Missouri Bill Would Limit Local Community Broadband Rights You can add Missouri to the long list of states looking to let large ISPs tell local citizens what they can and can't do in regards to local broadband infrastructure. Senator Ed Emery is pushing SB 186, which saddles towns and cities with all manner of restrictions should they dare try to challenge the duopoly stranglehold incumbent ISPs enjoy over these cities. In most cases these bills are quite literally ghost-written by broadband industry lobbyists, usually utilizing groups like ALEC to provide the flimsy impression of distance between giant companies -- and the politicians that are supposed to represent you.

SB 186 imposes numerous restrictions on local governments to prevent "competitive service," which includes both retail and wholesale models - preventing municipalities from working with private sector partners like Ting or Google FIber. The bill also establishes multiple hurdles for communities attempting to engage in a feasibility study and discourages them from pursuing a chance to serve their residents, businesses, and municipal facilities. It's effectively a rehash of HB 2078, which was rejected last year for being too restrictive. Usually, it requires multiple attempts before ISPs get this kind of legislation passed. It took Time Warner Cable four attempts before successfully passing similar legislation in North Carolina back in 2011. Needless to say, groups focused on stopping this kind of protectionist state law and letting local communities make these decisions for themselves aren't impressed. "This legislation is trying to cut off communities at every turn by limiting any sort of 'competitive service,' whether it comes from public broadband infrastructure investment or a public-private partnership," says Christopher Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. "Missouri should be encouraging investment and local Internet choice, not working with monopoly lobbyists to prevent it." Municipal broadband is consistently portrayed as the epitome of wasteful spending by ISPs looking to hide their greed beneath partisan discord. But there's nothing partisan about wanting better broadband and more competition. Municipal broadband is an organic grass roots response to obvious market failure. And should ISPs want to stop it, there's one obvious solution: begin offering better service at lower prices. The problem? Throwing money at lawmakers is less expensive than actually trying. The problem? Throwing money at lawmakers is less expensive than actually trying.







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Most recommended from 34 comments

b10010011

Whats a Posting tag?

join:2004-09-07

Bellingham, WA 1 edit 15 recommendations b10010011 Member Government for the business and by the business. When will people quit voting against their own best interest? Terabit

join:2008-12-19 11 recommendations Terabit Member Gotta Love Red states This guy is a real deal card carry type, even worked in oil and gas industry. Which down in those parts, is apparently the future. My favorite classic (R) move is the limitation of even a feasibility study on the issue. They do this all the time on any issue. mmmdonuts

join:2011-02-28

Raleigh, NC 8 recommendations mmmdonuts Member Half-assed would be an improvement "And should ISPs want to stop it, there's one obvious solution: begin offering better service at lower prices"



Even if the ISPs went only as far as better service at the same prices it would make a lot of people happy.