When in Doubt, Farm it Out

But that doesn't stop incumbent-sponsored groups like the Heartland Institute from beating the drum about the risks associated with municipally-owned broadband (see The Heartland Institute - A Mixed Month for Muni Broadband - by Steven Titch. The facts are, articles like this tend to use a single example that contradicts the mainstream evidence to make their points, and invariably, the examples of poor performance by city-owned projects are dated fiber projects, not timely wireless examples. And in any case, the authors are singing a song that is increasingly irrelevant, as cities mostly work in partnership with private sector firms to hasten the penetration of broadband.

It will be a while until a federal telecom bill makes it through the grinding legislative process at the Capitol, so while the McCain Lautenberg bill offers hope of federal intervention to stop state legislatures from tying the hands of municipalities, it can be expected that more initiatives by incumbents will rear their heads in state capitals in the months ahead. Those cities that move diligently to acquire the skills and recruit the private sector partners will be winners if they get networks in place before their state leaders heed the incumbents' siren song of state-provided protection of large corporations from competition by municipalities, when in reality they are protecting large companies from competition with small private companies who seek to meet city needs.

UnwireMyCity.com encourages its readers to get educated, get busy, and make something happen. The opportunity costs of going without broadband are much more likely to be higher than the risks of moving ahead today, with technologies like wireless mesh that let a city dip its toe in the water, learn, and adjust its plans to provide the most benefit with the least risk. There is no reason to wait, and there is no reason to fear. The biggest risk today is in delaying development and implementation of an infrastructure plan, which will leave your city behind in the new global marketplace, and perhaps out of luck if your state lawmakers decide to take your authority away.