Community broadband strategies in the Trump era

[Commentary] President-elect Donald Trump promised to “drain the swamp in Washington” of the lobbyists who feed on policymakers in our nations capital. For a fleeting moment, community broadband advocates were buoyed by populist rhetoric. Then reality sets in as the populist tapped Jeffrey Eisenach, a Verizon lobbyist, to head the team helping to pick staff members at the Federal Communications Commission.

So what’s next for advocates who see community broadband has one effective tool for forcing competition among providers? City and county officials need to use December for intensive strategic planning and forming partnerships with co-ops and private sector allies.

[Craig Settles assists communities with developing their broadband business and marketing plans, and help communities raise money for broadband projects. ]