Community Broadband Bits

When you hear founder and CEO Matt Larson talk about his company Vistabeam Internet, you’ll understand he and his team received the 2018 Provider of the Year Award at Mountain Connect. At the conference in June, Matt sat down with Christopher to discuss what it’s like to be in his shoes — starting up and operating a … Continue reading "Vistabeam Internet: Driven to Connect Rural Communities – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 315" ★ Support this podcast ★

An increasing number of local communities in Colorado are finding ways to improve rural connectivity. The Delta Montrose Electric Association (DMEA), a cooperative bringing electricity to approximately 28,000 members in southwest Colorado, is in the midst of Elevate, their Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network that will connect all co-op members. We’ve brought co-op Board Members John Gavan and … Continue reading "DMEA Co-op Serving Up Broadband and Innovation in Colorado – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 314" ★ Support this podcast ★

We’ve been following the community of Lafayette, Louisiana, and their LUS Fiber community network from the early days. Director of Utilities Terry Huval was one of the people responsible for bringing high-quality Internet access to the community back in 2009. Terry is about to retire so we wanted to have one more conversation with him … Continue reading "Catching Up With Terry Huval from Lafayette – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 313" ★ Support this podcast ★

The State of Colorado has made some changes in the past few years that are improving broadband deployment, especially in rural areas. In this episode of the podcast, Christopher talks about some of those changes with Tony Neal-Graves, Executive Director of the Colorado Broadband Office. While Christopher was in Vail at the Mountain Connect event, … Continue reading "At the State Level With Tony Neal-Graves in Colorado – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 312" ★ Support this podcast ★

Late last year, Larimer County, Colorado, commissioned a broadband feasibility study to examine the possible solutions toward better connectivity across its more than 2,600 square miles. This week, three guests from Larimer County are here to discuss the community’s plan as it’s taking shape, Broadband Program Manager Drew Davis, Director of Economic and Workforce Development Jacob Castillo, … Continue reading "Larimer County, Colorado, Interpreting Early Feasibility Results – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 311" ★ Support this podcast ★

Cortez, Colorado, has been serving public facilities, community anchor institutions (CAIs), and businesses officially since 2011. In 2015, they expanded to bring fiber connectivity to more businesses; today, seven providers offer services on their open access infrastructure. Now, Cortez is ready to take the next step by offering retail services to residents as an ISP; … Continue reading "Cortez Discovering Future Possibilities With Muni Fiber – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 310" ★ Support this podcast ★

The Maine towns of Baileyville and Calais are known for their beautiful scenery and their clean rural lifestyle; soon the region will also be known for its broadband. The two communities have joined togetherto form the Downeast Broadband Utility (DBU) in order to develop a regional fiber optic network for businesses and residents. Julie Jordan, Director of DBU … Continue reading "Making A Broadband Utility in Maine – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 309" ★ Support this podcast ★

Local communities considering investment to improve connectivity for businesses and residents have many factors to consider, including state laws. The best laid plans for broadband can be torpedoed if state legislators are influenced enough by incumbent lobbyists to pass laws that complicate local authority or funding. This week, we hear about Wyoming from Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr. … Continue reading "Postmortem in Wyoming: Cheyenne Mayor on Interrupted Legislation – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 308" ★ Support this podcast ★

When municipalities and other local governments are planning for publicly owned Internet infrastructure, they must coordinate many moving pieces to get the project going and to keep it on a successful track. In this interview, Christopher and Tom Coverick, Managing Director at KeyBanc Capital Markets, discuss one of the most important components of community network planning: finance. … Continue reading "Don’t Forget the Financing! – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 307" ★ Support this podcast ★

Doug Dawson and his firm, CCG Consulting, recently marked their 20th year working in the telecommunications industry. Prior to establishing the firm, Doug already had significant experience in the field, having worked in the industry since 1978. Doug belongs to a small cadre of professionals who have the technical expertise and policy knowledge to set them … Continue reading "Doug Dawson, Broadband Industry Guru – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 306" ★ Support this podcast ★

RVA Market Research & Consulting is a firm known for its ability to provide detailed review, analysis, and forecast for Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) deployment. They also offer information on the needs and desires of current and potential subscribers regarding other telecommunications issues. This week, RVA Founder Michael Render visits with Christopher about the firm’s work and discoveries. … Continue reading "Digging Into the Details With RVA Market Research & Consulting – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 305" ★ Support this podcast ★

As Christopher rubbed elbows with other broadband advocates, policy wonks, and industry professionals at the Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas, he had the opportunity to interview several people we’ve been wanting to bring on the show. Saul Tannenbaum from Cambridge, Massachusetts, was at the event and he talked with Christopher about the citizen’s group, Upgrade … Continue reading "Grassroots for Better Connectivity in Cambridge, Massachusetts – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 304" ★ Support this podcast ★

We’re a little off kilter these days when it comes to state legislation. Typically, we spend our efforts helping local communities stave off bills to steal, limit, or hamstring local telecommunications authority. This year it’s different so Christopher and Lisa sat down to have a brief chat about some of the notable state actions that … Continue reading "State Legislatures Take Action On Broadband – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 303" ★ Support this podcast ★

For episode 302 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher carries on his conversation with Gary Evans, retired President and CEO of Hiawatha Broadband Communications (HBC), an independent ISP in Minnesota. This is the second opportunity for Christopher and Gary to talk about HBC’s historical role in bringing high-quality connectivity to rural areas. Be sure … Continue reading "HBC Spreads The Know-How: Working With Others To Improve Rural Connectivity" ★ Support this podcast ★

Deploying, maintaining, and operating a wireless network is easy, right? You just put up your equipment, sign up subscribers, and start raking in the dough, right? Not even close, says Travis Carter, one of the co-founders of US Internet and our guest for episode 301 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast. He should know — he’s deployed … Continue reading "Wireless And Wired; US Internet Knows Both – Community Broadband Bits 301" ★ Support this podcast ★

An increasing interest in publicly owned network projects has also spurred an increase in creative collaborations as communities work together to facilitate deployment, especially in rural areas. This week, we talk with Sharon Kyser, Marketing and Public Relations Manager for Newport Utilities (NU) in Newport, Tennessee, and Jody Wigington, General Manager and CEO of Morristown Utility Systems (MUS), also … Continue reading "Neighbors Helping Neighbors For Fiber In Rural Tennessee: Newport And Morristown Join Forces – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 300" ★ Support this podcast ★

If we want to talk technical stuff on the Community Broadband Bits podcast, we know Eric Lampland is one of the best guys to call. Eric is Founder and Principal of Lookout Point Communications. Earlier this month, he and Christopher presented information about 5G at the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Telecommunications Conference. They took … Continue reading "Straight Talk About 5G; Potential, Limitations, Hype – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 299" ★ Support this podcast ★

Earlier this month, twelve towns in central Vermont chose Town Meeting Day to ask local voters whether or not they want to band together to improve connectivity. Each community chose to participate in forming a regional Communications Union District, which will allow them to plan, bond for, and develop regional Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) infrastructure. For episode … Continue reading "Central Vermont Internet: Communities Commit To Communications Union District – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 298" ★ Support this podcast ★

Before the days when Comcast, AT&T, and CenturyLink were some of only a few ISPs for subscribers to choose from, much of the country received Internet access from small Internet access companies. In episode 297 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Christopher talks with one of the pioneers in bringing the Internet to everyday folks, … Continue reading "Hiawatha Broadband Communications: One Of The Small Players That Helped Shape The Internet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 297" ★ Support this podcast ★

Emmett, Idaho’s Systems Administrator Mike Knittel joins Christopher for episode 296 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast this week. Mike explains how the city of about 7,000 has taken a similar approach as other municipalities by first investing in Internet infrastructure to unite the city’s needs. We get to hear their story.Emmett, however, has taken … Continue reading "Fibering Up Emmett, Idaho – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 296" ★ Support this podcast ★