What We Can Learn from the Broadband GSD Ten

[Commentary] 1) It's time for a strong push for public-owned broadband networks, and networks run by public/private partnerships in which local governments are more than window dressing. Going through the list of broadband stimulus applications, it's uplifting and very telling that so many fall into one of these two categories. 2) When you look at the main stakeholder groups whose needs are being met by these networks on the GSD Ten list, it's pretty clear that these are the end-user organizations that should dictate broadband speeds. 3) People wrapped up in the discussion about how do you increase broadband adoption need to contact these governments with successful networks to understand that institutional customers drive adoption. 4) Local government needs to step up as the anchor tenant. 5) When studying these communities, take note of how you can "leapfrog" technologies to bring broadband to your area. Santa Monica started by using fiber it had at the time to improve the city's communication infrastructure, then sold excess fiber capacity to businesses to finance network expansion, and now they're ready to leapfrog into greater buildout of wireless. 6) When you delve into how these GSD Ten communities made their networks successful, it should be clear to those who haven't caught on yet that you can't - and shouldn't - approach ROI the same way private sector companies do.