Playlist: WiredWest & Rural Massachusetts's Fight for Broadband Access
Compiled By: Nick Stumo-Langer
The WiredWest municipal broadband cooperative in western Massachusetts gains momentum with each town that joins up. We've followed the project since its beginnings in 2012; this playlist is a compilation of all of our conversations about the project. It includes WiredWest Chair of the Board Monica Webb, Leverett Select Board member Peter d'Errico and Berkman Center fellow David Talbot.
Monica Webb from WiredWest
From Nick Stumo-Langer | Part of the Broadband Bits series | 15:41
Episode 2:
In our second podcast, we have interviewed Monica Webb with the Wired West Initiative in rural western Massachusetts. Like our first podcast, this should be an excellent resource for those who are still in the early stages of community broadband and seeking ideas or inspiration.
- Playing
- Monica Webb from WiredWest
- From
- Nick Stumo-Langer
In our second podcast, we have interviewed Monica Webb with theWired West Initiative in rural western Massachusetts. Like our first podcast, this should be an excellent resource for those who are still in the early stages of community broadband and seeking ideas or inspiration.
In Western Mass, Holyoke Gas and Electric Brings Broadband
From Nick Stumo-Langer | Part of the Broadband Bits series | 17:25
Episode 65:
Holyoke Gas & Electric has been connecting community anchor institutions and local businesses in Western Massachusetts with fiber networks for years. Rather than using exception access to the Internet as a competitive advantage over more poorly connected neighbors, the Municipal Light Plant (in the parlance of Massachusetts law) is helping nearby towns to establish their own networks.
Holyoke Gas & Electric has been connecting community anchor institutions and local businesses in Western Massachusetts with fiber networks for years. Rather than using exception access to the Internet as a competitive advantage over more poorly connected neighbors, the Municipal Light Plant (in the parlance of Massachusetts law) is helping nearby towns to establish their own networks.
I met Senior Network Engineer Tim Haas in a lunch with people building community owned networks in Leverett and Princeton in late August. He joins me for episode #65 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.
We discuss the Holyoke approach, its network, and enthusiasm for assisting others in the region to improve access to the Internet.
Muni Fiber in Rural Massachusetts
From Nick Stumo-Langer | Part of the Broadband Bits series | 18:25
Episode 113:
Though much of western Massachusetts has poor access to the Internet, the town of Leverett is in the midst of fiber build that will offer a gigabit to anyone who wants it. Peter d'Errico, on the town Select Board, has been part of the project from the start and Chairs the Broadband Committee. He joins us for Episode 113 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.
- Playing
- Muni Fiber in Rural Massachusetts
- From
- Nick Stumo-Langer
Though much of western Massachusetts has poor access to the Internet, the town of Leverett is in the midst of fiber build that will offer a gigabit to anyone who wants it. Peter d'Errico, on the town Select Board, has been part of the project from the start and Chairs the Broadband Committee. He joins us for Episode 113 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.
He and I discuss the great need for the project and inaccurate broadband maps that overstate availablility in the region. We discuss the role of the "municipal light plant" law that gave them the necessary authority to invest in the fiber.
But more interestingly, we talk about how they have structured the financing and prices for subscribers. The network will be repaid both with the revenues from subscribers and a modest bump in the property tax. The kicker is that many households will see their taxes increase a little but the amount they spend on telecom will decrease substantially, resulting in more money in their pockets each month.
We have written about Leverett often over the years, the archive is here. Read the Leverett FAQ here.
Holyoke Success Spurs Interest in Mass Muni Networks
From Nick Stumo-Langer | Part of the Broadband Bits series | 20:04
Episode 162:
A few weeks back, we noted an excellent new report on Holyoke Municipal Light Plant in Massachusetts published by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society. This week, we discuss the report and lessons learned from it with David Talbot, Fellow at the Berkman Center.
few weeks back, we noted an excellent new report on Holyoke Municipal Light Plant in Massachusetts published by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society. This week, we discuss the report and lessons learned from it with David Talbot, Fellow at the Berkman Center.
David gives us some of the key takeaways from the report and we discuss what other municipal light plants are doing, including how Holyoke Gas & Electric is using the state owned middle mile network to partner with other municipalities like Greenfield and Leverett.
Finally, David offers some insight into how the municipal light plants that have not yet engaged in expanding Internet access think about the challenges of doing so. You can listen to (or read the transcript of) episode 65, where we interviewed Tim Haas of Holyoke Gas & Electric.