Newport, Tenn. Consultant Would Benefit From Government Network
April 25, 2017
East Tennessee native and Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) Senior Scholar Drew Johnson says that the city of Newport, in east Tennessee, is about to make “a very big mistake” and the force driving the city toward that error is the only one that stands to benefit. The mistake Johnson is referring to would be using …
Massachusetts Tries To Force Contractor To Operate Government Broadband Network Amid Mounting Losses
April 5, 2017
Based on comments last Friday in federal court, it seems likely that many of the government institutions and other entities that are connected to the network will find themselves without a broadband connection. According to Government Technology, in court last week Robert J. Kaler, a lawyer representing the Bay State, “raise[d] doubts” about whether the …
Google “Google Fiber” And What You See Is Failure
March 23, 2017
According to the Digital Policy Institute’s Barry Umansky, if you Google “failed gigabit Internet service,” the first hit you’ll get is a story about … Google Fiber. As this blog has written before, despite receiving millions in taxpayer-financed favors from cities around the country, Google Fiber is struggling and, in a column this week in …
New Study Highlights Perils Of Government Broadband
April 8, 2016
Broadcasting & Cable reported this week that there is a new study out regarding municipal broadband networks. The report, which was issued by the State Government Leadership Foundation (SGLF) and is available here, concludes: Subsidization Exposes Taxpayers To Risk. Broadcasting & Cable explains, “Muni broadband buildouts are almost always subsidized, and that a government firm …
What Fort Collins, CO Should Consider Before Municipal Broadband
March 24, 2015
Last week The Coloradoan reported that Fort Collins city council members continue to discuss whether to build a municipal broadband network. A few items worth noting: The city spent $300,000 in taxpayer funds to come up with a “strategic plan” for a government-owned system. The study comes as Fort Collins voters are facing higher sales …
Size of Country a Big Factor in Internet Speed Ranking
January 9, 2015
According to the most recent quarterly report from Akamai Technologies, the average peak Internet speed in the U.S. increased 35 percent between the third quarter of 2013 and 2014. Unfortunately, the report also found the U.S. ranks 17th in the world in terms of average speed with several smaller and less wealthy countries, including Romania, …
Do Government-Owned Networks Save Schools Money?
January 7, 2015
Can schools and other publicly-run institutions save precious dollars by subscribing to a government-owned broadband service provider versus a privately-owned one? Unsurprisingly, supporters of government-owned networks (GONs) almost always answer that question in the affirmative. However, a new report from CT&T of North Little Rock, a telecommunications consulting firm, suggests that answer is wrong. According …
Are Government Owned Networks Proven Job Creators?
December 8, 2014
Last week TennesseeWatchdog.Org, which is run by a collection of independent journalists who want to improve transparency in government, investigated one of the oft-repeated myths about government-owned broadband networks: that they create jobs. As an example, writer Chris Butler cited Kimball, Tenn. Mayor Rex Pesnell who has said a government-owned network (GON) would help his …
The FCC and White House Weigh In on Internet Regulation
November 25, 2014
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Thomas Wheeler recently briefed leaders on Capitol Hill about the commission’s new net neutrality rules. We’re not certain if lawmakers discussed municipal broadband in the meetings, but given other recent developments, they should have. Both Chairman Wheeler and President Barack Obama have recently said they want to see the Internet …
Americans Think Government Does Too Much — Including Broadband
November 5, 2014
The Coalition for the New Economy (CNE) believes there is a place for government when it comes to providing Americans with better access to broadband. We believe local and state governments, and the federal government, should act as a partner with private sector broadband providers, not as a competitor to them. It’s clear today that …
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