Some high-profile municipal broadband efforts have failed, but quite a few have succeeded

Municipal broadband efforts have had their share of success, but in a highly competitive environment, even the most well-intentioned plans can go wrong. A report in May by the non-profit New Rules Project details municipal efforts around the country, and includes charts comparing municipal speeds and rates with those of commercial providers. The report, which argues in favor of the cost-effectiveness of municipal networks, cites hundreds of successful efforts, involving both fiber and wireless networks large and small. Lafayette, La., and Monticello, Minn., for example, offer some of the fastest connection speeds at the lowest rates in the country. Oklahoma City’s wireless mesh network has helped the city modernize its agency offices In addition to the successes, the report discusses the obstacles to municipal networks, including opposition from commercial providers. Ultimately, it concludes, “There is no one model for community broadband.”