3 Ways Ohio Cities Overcame Telecommunication Companies to Set Up Broadband Networks

In Ohio, telecommunications firms lobbied the state government and went to the state Chief Information Officer Moez Chaabouni instead of taking the fight to the courts. But it was still conflict that the cities setting up broadband networks did not want. But Columbus (OH) found a way around the problem, and government entities around the state have followed suit. Today Ohio has perhaps the biggest high-speed Internet network in the US, offering speeds up to 100 gigabits per second compared with common household connection speeds in the megabit range. Here are three of the ways Chaabouni and his contemporaries in Ohio set up broadband networks.

1) Build It, Then Hand It Off: Instead of trying to sell connectivity directly to businesses and residents, Chaabouni decided to pursue a new strategy. He went to Connected Nation Exchange, the for-profit arm of the Internet development advocate Connected Nation, and asked them to take the network off the city’s hands.
2) Use It For Government -- As Much As Possible: When Columbus handed off its fiber network, it made sure there was an asterisk in the agreement. “All we [asked] in return is the ability to connect our schools, our libraries, our communities and our [services],” Chaabouni said.
3) Emphasize Economic Development: The ultimate benefit to the city may also be the most roundabout one. Most of the roundtable participants described broadband as an economic development tool: By offering high-speed Internet, the city empowers existing businesses to do more and draws new businesses in. Those companies pay taxes, and they pay employees who also pay taxes. So at the end of the day, if broadband is indeed functioning as an economy booster, the city should see more revenue.