Comcast, CenturyLink fail to derail Utah community-owned gigabit fiber network (techdirt.com)

Article summary

The city of Bountiful, Utah, has voted to build a $48 million fiber network to deliver affordable, gigabit broadband to every business and residence in the city. The network is to be open access, meaning multiple competitors can come in and compete on shared central infrastructure. Comcast and CenturyLink attempted to derail the project through a proxy lobbying group, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The city's decision is part of a larger trend of communities building their own broadband networks in response to slow speeds and high prices from regional telecom monopolies.

Main themes

• Municipal Broadband
• Telecom Monopolies
• Community Networks
• Lobbying and Corruption
• Internet Privacy
• Competition and Regulation
• Technological Infrastructure
• Local Governance and Decision-Making

What commenters say

• Municipal fiber networks can provide better, faster, and cheaper internet service than regional monopolies, and once implemented, they are unlikely to be abandoned for corporate alternatives.
• The success of municipal fiber networks depends on factors such as competition, quality of infrastructure, and accountability to locals.
• Corporate lobbying and PR efforts can significantly hinder the development of community-owned broadband initiatives, often through misleading rhetoric and exploitation of taxpayer concerns.
• Some argue that the key to improving internet services is not municipal ownership, but rather promoting competition among private providers.
• The use of encryption and VPNs can help protect users' privacy, but the effectiveness of these measures is debated.
• Institutionalized corruption, where money is used to garner influence, is a significant issue in the context of telecom regulation and municipal broadband initiatives.
• The quality of internet service, particularly upload speeds, can vary greatly between providers, with some corporate providers offering significantly poorer services.
• Community engagement and education are crucial in overcoming the challenges posed by corporate lobbying and ensuring the success of municipal broadband projects.