Community Broadband Success Stories
Iowa: Leading The Way
This map of Iowa shows which communities have invested in municipal broadband networks or are in the process of doing so. Many first generation copper networks have been upgraded to fiber.
|
Since the early 1990's, over two dozen Iowa communities have responded to the needs of their citizens by building and operating community-owned broadband networks, also known as municipal broadband utilities.
These communities vary in size from Primghar (pop. 909) to Cedar Falls (pop. 39,260), with the average population among Iowa municipal broadband communities of just under 6,000. Regardless of size, these Iowa towns share a common commitment to providing fast, reliable, affordable, and universal broadband access to their citizens. They are governed locally, respond to local needs, and employ local citizens. The first generation of municipal networks in Iowa were hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) networks that used a fiber backbone but used copper wire for the final few hundred feet. However, these first generation networks are being upgraded to fiber-to-the-home as these communities realize the need for future-proof fiber technology to keep up with citizens' growing demands. |
Fort Dodge Fiber
Fort Dodge is a community of 25,000 in north central Iowa. Although it is the largest community within a 90 minute drive, Fort Dodge found itself lagging behind many smaller communities in its region - a lack of fiber broadband services. So in 2019 the City began to evaluate its options for better broadband. Voters chimed in by approving a municipal communications utility by referendum on November 2019, with 72% approving the measure. Further study found that Fort Dodge had several options for bringing fiber to homes and businesses, but city leaders decided that the best path for the community's future was a city-owned and operated network. Construction of Fort Dodge FIber began in July 2022 and at the end of 2022 the first portions of the network are being completed.
|
Pella Fiber
Pella, Iowa is a close-knit community of 11,000 in central Iowa with a long history of self-reliance and community action. When Pella residents and businesses began to be negatively impacted by the poor reliability of the communities existing internet choices, they decided to take action. A May 2018 referendum to establish a municipal communications utility was overwhelmingly approved by voters, 92% to 8%. After careful study, construction of a city-wide fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) network began in the summer of 2020. Construction progressed to the point where the first customers were connected to the network in the spring of 2021. As of the end of 2022, Pella Fiber serves nearly 2,000 homes and busineses with gigabit internet services, with dozens of new connections added each month.
|
The National Trend
|
The Institute for Local Self Reliance, which closely tracks community broadband developments across the nation, reports the following statistics:
|
Why Are Community Broadband Networks Popular?
|
|
The number of community broadband networks across the nation is growing in large part because local citizens demand that their communities have access to the best broadband services possible. Building a new broadband network today means building it using fiber optics, not copper wires. Fiber optics cables last decades with less maintenance and higher reliability than any other network technology.
Fiber optics is the future. And it is unlikely that incumbent providers will upgrade their networks to all fiber for a long time. So to bring the advantages that fiber offers, communities are choosing to do it themselves. |
Documents
Becoming Broadband Ready Toolkit, NextCentury Cities, 2019
Broadband is Affordable Infrastructure, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Spring 2019
The Next Generation Network Connectivity Handbook, GigU: The Next Generation Network Innovation Project, July 2015
Building The Gigabit City, Craig J. Settles, 2013
Community Broadband Development Process, Blandin Foundation
Fiber To The Home Primer, FTTH Council and Broadband Communities Magazine, Fall 2015
Broadband is Affordable Infrastructure, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Spring 2019
The Next Generation Network Connectivity Handbook, GigU: The Next Generation Network Innovation Project, July 2015
Building The Gigabit City, Craig J. Settles, 2013
Community Broadband Development Process, Blandin Foundation
Fiber To The Home Primer, FTTH Council and Broadband Communities Magazine, Fall 2015
Additional Online Resources
Community Broadband Action Network. www.broadbandaction.com
Institute for Local Self Reliance. www.muninetworks.org
CLIC-Coalition for Local Internet Choice. www.localnetchoice.org
Fiber Broadband Association. www.fiberbroadband.org
Broadband Communities Magazine. www.bbcmag.com
Next Century Cities. https://nextcenturycities.org/
Institute for Local Self Reliance. www.muninetworks.org
CLIC-Coalition for Local Internet Choice. www.localnetchoice.org
Fiber Broadband Association. www.fiberbroadband.org
Broadband Communities Magazine. www.bbcmag.com
Next Century Cities. https://nextcenturycities.org/