Community Broadband Networks

Will states get their "non-deployment" BEAD dollars to help tackle the nation's massive digital divide or will NTIA flout the law?

Our story at link below in light of recent developments 🌐⬇️

communitynetworks.org/content/ntia...

Mergers, Monopoly Prices, and Accountability - Episode 676 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast | Community Broadband Bits | Episode 676 Chris Mitchell, Doug Dawson, and Sean Gonsalves break down the latest telecom mergers, Starlink’s push to reshape BEAD rules, and new research showing how lack of competition drives higher prices for ...

On our latest podcast, @sportshotchris.bsky.social is joined by @dougdawsonccg.bsky.social & @seangon.bsky.social to dive into the wave of major telecom mergers, what growing market power means for consumers, and dig into new research fr Chattanooga on the economic benefits of municipal fiber

🌐💻

A $20 Verizon Internet Deal on Paper – Will Depend Heavily on Enforcement | Welcome to Community Networks California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently signed off on Verizon’s $20 billion merger with telecom giant Frontier with some notable conditions. While the concessions extracted from Veriz...

California regulators recently signed off on Verizon’s $20 billion merger with some notable affordability conditions

Still, affordability advocates "remain concerned about the long-term impacts of major telecommunications mergers on the broadband landscape in California."

Our story here

Mapping Food Deserts and Grocery Consolidation To help users explore how corporate concentration has reshaped food access across the United States, ILSR created an interactive map that shows food deserts alongside the location of different types o...

While our broadband team focuses on local connectivity solutions, our GIS specialist @cthemaplady.bsky.social made time to create an interactive map for one of ILSR's other initiatives (Independent Business)

It maps food deserts & shows how corporate concentration has reshaped food access in the US

They don't want oversight? Fine. No money then.

Understand that once StarLink has a monopoly, it will quadruple or 10x its prices, install horrible filtering, and steal all your data.
Elon’s behaviour is consistent.
StarLink is not “cheaper“; it is TEMPORARILY subsidised by Bad People to build a monopoly that it can then *exploit brutally*

Starlink Demands Less Oversight As It Receives Hundreds Of Millions In New Subsidies | Welcome to Community Networks Elon Musk’s Starlink is making new demands of states with an eye on eroding accountability and oversight, reheating concerns about whether spending big money on the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) network is th...

And here is an incisive update that @karlbode.com wrote for us on how Starlink is demanding less oversight

communitynetworks.org/content/star...

When Starlink Rewrites the Rules of Broadband Funding - Episode 675 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast | Community Broadband Bits | Episode 675 Chris Mitchell, Doug Adams, and Karl Bode break down Starlink’s behind-the-scenes push to rewrite BEAD rules, what it means for accountability and public dollars, and why communities could once again ...

On our latest podcast, @sportshotchris.bsky.social, Doug Adams and @karlbode.com break down Starlink’s behind-the-scenes push to rewrite BEAD rules, what it means for accountability and public dollars, and why communities could once again be left holding the bag

Maryland Lawmakers Advance Broadband Affordability Bill Despite Federal Pushback | Welcome to Community Networks Two dozen state lawmakers in Maryland have signed on to the Broadband Opportunity and Fairness Act, state legislation that seeks to address broadband affordability. Introduced by Delegate Kris Fair (D...

NTIA has threatened to without federal broadband $$ from states that enact affordable broadband legislation

But, a Maryland lawmaker tells NTIA to hold his beer as he filed an affordable broadband bill along with 25 co-sponsors that may just dodge a Trump admin bullet

Our story here 🌐💻⬇️

New York Expands Its Historic Investment In Municipal Broadband | Welcome to Community Networks New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a dramatic expansion of the state’s Municipal Infrastructure Program. It will result in an additional $36 million cash infusion for the growing number of c...

NY Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a dramatic expansion of the state’s Municipal Infrastructure Program, relying on American Rescue Plan $$

Meanwhile, the current admin has been busy undermining the intent of the BEAD program, which states are relying on to close the digital divide

Our story here 🌐💻⬇️

Trump administration’s tribal broadband cuts, “reforms” raise red flags ahead of consultation The Trump administration canceled $160M in tribal broadband grants and promises "reforms" that could undermine tribal sovereignty. Consultations begin Jan. 20.

Our Senior Researcher Jessica Auer recently published a piece in Tribal Business News about how the future of tribal broadband has quietly but fundamentally shifted over the last few months

What's shifted? ⬇️

YouTube video by Institute for Local Self-Reliance Navigating the Legal Landscape of Community Broadband

⚡“Navigating the Legal Landscape of Community Broadband” free webinar starts in 30 mins. Join us where we’ll be joined by Keller & Heckman attorneys Sean Stokes & Casey Lide⚡

Community leaders, policymakers & broadband advocates nationwide this one's for you

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BItC...

⚡Join us today at noon ET for our free webinar with @aapbroadband.bsky.social and our special expert guests

We'll have Sean Stokes and Casey Lide from Keller & Heckman exploring laws, risks & solutions shaping local broadband networks⚡

communitynetworks.org/content/aapb...

Meet the Municipal Networks that Launched in 2025 | Welcome to Community Networks In 2025, we saw seven new municipal broadband networks across the country that were lit up for service. As is usual, it was a mixture of partnerships, business models, and construction approaches to m...

Community matters - especially now

Publicly-owned, locally-controlled broadband is one way communities strengthen themselves, putting connectivity in local hands and opening the digital world to everyone

We celebrate the muni networks that were launched in 2025 here! 🎉🌐💻

Clock ticking for Charter to complete northern Richland County broadband work Charter Communications is officially on the final ARPA countdown clock. And, at this point, no overtime is likely.

Critics are fond of saying municipal broadband is a "boondoggle" for taxpayers

Never mind the fact that it's NOT true, lookie here

Charter got $2 mil in tax dollars back in May 2023 to expand Internet access in Richland County. Now local officials are worried Charter won't meet the 2026 deadline

Next week: join us, @communitynets.bsky.social for “Navigating the Legal Landscape of Community Broadband,” where we’ll be joined by Keller & Heckman attorneys Sean Stokes and Casey Lide.

Learn to tackle legal, governance, and regulatory hurdles head-on.

Register: sites.google.com/ilsr.org/ils...

AAPB and ILSR to Host Webinar on Legal Challenges Facing Community Broadband | Welcome to Community Networks The free event, featuring Keller & Heckman attorneys Sean Stokes and Casey Lide, will focus on the most pressing legal considerations facing community broadband projects, partnerships, and compliance....

⚡Our webinar series with @aapbroadband.bsky.social returns on Jan 20

Communities kicking the tires on building a municipal network or thinking about a public-private partnership are not going to want to miss this free event

Navigating the Legal Landscape of Community Broadband

In the Vast Expanses of Indian Country, Broadband Gaps Create Health Gaps, Too - Meditech Today FORT HALL RESERVATION, Idaho — Standing atop Ferry Butte, Frances Goli scanned the more than half a million acres of Shoshone-Bannock tribal land below as she

We are always happy to speak with reporters about broadband and its real-world impacts

In this excellent Meditech Today piece, our Senior Researcher Jessica Auer offers some insights on how the current administration is shortchanging connectivity in Indian Country

YouTube video by Institute for Local Self-Reliance 2026 Predictions with Blair Levin- Episode 671 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Blair Levin joined the Community Broadband Bits podcast to review 2025 while raising the key issues we should watch for in 2026 on matters of telecom, Internet access, etc. And we put it on YouTube!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc44...

Williston, Florida’s $4.6 Million City-Owned Fiber Network To Go Live Soon | Welcome to Community Networks The city of Williston, Florida is joining the ranks of municipalities across the nation that are building their own fiber broadband networks with an eye on ubiquitous, affordable access. City leaders ...

Even though the Mayor of Williston, FL is trying throw shade on the project, the city council is unanimous in green-lighting the construction of a city-wide municipal broadband network that is expected to be lit up for service soon

Our story here 💻🌐⬇️

Year in Review 2025 - Episode 670 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast | Community Broadband Bits | Episode 670 In this year-end roundtable, the Community Broadband Networks team looks back at their 2025 predictions—and reckons with what actually happened.

Did you catch our year-end Community Broadband Bits podcast where the entire CBN team revisited our 2025 predictions - and reckoned with what actually happened

Check it out at link below

*Our 2026 predictions podcast: coming soon

YouTube video by Institute for Local Self-Reliance Building for Digital Equity #B4DE - Digital Equity Unwrapped: End of Year Reflections

Our special guests Gigi Sohn and NDIA's Angela Siefer on now for a fireside chat

www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7-X...

YouTube video by Institute for Local Self-Reliance Building for Digital Equity #B4DE - Digital Equity Unwrapped: End of Year Reflections

Building for Digital Equity "Digital Equity Unwrapped: is starting now!

Join us as we look back on the difficult year in broadband and digital equity in 2025

⚡Join us for our last #B4DE of the year - “Digital Equity Unwrapped”⚡

The livestream will look back on the year in broadband & digital equity with a few special guests, including NDIA Executive Director Angela Siefer and @aapbroadband.bsky.social Executive Director Gigi Sohn!

Starts in 30 mins!

Yes, 2025 tested us

Still, hope survives. Join our end of year Building for Digital Equity livestream to reflect, reset and gear up for a pivotal 2026 in the fight for universal broadband

Details and registration at link below ⬇️

communitynetworks.org/content/digi...

IN OUR VIEW: Decoding The Possible Meaning of “Reforms” to the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program | Welcome to Community Networks With nearly $500 million still available in the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, recent announcements from the Trump Administration about how the program will move forward raised more questions ...

With nearly $500 million still available in the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, recent announcements from the Trump Admin about how the program will move forward raises more questions than answers

A new chapter in a long history of broken promises to Indian Country?

Our story here 🌐💻⬇️

Affordable Broadband Subsidy Boosts Jobs, Especially for Women, New Study Shows | Welcome to Community Networks A new study shows that the now expired Affordable Connectivity Program helped low-income Americans get better access to jobs, with particularly strong effects for women. The ACP program ended in May 2...

A new study shows that the now expired Affordable Connectivity Program helped low-income Americans get better access to jobs, with particularly strong effects for women

“Overall, when these employment impacts are factored in, the benefits of ACP far outweigh its costs.”

Our story here 🌐💻⬇️

Building Broadband from the Ground Up - Episode 667 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast | Community Broadband Bits | Episode 667 Mauricio Rodriguez joins Chris to talk about permitting challenges, land negotiations, environmental surprises, and why setting standards and hiring the right people early is key to actually getting f...

And on our own Community Broadband Bits podcast ...

Mauricio Rodriguez joins @sportshotchris.bsky.social to talk about permitting challenges, land negotiations, environmental surprises, and why setting standards and hiring the right people early is the key to actually getting fiber in the ground

The Divide: Western Massachusetts' battle for broadband Jess Auer and David Kulp on ILSR's new report exploring how 19 Massachusetts towns connected their communities to municipal broadband between 2018-2022.

On The Divide podcast, our Sr Researcher Jessica Auer & Ashfield resident David Kulp break down our new report on how rural western Massachusetts pulled off what big ISPs wouldn’t

They explain how local leaders organized & delivered future-proof fiber to 19 small rural communities

Traverse City, Michigan Finalizes Citywide Fiber Expansion | Welcome to Community Networks Traverse City, Michigan’s public, community-owned utility, Traverse City Light and Power (TCL&P), is putting the finishing touches on its $14 million plan to deliver affordable fiber to the community ...

Traverse City, MI residents and businesses are thankful for the city's utility now building out a community-owned, gigabit-capable fiber network operating as TCLPfiber👏

Came in way under budget and the city has already been listed on the 2025 Broadband Communities Top 100 list! 🎉

Our story here