The state of Missouri is the latest legislature to attempt to erect barriers to the deployment of broadband networks that are critical to the future of its local economies and the nation, via House Bill 437. High-bandwidth communications networks are the electricity of the 21st century and no community should be stymied or hampered in its efforts to deploy new future-proof communications infrastru…
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Economic Development: The “Killer App” for Local Fiber Networks
We mentioned in yesterday’s blog why one of the "2014 Worst Policy Ideas" listed by Wonkblog included “Blocking Cities from Selling Their Own Internet.” Check out this recent article co-authored by CLIC and Broadband Communities, for another piece of the “why?” “Economic Development: The Killer App for Local Fiber Networks.” It provides an extensive analysis of what many communit…
read moreAmong 2014 Worst Policy Ideas: Blocking Cities from Selling Their Own Internet
In case you missed it, according to the Washington Post’s influential policy blog “Wonkblog,” one of the “Worst Policy Ideas for 2014” was “Blocking Cities from Selling Their Own Internet.” Apparently, Wonkblog staff agree that being “fed up over limited choices, high prices and shoddy service” is a good reason for local communities to look for other internet alternatives to the …
read moreA CHORUS OF VOICES
The big thing in the tech world this week is the annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) taking place in Las Vegas. It’s the place to see the next big thing in tech: from 8K televisions to networked coffee pots to devices that monitor the environment in your home to applications that make it easier to find a ride or share your home. Some of it may seem futuristic or like it doesn’…
read more46 Connecticut Cities Drive Broadband Economic Partnerships
Forty-six Connecticut municipalities, representing 50% of the state’s population, have joined the effort for Connecticut to lead the nation as the first gigabit state through public-private partnerships. Called the CTgig Project, the State of Connecticut Consumer Counsel’s office has been coordinating with local municipalities on a process to reduce the cost of deploying ultra-high spe…
read moreAMMON, IDAHO: LOCAL BROADBAND CHOICE ELIMINATES THE “INVISIBLE LINE”
Ammon, Idaho, a community with 14,000 residents, exemplifies the economic development benefits of having local broadband choice. Ammon is a community situated in the southeast corner of the state, just adjacent to the city of Idaho Falls, a city with 60,000 residents. Because of its location, Ammon was experiencing its own digital divide -- anchor institutions, hospitals, law firms and busi…
read morePortland, Oregon: Local Broadband Authority Benefits Everyone
When the city of Portland filed in support of the Wilson and Chattanooga FCC petitions, it just told its own story. For Portland, having unhindered local broadband authority meant being able to invest in fiber networks and to encourage local choice. This enabled public-private partnerships, saved money for taxpayers, enhanced public services and encouraged the deployment of modern infrastructu…
read moreWHEN STATE LEGISLATION FACILITATES MODERN BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT
Emerging evidence suggests: next generation broadband networks mean more money for communities. Studies indicate homes connected to fiber enjoy a market value $5,000 greater than equivalent homes limited to just cable and copper. And a recent study showed a $1.4 billion gain in GDP by 14 communities with gigabit-capable broadband networks. There are policies at the state level that encourage t…
read moreCLIC Warmly Welcomes Charles Benton to Board of Advisors
CLIC is proud to announce that on November 18, 2014, Charles Benton officially joined CLIC’s Board of Advisors. Since 1981, Charles Benton has served as Chairman of the Benton Foundation, whose mission is to articulate a public interest vision for the digital age and to demonstrate the value of communications by solving social problems. Charles has enjoyed a nationally renowned career in …
read moreWhen Small Rural Communities Want to Provide Better Broadband And the Incumbents Don’t
Various communities have filed comments in support of the Wilson & Chattanooga FCC petitions demonstrating the multiple benefits to businesses and residents that would result if they had all options on the table to improve local broadband conditions. The mountain town of Highlands, North Carolina, told a frustrating tale of the direct hit to their economy caused by the North Carolina…
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