Articles about municipal broadband

How Washington state’s potential federal infrastructure largess could spark a broadband fight

Rep. Drew Hansen, a longtime advocate for increasing the reach and affordability of broadband in Washington state, found himself both… Read More

When it comes to municipal broadband, this Washington state utility was way ahead of the game

It didn’t take a pandemic, work-from-home mandates, or remote learning initiatives for Bob Hunter to understand the potential popularity of… Read More

Washington state governor expected to sign new bill ending prohibition on municipal broadband

Washington municipalities will be able to offer direct-to-consumer broadband service across the state later this year under legislation Gov. Jay… Read More

What Biden’s infrastructure plan means for Washington state’s public broadband crusade

A years-long campaign to turn internet service into a public utility in Washington state could get a big boost from… Read More

Bernie Sanders promises ‘high-speed internet for all’ through publicly-owned broadband service

Sen. Bernie Sanders rolled out an ambitious plan Friday that would categorize internet service as a public utility as part… Read More

This island town is building a public broadband network. Is it a model for bridging digital divide?

Anacortes, Wash., is a picturesque town on Fidalgo Island, 90 minutes north of Seattle. Best known for its marina, it’s… Read More

ACLU urges local governments to offer public internet as a utility after FCC’s net neutrality rollback

The nation’s leading civil rights group is urging local governments to treat internet like a public utility as concern over… Read More

Activists plan naming ceremony for ‘Comcast City Hall’ to protest corporate money in Seattle politics

Activists are planning a “renaming ceremony” Thursday to dub Seattle’s center of municipal government “Comcast City Hall.” The event, organized by… Read More

Cary Moon will pursue city-owned internet if elected Seattle mayor because ‘it is an equity issue’

Cary Moon, one of two finalists in Seattle’s tumultuous mayoral race, will push for city-owned internet if she is elected… Read More

Bill to help Washington state’s rural communities get Internet approaches legislative deadline

Washington state has until Friday to pass a bill that would help residents in rural areas get Internet access. House… Read More

Federal court blocks FCC from expanding publicly-owned broadband projects

In a setback for municipal broadband advocates, a U.S. federal court ruled today that the Federal Communications Commission cannot preempt state law to… Read More

Municipal broadband advocates say Comcast lawsuit proves need for public internet service

Advocates of a municipal broadband network in Seattle say the new $100 million consumer protection lawsuit against Comcast further proves… Read More

Seattle city council votes down municipal broadband pilot project

The Seattle City Council voted against a $5 million municipal broadband pilot program on Monday, delivering a major blow to groups that want to… Read More

CenturyLink gigabit Internet reaches 100,000 Seattle households ahead of schedule

CenturyLink’s 1 gigabit Internet service now reaches 100,000 households in Seattle, up from 60,000 it boasted previously. The company said in… Read More

City of Seattle plans broadband options for low-income residents as part of Obama’s ConnectHome initiative

Low-income Seattle residents may be able to access broadband Internet for little or no cost under a nationwide pilot program.… Read More

Q&A: Former Seattle CTO Bill Schrier on the outlook for municipal broadband

Our guest on the latest GeekWire radio show was Bill Schrier, the former CTO for the City of Seattle and… Read More

Seattle councilmember calls for ‘mass citywide movement’ against Comcast and CenturyLink in support of municipal broadband

Seattle councilmember Kshama Sawant wants a municipal broadband network in the Emerald City, and she’s calling on the city’s residents… Read More

Seattle officials: Municipal broadband too risky and expensive for city to build alone

A long-awaited study says building a municipal gigabit fiber network in Seattle would cost $480 million to $665 million — less… Read More

Municipal broadband in Seattle? New group lobbies city for public Internet

Karen Toering was at the Rainier Beach Public Library in Seattle one year ago when a man came to the… Read More