Can municipal broadband save the open internet?

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Municipal broadband seems like the savior of the open internet. Except the challenges its rollout face are so legion that I am deeply unconvinced muni broadband is the solution to the repeal of net neutrality.

First, and most obviously, is the level of political spending against these initiatives. And, even if cities can muster the energy to start building out their networks, actually laying the fiber becomes its own challenge. So far, most of the cities that have built out municipal broadband have been less dense suburban towns, where infrastructure construction is significantly cheaper and faster than in dense urban environments.

The second challenge is around content filtering and privacy. While municipal broadband may be free and open, what content will a publicly owned ISP allow through?


Can municipal broadband save the open internet?