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Best Practices for BroadbandSubmitted by admin on Mon, 04/02/2007 - 21:14.
Best Practices of Public Interest BroadbandIf you listen to the debates inside the beltway about broadband deployment, you might believe that the only parties involved are major media companies and a handful of consumer groups. And you'd be right - in Washington, DC. But in reality there are efforts going on all over the country, in fact all over the world, that aim to influence the shape and character of high-speed communications in very different ways. And you might be surprised to learn that many of these efforts are not simply focused on bottom lines and business plans. Instead, these efforts are being undertaken by individuals, community groups, nonprofits and local municipalities, and focus on the public interest benefits of the next generation Internet. From municipal-owned broadband networks, to ad-hoc wireless access points, to community technology projects, there are grassroots efforts underway everywhere to harness the potential of high-speed communications for public purposes. These efforts are rooted in a broader vision for the Internet than the highly centralized and controlled model being espoused by major media companies. Instead, they share the spirit of community and public good that characterized the growth of the original dial-up Internet as an open communications platform supporting a diversity of content and applications. To be sure, the news out of Washington is often dire when it comes to broadband. The FCC has made rulings that threaten to eliminate the diversity of service options that to-date has characterized the dial-up Internet, instead handing control over to a few cable and telephone media giants. Congress seems willing to follow suit, and the Bush administration continues to pay little to no attention to public interest concerns about the process. Still, the battle is not lost. While Washington is wooed by big money and empty promises, local communities are taking charge in the fight to preserve an open and nondiscriminatory high-speed Internet. Such grassroots efforts can play a critical role in a multi-pronged resistance to big media's attempted takeover of the Internet. Yet so often the success of these projects goes unsung. Therefore, CDD offers the following collection of resources detailing just what's being done to preserve the public interest in the broadband Internet. Our hope is to provide models that can be adapted by other communities, while at the same time giving a face to the sorts of projects that may be threatened by the heavy handed strategies being deployed by large media companies. If you have stories or links that you think should be added here, please send them to us through the Share Your Stories page.
Community Organizations:At the grassroots level, groups are forming to ensure that all members of a community can benefit from emerging broadband technology. From community technology centers that provide public access points and technology classes to online communities created around social groups, these efforts are extending traditional social services to the broadband environment.
Institutional Networks:Institutional networks, or I-nets, are community systems specifically created to connect government agencies, schools and other public entities. They are usually high speed fiber optic networks that are operated separately from commercial cable and telephone systems. Often municipalities require construction of I-nets by cable companies in local franchise agreements, though at times the community itself builds the network through public-private partnerships.
Municipal/Public Broadband Initiatives:Many municipalities have found it efficient to build publicly-owned broadband networks to serve their communities. In many cases, these networks started out as control systems for local power grids, but have repurposed their excess bandwidth to offer cable television and high-speed Internet service to the public. Such municipal networks can provide much-needed competition for the major telephone and cable companies who have become infamous for their poor customer service and failure to upgrade their technology.
Research Resources:While mainstream media largely focuses its attention on the broadband policy debates going on inside the beltway, there are many groups keeping track of the local efforts to promote high-speed connectivity that serves the public interest. These websites not only offer the latest news in this area, but also help local leaders share models for success.
Wi-Fi Projects:While cable and telephone companies resist deploying truly open and nondiscriminatory broadband networks, many people are finding a way around the traditional "last mile" bottleneck. Wireless technology allows users to access the Internet at high speeds and with the added benefit of mobility. With technology that is both readily available and inexpensive, many local groups are knitting together wireless access points into community-wide Internet service areas.
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