By Julianne Tveten, In These Times
December 20, 2107
This article responds to the decision by the FCC to the notion of net neutrality which treated broadband access as a utility preventing”cable companies and Internet service providers (ISPs) from throttling, blocking or otherwise discriminating against online traffic.” Citing Chattanooga, TN, and Fort Collins, CO as specific examples of efforts to create publicly controlled broadband, the author notes “More than 450 communities have introduced publicly-owned broadband.” Even so:
City-operated networks have the power to increase speeds, decrease costs and broaden availability. Yet restoring public broadband ownership can’t be a piecemeal municipal effort, as hordes of communities will continue to be neglected. Rather, public ownership must be won on a national level to eradicate ISP lobbying and monopolies, and corporate ISPs themselves, thus guaranteeing universal access.
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