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• State Barriers to Public Broadband Initiatives

• State barriers to public entry enacted by end of 2004
• State Barriers Proposed in 2005 and 2006
• APPA report on battles over state barriers
• State Developments 2007-08

• Connecticut HB 6780 (positive)
• Illinois Act 95-0684, Section 35 (positive)
• Missouri HB 1020 (negative, died)
• Missouri HB 801 (passed, positive - no ban on "Internet type services")
• New Jersey P.L. 2007, c.191 (mixed)
• North Carolina HB 1587 (negative) (died)
  Examples of opposition to North Carolina HB 1587:
• AARP
• Alcatel-Lucent
• City of Chapel Hill
• Town of Davidson
• EDUCAUSE
• City of Fayetteville
• City of Greensboro
• Hitachi
• City of Raleigh
• City of Wilson
• FTTH Council
• Google
• Intel
• Mainstream Fiber Networks
• NC Counties Association
• NC Justice Center
• NC League of Municipalities
• NC PIRG
• SEATOA
• Telecommunications Industry Association
• Tropos
• Pennsylvania HB 327 (positive)(not enacted)
• Rhode Island H5839 (positive)(not enacted)
• Vermont HB 248 (positive)(enacted)
• Washington SB 6102 (positive)(not enacted in 2007, reintroduced in 2008)
• West Virginia (positive) (vetoed)
• Wyoming (restrictions limited to exclusive contracts)
• Federal Developments 2007-08

• Lautenberg-Smith: S.1853, "Community Broadband Act of 2007"
• Sen. Lautenberg floor statement
• Sen. Lautenberg press release
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate for S.1853
• Senate Commerce Committee final report on S.1853
• Boucher-Upton: H.R.3281, "Community Broadband Act of 2007"
• Rep. Rick Boucher floor statement
• Boucher-Upton press release
• Community Broadband Coalition Letter of Support for S.1853 (9-21-07)
• Community Broadband Coalition Letter Support for H.R.3281 (9-21-07)
• Rep. Markey's Staff Discussion Draft: "Wireless Consumer Protection and
  Community Broadband Empowerment Act of 2008"
• Federal Developments 2005-2006

• Rep. Pete Sessions' Proposed Federal Barrier (H.R.2726)
• Lautenberg-McCain "Community Broadband Act of 2005" (S.1294)
• Lautenberg-McCain Bill Status
• Senator Lautenberg floor statement
• Senator McCain floor statement
• Senators Lautenberg and McCain reiterate support for community broadband
  in accepting FirstMile.US award
• Response to USTA: Lautenberg-McCain is Constitutional
• Senator Ensign's Bill: "The Broadband Investment and Consumer Choice Act" (S.1504)
• Senator Ensign's 3-page summary
• Senator Ensign's floor statement
• Jim Baller's response to Senator Ensign's municipal networks provision
• Lautenberg-McCain "Dear Colleague" letter (February 13, 2006)
• Senator DeMint's Bill: "The Digital Age Communications Act of 2005" (S.2113)
• First Community Broadband Coalition Letter to 100 Senators, supporting Lautenberg-McCain
• Second Community Broadband Coalition letter to Senate Commerce Committee
  supporting the Lautenberg-McCain bill (February 13, 2006)
• FTTH Council statement to Senate Commerce Committee supporting
  the Lautenberg-McCain bill (February 14, 2006)
• Consumers Union/Consumers Federation of America letter to Senate Commerce Committee
  supporting the Lautenberg-McCain bill (February 2006)
• Texas communities letter to Senate Commerce Committee supporting the
  Lautenberg-McCain bill (February 13, 2006)
• Barton-Rush-Upton-Pickering bill, "The Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and
  Enhancement Act of 2006," HR.5252
• Status of Barton-Rush-Upton-Pickering bill (HR.5252)
• Stevens Bill: "The Advanced Telecommunications and Opportunites Reform Act" or
  "The Communications Act of 2006" (8-4-06) (HR.5252RS) (Municipal Broadband begins at 184)
• Senate Commerce Committee Report on HR 5252 (Municipal Broadband at 32-33)
• Statements of Support for Municipal Broadband

• American Public Power Association
• Fiber to the Home Council
• Intel
• High Tech Broadband Coalition
• American Electronics Association/TechNet (Texas)
• Lafayette Chamber of Commerce
• Higher Education Coalition
• United Telecom Council
• Community Telestructure Initiative
• TechNet
• Public Technology Institute
• Public Knowledge principles for an open broadband future
• Broad Coalition Letter
• FTC Commissioner Jon Leibowitz at NATOA strongly supports municipal broadband
• Former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt calls for removal of barriers to public entry
• Former FCC Chairman Michael Powell now supports municipal broadband
• National Black Caucus of State Legislators passes Resolution 06-43 in support of
  community broadband
• U.S. Conference of Mayors resolution endorses Lautenberg-McCain

• Studies and Reports

• Blandin Foundation: "Increasing Economic Vitality: Community Guide to Broadband
  Development"
• AT&T-funded study shows strong link between broadband use and economic development
  (November 2007)
• Dirk van der Woude: FTTX in Europe (November 2007)
• St. Paul Task Force Report (September 2007)
• CTC Draft Report on Fiber for San Franchisco (January 2006)
• Seattle Task Force Report (May 2005)
• Render Vanderslice Survey of FTTH/FTTP Users (June 2007)
• Crandall, Lehr, and Litan: "The Effects of Broadband Deployment on Output
  and Employment: A Cross-sectional Analysis of U.S. Data" (June 2007)
• Horizon Project Report (February 2007)
• FTC Staff Report on Municipal Wireless (Sept. 2006)
• FTC Commissioner Jon Leibowitz's statement regarding FTC Staff report
• "The Vital Role of Local Governments in Wireless Broadband" (w/ link to "Building the
  Untethered Nation II")
• Esme Vos's latest list of municipal wireless projects in the US (as of June 7, 2006)
• Free Press, Consumers Union, Consumers Federation of America: "Broadband
  Reality Check II"
• Baller Herbst white paper on municipal fiber systems
• Important study of FTTH usage patterns in Japan
• MIT/Carnegie national study "strongly" suggests connection between broadband
  and job growth
• FMEA White Paper - "The Case for Municipal Broadband"
• Municipal broadband contributes to economic development in Cedar Falls, Iowa
• AES Study: Municipal broadband spurs economic development
• AES Study: Municipal projects do not crowd out private capital investment
• South Dundas Economic Impact Study
• IEEE-USA: "Providing ubiquitous gigabit ether networks in the US"
• Sharon Gillett of MIT: "Municipal Trends"
• New America Foundation: "Profiles of Community Broadband Networks"
• New York City Council briefing memo on community broadband
• Muniwireless Report (July 2005)
• Tennessee Comptroller issues favorable report on municipal broadband; says no need to
  restrict municipal authority
• Economist Michael Curri's research confirms that municipal broadband pays huge dividends
  in economic development
• MIT Researcher Sharon Gillett' reporting on national research showing
  that investment in broadband has strong impact on economic development
• Economist George Ford links municipal broadband to substantial economic development
  and other social benefits
• European Union Commission: "Bridging the Broadband Gap"

• Responses to Cable/Telco Industry Claims about Public Broadband

• Jim Baller testimony to the Utah State Legislature's Committee on Government
  Competition and Privatization, September 26, 2007
• Fiona Morgan: "Touch that Dial: What happens when telecom companies
  write state legislation? Check your wallets"
• Provo responds to attack by Reason Foundation
• Verizon admits that Pennsylvania barrier to municipal entry was a "debacle"
• Amateur category winner of Lafayette's fiber film festival: Slick Sam Slade explains
  the term "functionally equivalent" service
• Jim Baller: "Deceptive Myths About Municipal Broadband: Disinformation About
  Public Ownership Is Impeding Progress"
• Dianah Neff and Jim Baller support municipal broadband in U.S. Chamber
  of Commerce debate (video)
• APPA responds to common industry myths
• Texas industry group refutes common myths about municipal broadband
• Economist John Kelly responds to Rizzutto and Wirth
• MAP/Free Press/CFA White Paper on Municipal Broadband
• John Kelly responds to Progress & Freedom Foundation's 2001 "study"
• Jim Baller responds to Progress & Freedom Foundation's 2004 "study"
• Lafayette responds to first Heartland Institute paper
• Lafayette responds to second Heartland Institute paper
• Carol Wilson: "Munis Hit Back at Heartland"
• Push Poll in Lafayette, LA - Hear it live! (last half particularly noteworthy)
• Billy Ray sets the record straight on Glasgow, KY
• Jim Baller responds to SBC's examples of supposed municipal failures
• Freedom For Our Future responds to alleged municipal failures
• Free Press responds to alleged municipal failures
• Muniwireless responds to alleged municipal failures
• WiFiNetNews responds to alleged municipal failures
• Jim Baller, Keynote Address to FTTH Conference, Las Vegas, NV, October 6, 2005
• Jim Baller, MuniWireless Conference, San Francisco, CA, September 29, 2005
• Jim Baller, Keynote Address to FTTH Conference, Orlando, FL, October 5, 2004

• Important Articles and Other Information

• FTTH Council: "FTTH Primer" (January 2008)
• Chris Mitchell: "Municipal Broadband: Demystifying Wireless and Fiber-optic Options" (January 2008)
• Washington Post, "Japan's Warp-Speed Ride" (August 2007)
• FCC Commissioner Michael Copps interview on Bill Moyers Journal (August 2007)
• FTTH Prism's Dave Chaffee on US fiber needs (August 2007)
• Comptroller General David Walker compares the US to Rome during its decline from greatness (August 2007)
• Business Week: France's superior approach to broadband deployment (July 2007)
• Michael Copps: "America's Internet Disconnect"
• Seattle's Bill Schrier: "Bustin' the Myths"
• Baller-Lide, "America Needs a Fiber-Based National Broadband Policy Now, If Not Sooner" (pdf)
• Baller-Lide, "America Needs a Fiber-Based National Broadband Policy Now, If Not Sooner" (video)
• FTTH Prism January 2007 (more excellent articles)
• FTTH Prism October 2006 (several excellent articles)
• Bristol Virginia Utilities fiber network is revitalizing SW Virginia -- attracting
  hundreds of new high-paying jobs
• APPA article: "Financing Community Broadband"
• DeKalb High School video on Auburn (IN)'s fiber system
• USA Today feature on Lafayette fiber project
• USA Today editorial supports Lafayette fiber project
• USA Today again supports Lafayette fiber project
• Newsweek: "You might check out whether your local rep supported the telcos -- or you."
• Foreign Affairs article: Why Japan is leaving the US behind in broadband
• Brookings Institution: "The U.S. Broadband Problem"
• Tool for comparing bandwidth speeds
• Broadband Properties Magazine feature issue on municipal broadband
• Wall Street Journal article supports "well thought out city [broadband] plans"
• Washington Post editorial supports Alexandria wireless initiative
• Intel supports municipal broadband
• Bill Gurley: SBC throws 160 lobbyists into Texas municipal broadband fight -- and loses
• Prof. Larry Lessig wishes Lafayette success in referendum
• Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy raves about proposed Lafayette fiber system
• Senator Lautenberg: Open the door to community broadband
• NPR "All Things Considered" segment on Lafayette fiber project
• "Lafayette Voters Overwhelmingly OK Fiber Network"
• TelephonyOnline Editorial "The Fallout From Lafayette"
• LightReading Poll: 61% favor tax-funded municipal networks
• Washington Post: "Communications companies rankle customers"
• Washington Post: "Broadband Is Too Important to be Left to the Cable-Phone Duopoly"
• eWeek: FCC has the cart before the horse -- competition should precede deregulation
• Business Week: U.S. still the broadband laggard
• Business Week: Private sector sees substantial benefits in municipal broadband
• Wall Street Journal Op-Ed: "If municipalities across the U.S. are willing to lose $1 million
  a year to save $2 million, this is going to spread like wildfire."
• Light Reading: Congressman Chris Cannon (R-UT) blasts incumbents for trying to thwart
  municipal broadband"
• Free Press map of rapidly growing number of community broadband systems
• Philadelphia Inquirer: City of Philadelphia is a "WiFi Winner"
• "Why towns have built their own broadband" -- great economic development story
• Salon: Why American broadband is so bad compared to broadband in the leading nations
• Municipal broadband and economic development: Princeton, IL, answers its "wake up call"
• NYC Council passes bill to create broadband commission - statement
• NYC Council passes bill to create broadband commission -- text of bill
• Robert McChesney and John Podesta, "Let There Be WiFi"
• WSJ: "Companies That Fought Cities on WiFi, Now Rush to Join In"
• New York Times: "WiFi and the Cities""

• Direct and indirect industry spending to influence government and public opinion

• Common Cause: "Wolves in Sheep's Clothes: Telecom Industry's Front Groups and Astroturf"
• Center for Public Integrity tracks industry lobbying expenditures state by state
• Glenn Fleishman unmasks industry "sock puppets"
• Bell-supported "Astroturf" organizations
• NewNetworks on industry "Skunkworks"
• Sourcewatch background report on the Heartland Institute
• After Tri-Cities referendum, columnist admits serving as Comcast's consultant

• Litigation

• Bristol, VA
• Gainesville, FL
• Missouri Municipal League
• North Kansas City, MO
• Truckee-Donner PUD, CA
• UTOPIA, UT