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About Christopher

Christopher Mitchell is the Director of the Telecommunications as Commons Initiative with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. He runs MuniNetworks.org as part of ILSR's effort to ensure broadband networks are directly accountable to the communities that depend upon them. More

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audio-of-dirty-trick-push-poll-in-lafayette-from-2005
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Oct 29, 2012

Audio of Dirty Trick Push Poll in Lafayette from 2005

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/audio-dirty-trick-push-poll-lafayette-2005

We sometimes fail to communicate the great lengths to which big cable and telecommunications companies will go to intimidate and scare voters into opposing a community broadband projects. They have deployed a variety of dirty tricks and we have done a poor job of cataloging them. But a recent phone call with John St. Julien… Continue reading

community-broadband-bits-18-dewayne-hendricks
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Oct 23, 2012

Community Broadband Bits 18 – Dewayne Hendricks

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-bits-18-dewayne-hendricks

Dewayne Hendricks is a serial entreprenuer, innovator, and wireless expert. Wired magazine labeled him a broadband cowboy back in 2001. And he is our guest on the 18th episode of Community Broadband Bits. Our discussion focuses on the promise of wireless technologies and how a few entrenched interests in DC (the big broadcasters and wireless… Continue reading

dailyyonder
ILSR Press Room filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Oct 22, 2012

Necessity Births a Rural Broadband Network

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/necessity-births-rural-broadband-network/

Daily Yonder, October 22, 2012 Chanute, Kansas, two hours from Tulsa, Joplin, and Kansas City, is home to about 9,100 people. As has been true in much of the rural U.S., existing telephone and cable companies were slow to upgrade broadband service here. But local leaders decided broadband was too important to wait for and… Continue reading

the-incredible-incompetence-of-comcast
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Oct 18, 2012

The Incredible Incompetence of Comcast

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/incredible-incompetence-comcast

What happens when economies of scale are taken to ridiculous proportions? The wretched customer service of Comcast, AT&T, Etc. We recently had to move our Institute for Local Self-Reliance office within Minneapolis due to our old building being razed shortly for student condos. Given the paucity of choices, we are stuck with Comcast as our… Continue reading

help-get-the-word-out-about-community-networks
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Oct 16, 2012

Help Get the Word Out About Community Networks

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/help-get-word-out-about-community-networks

What will we be talking about that the National Conference for Media Reform in Denver, April 5-7 of 2013? Lots of things, but let’s make sure Community Networks are on the agenda! The National Conference for Media Reform (NCMR) is a great gathering of enthusiastic people who want to build a better media that reflect… Continue reading

community-broadband-bits-17-joe-knapp-of-sandy-oregon
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Oct 16, 2012

Community Broadband Bits 17 – Joe Knapp of Sandy, Oregon

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-bits-17-joe-knapp-sandy-oregon

Sandy has run a wireless network for over eight years and has just announced a partnership with i3 to bring FTTH to everyone using i3′s technology to run trunk fiber lines through existing waste water and storm water pipes. We previously wrote about Sandy here. Joe Knapp, the IT Director for the city of Sandy… Continue reading

community-broadband-bits-16-jd-lester-and-larry-gates-chanute-kansas
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Oct 9, 2012

Community Broadband Bits 16 – JD Lester and Larry Gates – Chanute, Kansas

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-bits-16-jd-lester-and-larry-gates-chanute-kansas

Following the release of our case study on Chanute, Kansas, we have an interview with City Manager JD Lester and Director of Utilities Larry Gates for our 16th podcast — Community Broadband Bits. JD Lester and Larry Gates discuss Chanute’s network and its impact on their rural community. As detailed in the case study, Chanute… Continue reading

Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Oct 6, 2012

Doc Searls on the Internet

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/doc-searls-internet

Doc Searls is a terrific thinker who “gets” the Internet. He was one of several responsible for The Cluetrain Manifesto and his most recent book – The Intention Economy is on my short list of to-read books. Continue reading

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Article, Resource filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | 1 Comment | Updated on Oct 2, 2012

In Kansas, Rural Chanute Built Its Own Gigabit Fiber and Wireless Network

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/chanute-rural-gigabit/

Chanute first built a vision, then a network. The fiber network connects schools and other community anchor institutions with gigabit networks. The wireless network serves public safety. Soon, both may serve everyone. The “Hub of southeast Kansas” is a small town where schools have gigabit connections, the City operates a 10Gbps fiber-optic broadband ring, and… Continue reading

community-broadband-bits-15-geoff-daily-fibercorps
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Oct 2, 2012

Community Broadband Bits 15 – Geoff Daily – FiberCorps

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-bits-15-geoff-daily-fibercorps

Geoff Daily is an old friend of ours at Community Broadband Networks and he joins us for our 15th installment of the Community Broadband Bits audio show. He created a nonprofit organization, FiberCorps in Lafayette, Louisiana, to maximize usage of the LUS Fiber network owned by the community. Geoff and I discuss the importance of… Continue reading