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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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ILSR Press Room filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Jun 7, 2012

Monticello’s Model Broadband Effort in Peril

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/monticellos-model-broadband-effort-peril/

Star Tribune, June 7, 2012 Once seen as a national model, Monticello’s broadband network can no longer pay its bills. The city, about 40 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, notified banks and bondholders Wednesday that it will no longer make debt service payments on $26 million worth of revenue bonds that were sold to… Continue reading

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ILSR Press Room filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Jun 4, 2012

Payments to Minneapolis Digital Fund Dry Up

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/payments-minneapolis-digital-fund-dry/

Minnesota Public Radio, June 4, 2012 Payments to a little-known fund intended to expand Internet access in Minneapolis have all but dried up. The company that created the citywide Wi-Fi network was required to establish the fund as part of its contract. USI Wireless was expected to replenish the fund every year as profits grew…. Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Jun 3, 2012

Susan Crawford Presentation at Freedom to Connect

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/susan-crawford-presentation-freedom-connect

Susan Crawford was one of the featured presenters at Freedom to Connect 2012 and her presentation was noted by Tech Dirt: To support her thesis, Crawford presented some stunning numbers. In the last two years, Comcast market share has grown from 16.3 million subscribers to 18.5, a 14 percent growth. Time Warner Cable has grown… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Jun 2, 2012

Wireless, Fiber, the Speed of Light, and Wall Street

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/wireless-fiber-speed-light-and-wall-street

A few weeks ago, I read that Wall Street traders had invested $300 million in a new fiber optic line between Chicago and New York City to shave a few milliseconds off the existing route in order to gain a massive advantage for their computer trading algorithms. This investment, which could have brought real value… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Jun 1, 2012

UTOPIA Scapegoated as Area Cities Increase Taxes

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/utopia-scapegoated-area-cities-increase-taxes

Jesse Harris has posted an interesting update on the present UTOPIA situation, where a number of cities are heaping perhaps too much blame on UTOPIA for rising local taxes. A lot of cities have been talking property tax hikes lately, and the most certain thing about all of the proposals is that elected officials are… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on May 31, 2012

Fiber Referendum Fails in Siloam Springs

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/fiber-referendum-fails-siloam-springs

In an unsurprising result, voters in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, chose not to build their own FTTH network. The margin was 58% against, 42% for. According to that article, the opponents (bankrolled largely by national cable company Cox) outspent proponents by 3:1. We previously covered this plan and were concerned that the number one reason identified… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on May 30, 2012

HBC Steps Down from Managing FiberNet Monticello

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/hbc-steps-down-managing-fibernet-monticello

In a surprise move, HBC has announced it will end management of FiberNet Monticello, though the actual time frame has not been announced. FiberNet Monticello is a FTTH network approximately 45 miles northwest of Minneapolis. HBC has been operating the publicly owned network, offering triple play services, since inception. FiberNet Monticello has had a particularly… Continue reading

johnson-city-teams-up-with-bvu-authority-for-broadband
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on May 29, 2012

Johnson City Teams up with BVU Authority for Broadband

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/johnson-city-teams-bvu-authority-broadband

We have been watching Johnson City, Tennessee, examine its options to improve broadband options in their community using extra capacity from fiber-optic investments for smart-grid implementation. Johnson City has been looking for a partner that would offer services to local businesses and perhaps residents. We were concerned about that approach as a private-sector partner may… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on May 29, 2012

Wally Bowen: Open Wireless is Essential Infrastructure

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/wally-bowen-open-wireless-essential-infrastructure

Once again, we are reprinting an opinion piece by Wally Bowen, founder of the nonprofit Mountain Area Information Network based in Asheville, North Carolina. The op-ed was originally published in the Asheville Citizen-Times. Once upon a time, Internet enthusiasts made the following comparison: the Internet is to 21st-century economies what navigable waterways and roads were… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on May 27, 2012

The Future of the Internet, by TNR and Vint Cerf

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/future-internet-tnr-and-vint-cerf

In a recent editorial (May 24 issue), The New Republic argued that the Obama Administration was doing a decent job on Internet policy and obliquely referenced an article discussing carrier opposition to community broadband. The op-ed begins, Politicians aren’t always especially thoughtful about, or even familiar with, information technology. George W. Bush used the term… Continue reading