Gigabit Nation

If someone owed you $400 BILLION, would you really trust them to look out for your best interests? Currently, Comcast is trying to convince regulators that it's in consumers' best interest if they swallow up Time Warner, AT&T apparently wants to broker a grand compromise on net neutrality and several giant incumbents are arguing that public-run networks are the scourge of Satan. A just released book provides a mountain of data that suggests regulators should take great caution in assessing any potential deals and policies incumbents are advocating.  “The Book of Broken Promises: $400 Billion Broadband Scandal & Free the Net” exposes the broken promises of the telcos such as AT&T, Verizon and Centurylink, as well as some of the major cable companies. Bruce Kushnick, industry analyst and Exec. Dir. of New Networks Institute, examines incumbents' ‘commitments’ to rewire America's business and residential customers, and explains what we can expect as far as these key pending policy decisions are conc

Congressional reps, in their annual pique over the abuses of a couple of wireless companies, are attempting to once again throw out the broadband baby with the water of a corrupted few. Atty. Anthony Veach, from telecom industry law firm Bennet & Bennet PLLC joins us to discuss House bill 5376's threat to broadband usage in underserved communities.     Veach describes how the current FCC has made reforming its telecom industry-funded Lifeline grant program a priority, and discusses whether Congress's action threatens rather than helps create meaningful changes. Lifeline originally funded basic telephone service for low-income urban and rural households so no citizens would be economically forced to do without phone service. The Bush Administration expanded Lifeline to include wireless phone service as this was quickly displacing landlines. As smartphones become a primary device for accessing broadband, particularly in communities of color, Congress' action threatens to hit them particularly hard. Listen

Many communities must understand that, without a well-crafted and executed creative marketing strategy, their broadband networks will have limited success. This is particularly true in states such as North Carolina that have a hostile political climate for public networks. Salisbury, NC has held their own for four years, but plans to turn on the marketing afterburners to accelerate their growth and impact on the community. Salisbury Mayor Paul Woodson and Mayor Pro Tem Maggie Blackwell present constituents and listeners with details on some of their marketing ideas. The city launched its Fibrant fiber network in 2010 and has steadily increased its subscriber base in the face of stiff incumbent opposition. They recently upgraded Fibrant to 1 gigabit per second service, which they expect will improve economic development, healthcare service delivery, education and government services.    City leaders see their marketing efforts moving forward on two fronts: 1) increasing marketing messages that educate variou

As the many middle-mile networks built by federal broadband stimulus, state and some private-sector efforts light up, broadband is not magically appearing on residential and business doorsteps as some local broadband champions mistakenly expected to happen. There's a lot of finger pointing, wailing and gnashing of teeth in communities as they subsequently try to figure out how to move last-mile projects forward. OneCommunity announced a $2 million Big Gig Challenge grant to help public and private entities build community fiber networks in the nonprofit's 2,000-mile, 11-county coverage area. Their middle-mile fiber network is dedicated to propelling northeastern Ohio to the forefront of broadband innovation.  Listeners who want to move the last-mile ball forward despite the challenges to finding money and other resources will learn much from OneCommunity's COO Brent Lindsay and Economic Development Manager Liz Forester. They discuss the grant program and offer recommendations for other entities that want to

As the endless stream of RFPs for community broadband feasibility studies widens, are these communities considering the intersect between broadband and cloud computing? It's important to have quality infrastructure that reaches all constituents, but it's equally important to build an infrastructure that supports applications that make the network financially sustainable. Learn how to create a role for cloud computing in your broadband planning. Bernie Arnason, publisher and editor of Telecompetitor, keeps his finger on the pulse as he covers developments important to the broadband ecosystem through his analysis and commentary. Arnason is particularly focused on how network operators, including community broadband project teams, monetize the infrastructure while serving communities' needs.  Listeners get a solid grounding in how targeting local enterprises and small businesses with cloud computing services has a payback both in generating high-end, big dollar subscribers with low churn rates, and increasing

Feetz don't fail me now! Chattanooga this week unveiled several awe-inspiring 3D applications that development teams created this summer on the city's gig network. As broadband champions get their brains wrapped around 3D printing and the technology's potential benefits, it's immediately clear why your broadband plan should include 3D printing apps. Two companies from Demo Day give you an eye-opening peek at the future.  Feetz This is is a 3D printing manufacturer and retailer that creates custom-fit footwear for consumers of all shoe sizes. Using patented algorithms and snapshots from the customer’s phone, Feetz integrates custom sizing measurements with individual design preferences to bring comfort, fit and style into each pair of hyper-customized shoes. 3DOps These folks have created a 3D printing manufacturer that provides contract medical devices for pre-surgical planning. Using patient-specific data,  the company creates anatomical 3D models that enable surgeons to plan procedures before operating

Three years ago, July 27, 2011, Gigabit Nation launched to help public, private and nonprofit organizations get better broadband everywhere it needs to be. Chattanooga's gig network was my first feature. Join the show's 3rd Anniversary broadcast live from EPB, Chattanooga's public utility and operator of the first U.S. citywide gigabit network. Chattanooga is one of the rock stars of U.S. broadband. Meet key players from center stage and behind the scenes driving innovation, economic development and a better quality of life for the city's diverse constituents. An all-star cast of stakeholders are stopping by to help Gigabit Nation celebrate, and also share some of the inside scoop on three years of network milestones, marketing wins and plans for future successes. Learn about Chattanooga's fight against states' intrusion on communities' broadband decisions, and other ways in which the gig city is influence national discussion on broadband. Joining the show are: Chattanooga Mayor Andy BerkeEPB CEO Harold DeP

As an increasing number of communities begin seriously exploring options for a community broadband network, it seems municipal bonds are once again being considered as a serious funding option. This year's survey of economic development pros reveals that just over half feel their communities could successfully launch a bond measure, or that their chances for success are 50/50.    Three factors lead to the success of issuing muni bonds to fund community broadband networks:  the political willsuccessful navigation of the legal processesassembling the right financial resources   David Shaw, Chief of the Government & Utilities industry section of Kirton-McConkie law firm and Laura Lewis, Principal at municipal financial advisory firm Lewis, Young, Robertson & Burningham, Inc., walks listeners through these three criteria in layperson's language to help stakeholders navigate these tricky waters. Both have experience working with bond efforts for cities across the U.S.  Helping Iowa and Colorado communiti

There's a point in the planning process when your community broadband project team and main stakeholders need an education in the basics of broadband technology. The city CIO or IT manager probably understands the tech choices you face. However, it's important the city manager, economic development team, Chamber president, steering committee and others know how those choices facilitate or hinder the outcomes they want broadband to achieve. Dave Russell, Solutions Marketing Director for FTTH equipment vendor Calix, brings clarity to common tech terms and terminology by explaining them in the context of key broadband business decisions. He helps listeners understand issues such as speed vs. capacity, the relationship between fiber and fixed wireless, technology options' and their impact on costs or deployment time, and matching needs with speeds and feeds. There are also business issues within the community that tech staff, providers, vendors and potential partners need to know in order for them to deliver pr

While people in the broadband industry and journalists may salivate at the mention of a gigabit, the average person on the street probably gets that "deer in the headlights" look on their face when they hear the word. But these are the people in homes, businesses, school districts, doctors' office and elsewhere who you need to buy services on the network. How do the 300 + cities such as Chattanooga, Longmont, CO, and Danville, VA make broadband an exciting project for their constituents? Robert Henry, CIO for the City of Davenport, IA, is leading an RFP (Request for Proposal) effort to find someone to lead a needs assessment effort. He speaks from the heart about the challenges of getting constituents and stakeholders to understand the basics of broadband, and then become active supporters of the project. The media attention gets people interested, but the network's price tag can throw cold water on that interest.  Henry discusses various tactics communities can use to educate constituents. It's not just wh

How do you know when a public or community broadband project presents a serious threat to telco and cable incumbent providers? The flood of lies, half-truths and outlandish distortion of relevant issues. The only cure for the dark clouds that opponents try to cast over public-owned networks is to shine the bright light of fact-checked truth over errant anti-muni network statements. In Utah, a group of cities in the UTOPIA fiber project are evaluating a potential deal with infrastructure-building giant Macquarie that plans to build a strong pro-community network. Longmont, CO passed a second referendum measure last November that paved the way for the city to accelerate deployment of its muni-owned network. FreeUTOPIA Editor Jesse Harris and City of Longmont Asst. City Manager Sandi Seader dissect the most persistent of the mischaracterizations of community broadband. Beginning with the charge that "all muni networks are failures, and working through such gems as "municipal networks will cause firefighters an

Though occasionally the butt of political humor, Toronto is no joke when it comes of using technology to improve Canada's largest city's economic future, Toronto began serious efforts to capitalize on Internet networks when Muni WiFi was all the rage in 2005, and WiFi emerged again in 2013 as a key technology for the city as they tackle digital inclusion issues. However, its plans to use a gigabit network as part of an aggressive economic development project on the waterfront helped catapult the city to the coveted title of Intelligent Community of the Year.  After an exhaustive survey of over 400 communities worldwide, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) staff determined Toronto to be the leader of the pack. Waterfront Toronto President and CEO John Campbell discusses the role of broadband in its $35 billion revitalization project. An estimated 12,000 new residents are targeted to receive a 100 Mpbs service, while local businesses should see 10 gigabit services. ICF is a think tank that studies the econo

Every time you read about some city or county announcing plans to build a highspeed Internet network, it is almost certain you will read that the broadband network is expected to improve the local economy by bringing more innovation and jobs to town. But is this a guaranteed conclusion? Is it enough just to get a gig to every business, or do communities need to wire every home as well? How much innovation is needed before you see new jobs? And how many jobs equal success? To answer these and related questions, Intelligent Community Fourm (ICF) Co-Founder Robert Bell joins us to discuss what our realistic expectations should be when addressing this economic development trifecta. Bell just wrote "Brain Gain: How innovative cities create job growth in an age of disruption," which becomes available June 23.    ICF last week anointed Toronto, Canada the Intelligent Community of the Year after analyzing over 400 communities from around the world. Bell offers listeners a rich array of real-world examples of consti

Community broadband project teams and stakeholders always hear that these network services are the new utility, they improve economic development and people use broadband to find jobs. But what's missing? After the news stories, conferences, Webinars and calls to colleagues, what do those folks driving broadband deployments still need to know?  Jeffrey Gavlinski, one of the two primary people behind this year's successful Mountain Connect rural broadband conference, shares what he finds are the questions, answers and information that still elude individuals, many of whom don't even know what they don't know. Do we really understand what these networks should be producing? Are project teams being taught the a-b-c's of building good networks, and how to market them effectively before and after deployment?  Knowledge is power, but what you don't know can kill even the most promising broadband plans. Gavlinski has attended plenty of conference, talks frequently with lots of people and stays on top of broadband

  A recent survey of economic development pros reveals that 43% believe broadband-driven telemedicine will have a significant impact on local economies. Maybe it’s time communities move that needle well north of 50%. The Illinois Medical District in Chicago is betting a 100-gig network covering 560 acres and digitally integrating over 40 medical facilities will reduce costs, score major research projects and attract new businesses. District Executive Director Warren Ribley explains the details of this ambitious project, and why other communities should consider something similar. Fujitsu Network Communications is a key private-sector partner in this project. Though many people mistakenly assume large metropolitan areas to be the land of broadband abundance, Ribley describes the area as currently “a broadband desert.” Telemedicine, when powered by Internet at light speed, promises to be an economic accelerant to lift up urban and rural communities that have vision, creatively and seriously good planning. 

Community highspeed Internet networks really started to become prominent in the media during 2011 - 2012, but broadband has been playing key roles in some communities for a decade or more. It is good to occasionally stop and take stock of what this technology is accomplishing. Norm Jacknis, Senior Fellow at the think tank Intelligent Communities Forum (ICF), studies the economic and social development of 21st Century communities. He offers detailed analysis on what uses of broadband networks are proving successful and which tactics require re-tooling. We discuss: what determines success, particularly in rural communities;examples of communities impacting education and economic development;what types of jobs created by broadband are best for long-term community growth; andwhere are communities finding money to move broadband projects forward.   Jacknis provides some background on ICF’s Top 7 Intelligent Communities of the Year. These are chosen from hundreds of communities worldwide, and broadband plays a pro

Sure, everyone knows Chattanooga's public utility-owned rocks. But 11 years before EPB launched Chattanooga to fame, Springfield, MO was way ahead of the curve with its Springnet fiber network. Their Manager of Network Architecture/Support shares a lot of valuable knowledge and insights for communities that want their public utilities to get into the act. Todd Christell gives an overview of Springnet's successes, including the introduction of a 1-gig service, and details on how they continue to capture new opportunities while fending off various challenges. He also discusses progress public utilities in general are making in broadband, and possible reasons private utilities continue to shun offering this service.  Christell reveals a novel way Springnet maintains its marketing edge - teenagers. He brought teens into the earlier planning process and took their input very seriously because, "they are the future. They understand this stuff better than we old folks do." Springnet widend its youth lens by teamin

In 2009, the Dept. of Commerce's BTOP agency, and the Dept. of Agriculture's RUS agency committed $7.5 billion to organizations and companies to deliver broadband infrastructure, adoption programs and computing centers to communities in need across the U.S. This week many of the BTOP grant recipients gather in Washington, DC to compare notes and progress at the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition's annual conference.    SHLB Executive Director John Windhausen gives us an overview of some of the successes and challenges of this year's attendees, as well as those of FCC broadband grant recipients. Patricia Campbell, Director of External Relations of the Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education (KINBER) recently completed a 1600-mile middle mile network throughout Pennsylvania. KINBER is raising community awareness of broadband and economic development.  There have been good strides as middle mile projects concluded and focus shifts to community last mile efforts. Support programs

Digital inclusion - closing the technology gap between the have's and have not's - may be a priority for some federal and state agencies, but the delivery of measurable results happens mostly at the local level. This is particularly true for broadband. Too many variations between cultures, geography, economic priorities, languages and other factors exist for cookie cutter attempts to get underserved constituents online AND maximizing broadband technology. A Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant to the City of Chicago launched activities to educate and motivate constituents within nine Smart Communities to use the Net. Karen Mossberger, Ph.D., School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University, describes the impacts of programs that included workshops, advertising, skills training, and community portals. Dr. Mossberger's team conducted surveys in 2008, 2011 and 2013 to compare adoption and usage between the Smart Communities and the rest of Chicago.  Listeners learn some of the how-to's f

Those who’ve felt that cities are being asked to give up too much for their broadband dance with Google and other companies should take a close look at Macquarie's deal with UTOPIA. These cities are getting a pretty good deal here from their partner: a guaranteed open access network, revenue sharing, cities retaining ownership of the fiber assets when the agreement period ends, and both businesses and individuals get wired.  Can cities considering deals with private-sector companies use the Macquarie deal to establish new negotiating parameters? Wayne Pyle, UTOPIA's Chairman of the Board, and Jesse Harris, Editor of FreeUTOPIA and Utah broadband analyst, dissect elements of the deal being struck with UTOPIA cities, analyzes how they were able to negotiate from a position of strength and discusses why other communities may want to re-think their approach to partnerships.   Pyle and Harris provide details on how UTOPIA overcame its early challenges, and thoughts on how cities may proceed over the next 12 mont