-registered households for, on average, $40-60/month. … Read More

A Tale of Two Cities in Maine: Municipal Broadband and Misinformation

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 18:27:41 +0000

Just over 90 miles apart, Leeds and Hampden, Maine, have had motivated people in the community and in leadership advocating for better Internet access for years. In November 2021, the work of both these community initiatives was tested as voters were asked to decide whether or not to move forward with their respective municipal broadband plans.… Read More

Municipalities Across Massachusetts Move Toward Community-Owned Broadband

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 22:07:43 +0000

Cities and towns all over Massachusetts are looking for alternatives to the big incumbent Internet Service Providers in their communities as citizens across the Commonwealth have grown weary of the high-cost, second-rate Internet service – and lack of competition – that plagues markets dominated by monopoly providers.… Read More

New York Sees Wave of Projects to Expand Affordable, Reliable Internet Access

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 20:59:13 +0000

From New York City to Newfield in Upstate New York, local officials in the Empire State have kicked off projects to connect the unconnected to high-speed Internet service.… Read More

New Treasury Rules: Good News for Community-Driven Broadband Solutions

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 17:10:17 +0000

The U.S. Department of Treasury recently released the guidelines governing the Capital Projects Fund (CPF) — a $10 billion pot of money available to states, territories, and Tribal governments to confront the need for improved Internet connectivity exposed during the pandemic.… Read More

Cheers for NY County’s Effort to Bring High-Speed Internet Access to the Farm and Beyond

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 15:09:26 +0000

In July, the USDA announced it would grant $10.1 million in ReConnect funds in support of the project to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network that will connect 2,170 people, 50 farms and 30 businesses to high-speed broadband in Madison County.… Read More

Watch This Four-Part Educational Video Series on Building Wireless Networks

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 18:16:27 +0000

With support from the Internet Society, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance has produced a video series to help tribes meet the requirements set by the FCC in getting their 2.5GHz networks up and running.… Read More

A Public Utility District in Washington Pursues Opportunities to Improve Internet Access

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 21:08:25 +0000

Following hundreds of requests from community members urging the local Public Utility District (PUD) to address the lack of Internet access in Lewis County, Washington, the Lewis County PUD is answering the call with a proposal to construct an open access countywide fiber-to-the-home network.… Read More

Lake Cities in Texas Seek Partnership to Build Broadband Network

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 20:04:24 +0000

Four communities across Denton County, Texas, home to the North Texas State Fair and a thriving equine and agricultural center, are trying to bridge the digital divide for residents who live in the region.… Read More