Expanding high-quality Internet access to everyone requires a variety of models. Private investment may be the best option in some areas and other areas may benefit from well-crafted state or federal subsidies. Cooperatives will continue being essential in many rural regions and other forms of community-ownership may be better solutions in some areas than others. The key to figuring out the best solution for your community is understanding what models are available and where they have worked well. But before that, you may simply be looking to have some basic questions answered, like whether 5G will make all of this moot (nope) or where you can find a glossary.
Local to North Carolina
- RiverStreet Networks Expands in Stokes County
- Reliable Broadband Crucial for Rural Businesses and Economic Sustainability
- NC Hearts Gigabit Blog
- Community-Led Broadband from NC League of Municipalities
- NC Rural Center Priorities for 2020 – Broadband
Reports
- Leaping the Digital Divide – NC League of Municipalities
- Leaping the Digital Divide One Pager – NC League of Municipalities
- Connecting North Carolina State Broadband Plan – NC Broadband Infrastructure Office
Podcasts
- NC Hearts Gigabit Podcast
- RiverStreet Networks Reaching Across Rural North Carolina (with transcript)
- Open Broadband Opening Up Rural Possibilities (with transcript)
- Wilson Tackles Digital Divide with Pay Ahead Option (with transcript)
Videos
- Let’s Connect – Jacksonville
- ReCONNECT to Technological Opportunity Forum – Institute for Emerging Issues at NC State University
- Disconnected – WRAL Documentary
- Broadband 101 Plus – NC Broadband Matters & Piedmont Triad Regional Council
National
Understanding State Municipal Broadband Preemption
- Baller, Stokes, and Lide maintain the definitive list of state barriers to municipal networks (and partnerships)
- Podcast interview with Jim Baller on state broadband barriers (with transcript)
Articles
- Fleeced by the Telecoms and Your State is Blessing It – the American Conservative
- Pssst … Wanna Buy a Law? – Brendan Greeley and Alison Fitzgerald document how several state municipal broadband preemptions were created. And then Bloomberg Businessweek put it behind a paywall.
Fact Sheets
Reports and Similar
- Correcting Community Fiber Fallacies – Exploring how municipal networks are often criticized and sometimes slandered – how much do critics get right? Detailed responses to common attacks on community networks and partnerships.
- Next Century Cities Becoming Broadband Ready Toolkit
Videos
- Gig City Sandy in Oregon
- Ammon, Idaho – The Virtual End of Cable Monopolies