Information News

ILSR Submits Comments to FCC on Publicly Owned Broadband

christopher — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:01:03 -0600

As the Federal Communications Commission continues to formulate a National Broadband Plan, ILSR has responded to a recent request for comments about the relationship between broadband and government.

We highlight the importance of publicly owned broadband networks by noting success stories and offering details on networks from Chattanooga, Burlington, Monticello, and Powell, Wyoming. We also discuss lessons from publicly owned middle-mile networks and networks that connect core anchor institutions, like libraries and schools.

Argentina Passes Law, Looks Inward for Media Ownership

christopher — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:06:01 -0500

Democracy Now! was one of several outlets to cover a new law in Argentina to promote local media and networks.

The bill allocates two-thirds of the broadcast spectrum to non-commercial stations, limits the number of licenses any one company can hold, and promotes Argentine-made content.

Low Power Radio Continues to Move Through the U.S. House

christopher — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:17:53 -0500

The Local Community Radio Act (HR 1147) has passed the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet with a strong 15-1 vote. It is now moving back to the parent committee - the Commerce Committee.

This bill has strong grassroots support - with many diverse groups in support.

Citizens Rally Behind Publicly Owned Wireless Network in Florida

christopher — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:03:51 -0500

As we reported on MuniNetworks.org, the city of St. Cloud, Florida, has operated a free wireless network covering the entire city since 2006. They treat it as a public service and "CyberSpot" has been viewed as a premier success story, garnering awards for its performance.

Chattanooga Launches Nation's Largest Muni Fiber Network

christopher — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:17:58 -0500

ILSR is pleased to congratulate Chattanooga, Tennessee, for building the largest publicly owned, full fiber network in the United States. Chattanooga’s public power utility, EPB, began offering telephone, broadband, and television services on its network on September 15.

This broadband network will allow smart-grid applications for the electrical utility as well as offer local support, faster speeds for both uploading and downloading.

FCC Turns Attention to Network Neutrality, Ensuring an Open Internet

christopher — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:37:04 -0500

The Chair of the Federal Communications Commission has taken a stand for network neutrality - the founding principle of openness of the Internet. In short, network neutrality means the entity providing you access to the Internet cannot interfere with the sites you choose to visit - it cannot speed them up or slow them down in order to increase their profits.

Because most Americans get access to the Internet from large, absentee-owned profit-maximizing companies who are often de facto monopolies, we have to beware the gulf between community interests and the narrow interests of these companies.

The Definition of Broadband Matters Greatly

christopher — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:29:42 -0500

As the Federal Communications Commission creates a National Broadband Plan for the United States, it will have to decide whether to revise its definition of broadband. On one side, ILSR and others demand a robust definition to encourage greater network infrastructure investment. On the other, telecommunications companies want to keep the existing definition so they can claim they serve nearly everyone.

In all the wrangling over how we should define broadband, I wanted to step back and remember why the definition itself is so important.

Low Power Radio Poised for Renaissance

christopher — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:00:53 -0500

The NY Times profiled a low-power radio station, noting that the number of these stations could double if Congress passes the Local Community Radio Act of 2009 (S. 592).

Interestingly, though these stations are rooted in their community, some are also broadcasting online - allowing the signal to be sent anywhere people with an Internet connection want to listen.

Communities Should Care Who Owns Their Transit Data

christopher — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:11:41 -0500

Two major cities are taking different approaches to who can use data like bus arrival times -- generally used for mobile applications that allow people to check schedules or get real-time arrivals for mass transit via their phones or other handheld devices.

Obama Administration's Data.gov Aims for Transparency

christopher — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:40:03 -0500

The Federal Government collects a lot of information that impacts all of our lives - from information about pollution to disease outbreaks to how our money is spent. Data.gov may be a model for how any government can make public information more accessible to citizens.

Wired.com interviewed the U.S. government's first CIO (Chief Information Officer) - Vivek Kundra to understand his thoughts on how to accomplish this task. One of the main issues was making raw data available and letting users add tags to classify it.