Third segment of this episode - The Scandal in Alabama Edition - of Slate's Hangup and Listen #podcast has helpful background on the role of live sports economics in cable bills and how they are transitioning to different packages. All of this has implications for Internet access and costs...

https://slate.com/podcasts/hang-up-and-listen

#broadband #Internetaccess #CommunityNets

What am I listening to today? Stumbled on Transcending Conversations - a new #podcast about improving education with a focus on the importance of universal high-quality #Internetaccess .

Looks like 6 eps avail so far, first one was great! #CommunityNets

Some great guests on different shows - including Autumn Evans from #Detroit and Bruce Patterson, who built the great #OpenAccess muni fiber network in #Ammon, #Idaho.

https://redcircle.com/shows/transcending-conversations/episodes/2254ea21-5e66-4e5a-962c-97d4fd7cf3b7

Check the Community Broadband Bits feed in your podcast app of choice to hear our predictions for 2023 around #broadband #communitynets #Internetaccess and more!

Talking about what we are seeing now and what we think will be happening in coming months... mostly so we have something to laugh at in December.

https://muninetworks.org/content/what-can-we-expect-see-2023-episode-534-community-broadband-bits-podcast

Fierce interviewed Brandy Reitter - #Colorado #Broadband Office director. Ends with note that Colorado #CommunityNets preemption makes it hard for communities to participate in state programs to improve #Internetaccess.

The state encourages remote mountain communities to invest in reliability - recognizing the need for redundant routes into town. More government programs need to do this over time!

https://www.fiercetelecom.com/broadband/colorado-state-broadband-official-talks-local-deployment-challenges-funding-ops

If you want an introduction to #CommunityNets - this #podcast interview #askmeanything where Drew Clark hosts me to talk about #broadband #Internetaccess is a really good place to start. No talking points - we go back and forth and get into the details. Straight talk and I thought a very good exploration of the challenges of getting high-quality Internet access to everyone.

https://muninetworks.org/content/christopher-mitchells-ask-me-anything-episode-533-community-broadband-bits-podcast

In case you missed it in the hubbub of closing the year out - our year end #podcast about #broadband issues and improving #Internetaccess went up in December, reflecting on the year of #CommunityNets - subscribe to Community Broadband Bits! https://muninetworks.org/content/year-review-2022-episode-532-community-broadband-bits-podcast

Great story about #rural #Vermont building community fiber networks via #CommunicationUnionDistricts to dramatically improve #Internetaccess in the most rural state! To track more stories like this in 2023, please subscribe to that LinkedIn page if you use that service! #CommunityNets https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7012086574356070401

A year in review with a focus on #CommunityNets - the Community Broadband Bits #podcast with our team from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. A lot has happened in #broadband and we hit the highlights - how that contrasted or agreed with our expectations a year ago. https://muninetworks.org/content/year-review-2022-episode-532-community-broadband-bits-podcast with great contributions from @seanalan

Led by UTOPIA - which has seen a remarkable turnaround from having existential struggles to becoming both beloved and solvent - Utah communities are embracing #openaccess #fiber networks for #Internetaccess. https://muninetworks.org/content/utopia-strata-networks-turns-utah-hotbed-looming-competition #CommunityNets

@smgalante I believe you are correct. Tennessee and Iowa have a lot. California, New York have few. We track them at https://MuniNetworks.org/communitymap - When we checked many years ago, a strong majority of muni networks were in areas that voted Republican. Those are often smaller towns in rural regions. But Republicans often champion efforts to stop #CommunityNets

After Washington and Arkansas were the first-ever states to remove barriers to community networks, we hoped for more... but we got Pennsylvania at least taking a small step in the right direction... Limits on community #Internet access are foolish but pushed by the big monopoly providers to restrict competition. #CommunityNets

https://muninetworks.org/content/pennsylvania-bill-ease-municipal-broadband-restrictions-experts-say-it-doesn%E2%80%99t-go-far-enough

The comments on this post about Cox cable are a reminder that people don't just want better #Internet access, they want #CommunityNets for local service and long term benefits.
http://www.northescambia.com/2022/12/escambia-county-resoliciting-proposals-for-north-escambia-residential-fiber-internet