An Advocate for Municipal Broadband

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From a lobbying perspective, municipal broadband providers have never had a seat at the table. In any given state, a municipal broadband provider might get its voice heard through organizations like the League of Cities and Counties – or whatever that is called in a given state. But municipal broadband internet service providers (ISPs) have never had a national voice to push back against the hard lobbying that has been leveled against them for the last few decades. This changed with the formation of the American Association of Public Broadband (AAPB). This new group was announced at the Broadband Communities Summit and raised over $100,000 within a few days. The group was formed to make sure that municipal broadband has a voice in Washington (DC). In addition to a lobbying role, AAPB will also act to provide expert advice on broadband policy, and will start to track federal and state developments that affect municipalities. The organization already has some resources on the website, like a list of the restrictions in various states against municipal broadband. The new group obviously has a big challenge in front of them, but the success of other trade associations shows that smart advocacy can get positions heard and can sway decision-makers. I look forward to hearing about issues from the perspective of municipalities.

[Doug Dawson is president of CCG Consulting.]


An Advocate for Municipal Broadband