Next Century Cities Monthly Newsletter
August 2019
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Leadership.
Francella Ochillo stepped into the role of Executive Director in mid-July, and the past few weeks have been a busy time of transition for the Next Century Cities team. Don’t miss Francella's
appearance on WashingTECH
, a tech policy podcast, where she discussed how to include local governments in the 5G conversation.
Resources.
Some of our members have established digital equity grant programs to help bridge the digital divide.
In a new blog post
, we highlight successful initiatives in
Seattle, Wash.; Austin, Texas; Boston, Mass.; and San Jose, Calif.
Not only do these local programs fund community projects, but they also play a role in informing each city’s digital equity priorities.
Our
Becoming Broadband Ready
toolkit compiles the common threads of successful broadband projects to create a roadmap for communities working to improve connectivity. Senior Program Manager Cat Blake recently
wrote a blog post for the Internet Society
that outlines some of the toolkit’s key points and explains how local leaders can benefit from the resources it provides.
Curious about what’s possible for communities willing to innovate around broadband solutions?
Next Century Cities’ newest fact sheet
illustrates the many paths to better connectivity. From municipal networks to public-private partnerships, we detailed a few of the ways that our members have improved access to fast, affordable, and reliable internet access. Find a printable version of the fact sheet
here
.
Events.
Cat presented at the Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference Annual Meeting in July. “Broadband can seem like a tech issue on its surface,”
she said in a session on rural broadband
, “but connectivity is a conversation that every single department should be having at the state level.” Cat also attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference, where she
gave a presentation to the GIS Subcommittee
about the challenges and opportunities of 5G deployments for county governments.
Francella
participated in a panel discussion at the Internet Governance Forum
(IGF) and explained the varying impact 5G will have on Next Century Cities members. For instance, 5G technology will allow cities with high connectivity to launch new safety initiatives, improve transportation networks, develop telemedicine programs, increase educational opportunities, and more. However, communities that are still struggling to connect residents are unlikely to see the benefits of 5G networks anytime soon.
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NCC Connection Opportunities
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Will we see you this fall? Click
here
if you would like to connect at these upcoming events.
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Charlotte, N.C. and Huntington Beach, Calif.
were recipients of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) Community Broadband and Digital Equity Awards. Read more from NATOA
here
.
Huntington Beach, Calif.’s
revitalization plan includes the creation of a broadband plan and an ad hoc committee to review policy and outline goals for broadband, technology, and transportation movements. Read more in
Government Technology
here
.
Gainesville, Fla.
is pursuing potential partnerships with neighboring communities, the county, and local education institutions as it works to improve connectivity for residents. Read more from WUFT
here
.
Chicopee, Mass.
is developing a fiber to the home residential pilot project, in which Chicopee Electric Light will provide service to four neighborhoods. Read more from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance
here
.
Lakeland, Fla.’s
investments in dark fiber and proactive dig once policy has situated the city well for investment in a municipal network, said consultants working with the city. They also provided a new, lower cost estimate of $80 million to build a city-wide fiber-optic network. Read more from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance
here
, and from
The Ledger
here
.
San Francisco, Calif.
is appealing the FCC’s decision to preempt a city ordinance intended to encourage broadband competition in multiple dwelling units. The city argues that the FCC’s decision exceeds its statutory authority. Read more in
Bloomberg
here
.
Westminster, Md.’s
fiber network and the Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory (MAGIC) complement one another to create a local tech ecosystem. Read more in the
Carroll County Times
here
.
Fort Collins, Colo.
is gearing up to launch their new broadband network next month. Read more in the
Coloradoan
here
.
Portland, Ore.; Austin, Texas; Seattle, Wash.; Raleigh, N.C.; Charlotte, N.C. Boston, Mass.; San Jose, Calif.; Kansas City, Mo.; and Madison, Wisc.
are among BroadbandNow’s 2019 Digital Inclusion Trailblazers. Read more from BroadbandNow
here
.
Montrose, Colo.
hosted the first installment of a new rural broadband webcast series. Read more and find the webcast recording in
Broadband Breakfast
here
.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
is pioneering smart city innovations with its traffic, airport, and autonomous vehicle initiatives. Because of its focus on data-driven solutions and collaboration,
Baltimore, Md.
is well-positioned to do the same. Read more in the
Baltimore Sun
here
.
Kansas City, Kan.’s
Deputy Director of Public Works David Young has been appointed to an FCC working group that will advise the Commission on strategies to increase broadband investment in low-income communities. Read more from the FCC
here
.
Publicly owned networks in
Fairlawn, Ohio; Longmont, Colo.; and Chattanooga, Tenn.
offer some of the fastest service speeds in the nation. Some private ISPs that partner with communities also made the list, including ALLO Communications, which connects residents in
Lincoln, Neb.
and is planning a partnership with
Breckenridge, Colo.
, as well as Hotwire, which operates in
Salisbury, N.C.
Read more from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance
here
.
Shireen Santosham, Chief Innovation Officer for
San Jose, Calif.
discussed San Jose’s smart city innovation projects on an episode of Note to Self. Watch the live recording of the podcast
here
.
Gaylord, Minn.’s
rural-focused medical school, scheduled to open in the fall of 2020, will rely on the high-speed internet access provided by RS Fiber Cooperative. Read more from
MinnPost
here
.
Seattle, Wash. and Portland, Ore.
are among a handful of American cities that have created privacy guardrails for data gathered as a part of smart city projects. Oakland, Calif. plans to vote on citywide privacy principles this fall. Read more from
Axios
here
.
Chattanooga, Tenn.
is partnering with electric utilities in neighboring communities as they get started in the broadband business. Read more in
Telecompetitor
here
.
Tullahoma, Tenn.’s
high quality connectivity is a key reason a local company plans to expand, create 200 new jobs. Read more in the
Times Free Press
here
.
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, like us on
Facebook
, and watch our videos on
YouTube
. And be sure to visit
NextCenturyCities.org
for news, blog posts, RFP alerts, toolkits, and information on new members!
Joining Next Century Cities is
simple and free
!
If you know a community that would benefit from membership, please contact
Cat Blake
for more information.
Have a great broadband-themed joke?
Send one to us
and you might win some Next Century Cities swag!
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Next Century Cities, 1342 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009
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