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Comcast, Centurylink Fail To Derail Community-Owned Gigabit Fiber Network In Bountiful, Utah (www.techdirt.com)

submitted 1 year ago by trashhalo to c/technology

26 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The city of Bountiful, Utah voted to build a $48 million fiber network to provide affordable gigabit broadband for its residents and businesses. Regional internet providers Comcast and CenturyLink opposed the plan and tried to force a public vote through a taxpayer group they fund. However, communities often build their own networks because existing options are inadequate. Data shows that community-owned networks provide better, faster, cheaper service than monopolies. While big internet providers claim community networks are a boondoggle, they are just another business plan that often succeeds due to quality proposals and local accountability. Comcast and CenturyLink did not want to provide the high-speed internet Bountiful needed, but also tried to block the city from doing so itself.

You love to see it. Do you have community Internet available where you live?

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[–] argv_minus_one 51 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

In a sane country, the mere attempt at blocking the establishment of a competitor would have been grounds for a Ma Bell-style dissection of both companies.

[–] Tak@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I used to live in Bountiful so I believe I can give some context here.

There was another fiber company (Utopia) that expanded to much of the area but each city had to basically join in and this was years ago. The city right next to Bountiful, Centerville had this fiber connection expanded while Bountiful never joined in and you were forced to use Comcast mostly. But Bountiful has always been a bit different compared to other cities in Utah as they also had city power instead of going through Rocky Mountain Power.

This is Bountiful being Bountiful going for community based utilities.

[–] Marsupial@quokk.au 5 points 1 year ago

Well good on ‘em.

Nothing better than empowering local communities.