Community Broadband Bits

Latest Episodes:

Highland, Illinois, Always Working for A Better Community Network Experience – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 354 Apr 30, 2019

Show notes

As part of our series of interviews conducted during the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas, earlier in April, we’re sharing Christopher’s interview with Angela Imming. Angela is the Director of Technology and Innovation for the city of Highland, Illinois, home to Highland Communication Services (HCS). HCS has been serving the community for almost 10 years … Continue reading "Highland, Illinois, Always Working for A Better Community Network Experience – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 354" ★ Support this podcast ★

Doug Dawson Shares Surprises and Safe Bets – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 353 Apr 23, 2019

Show notes

Doug Dawson, President of CCG Consulting and author of the POTS and PANS blog, was willing to sit down with Christopher for episode 353 of the podcast this week. Christopher interviewed Doug in Austin, Texas, at the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit. They discussed all sorts of happenings in the telecommunications and municipal network space. In addition to 5G … Continue reading "Doug Dawson Shares Surprises and Safe Bets – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 353" ★ Support this podcast ★

Telemedicine Today: More Than Sending X-rays – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 352 Apr 16, 2019

Show notes

This week, we have another interview that Christopher recorded while he was at the 2019 Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, Texas. Dr. Robert Wack from Westminster, Maryland, where the town is partnering with Ting Internet, sat down for a conversation on telemedicine. As the United States’ healthcare system continues to degrade, hospitals, doctors, and other caregivers are … Continue reading "Telemedicine Today: More Than Sending X-rays – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 352" ★ Support this podcast ★

Spillover and Sharing for Better Connectivity – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 351 Apr 10, 2019

Show notes

There are recognizable and obvious benefits that occur when a fiber is deployed in a community. New access to high-quality connectivity, educational opportunities for students in schools, better reliability, jobs from new employers, and possible ISP competition. Spillover effects also occur, but they may not be as obvious. This week’s guest, entrepreneur Isfandiyar Shaheen, has … Continue reading "Spillover and Sharing for Better Connectivity – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 351" ★ Support this podcast ★

Those Bewitching Broadband Bills; States Making Moves – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 350 Apr 02, 2019

Show notes

Interest in community broadband and broadband service from cooperatives has grown significantly within the past few years. This legislative session, lawmakers in states such as Vermont, North Carolina, and Arkansas, have decided that they’d like to start contributing to new ways to bring better Internet access to their constituents. This week, Christopher and Jess Del … Continue reading "Those Bewitching Broadband Bills; States Making Moves – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 350" ★ Support this podcast ★

FCC Considers Retroactive Rule Change for Viasat – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 349 Mar 26, 2019

Show notes

Over the past few years, Partner Jonathan Chambers of Conexon has become our “go-to guy” for FCC conversations. This week, he joins us to talk about a recent issue that revolves around the Connect America Fund Phase II auction and one of the grant recipients, Viasat. With former experience working at the FCC in the Office of … Continue reading "FCC Considers Retroactive Rule Change for Viasat – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 349" ★ Support this podcast ★

Examining the Internet and Machine Learning with David Weinberger – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 348 Mar 19, 2019

Show notes

We bring listeners many stories from communities across the country who are taking steps to improve connectivity and find better ways to access the Internet. This week, Christopher and his guest talk about why we value the Internet. Author David Weinberger is also a Senior Researcher at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society … Continue reading "Examining the Internet and Machine Learning with David Weinberger – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 348" ★ Support this podcast ★

Comedian Tackles Connectivity – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 347 Mar 12, 2019

Show notes

On a typical episode of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, you’ll hear from a guest whose community may be in the process of deploying a publicly owned fiber network, or an elected official who has championed a broadband-friendly policy for their city or town. Sometimes we talk to local business leaders or cooperative board members … Continue reading "Comedian Tackles Connectivity – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 347" ★ Support this podcast ★

Minnesota Homegrown Connectivity, Christensen Communications – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 346 Mar 05, 2019

Show notes

Brent Christensen, Chief Operating Officer of Christensen Communications, came into our Minneapolis office to sit down and have a chat with Christopher this week for podcast 346. Their interview comes a short time after Christopher and several other Institute for Local Self-Reliance staff took a tour of the Christensen Communications facilities. Brent has an additional role … Continue reading "Minnesota Homegrown Connectivity, Christensen Communications – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 346" ★ Support this podcast ★

Small Town, Big Connections With Marshall FiberNet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 345 Feb 26, 2019

Show notes

This week, Marshall FiberNet’s Customer Service and Marketing Manager Jessica Slusarski talks to Christopher about the town’s investment in their community broadband network. Quiet and quaint Marshall, Michigan, didn’t expect to become one of the state’s communities with the best Internet access, but here we are. Like many other small towns where big incumbent providers didn’t want … Continue reading "Small Town, Big Connections With Marshall FiberNet – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 345" ★ Support this podcast ★