Some governments have announced programs and strategies to offer free outdoor public wireless networks. Meanwhile, telecoms continue to sue and lobby to prevent such universal access, by outlawing municipal broadband, for example.
A study by Bento J. Lobo, Ph.D. found that Chattanooga, Tennessee's realized economic value of its fiber optic infrastructure (high-speed broadband and smart grid) exceeded $2.69 billion and 9,516 jobs over ten years, exceeding project costs by over $2.20 billion, and includes 40% percent of all jobs created in the county during the study period.
Red Hook WiFi, a project of Red Hook Initiative (RHI), is a community-led effort to close the digital divide.
Community based nonprofit supporting residents of Red Hook Brooklyn with youth trainings, mesh wifi, urban farms, and more.
The Equitable Internet Initiative (EII) is a collaboration between the Detroit Community Technology Project and a network of community organizations including BLVD Harambee.
This study documents the rise of competitive broadband service in Boston; describes steadily increasing City efforts to close gaps in broadband affordability, devices, and skills; characterizes the remaining gaps in these areas as defined by stakeholders and available data; and makes near-term policy recommendations to address these gaps in light of current federal funding opportunities. This report also provides a high-level estimate of the cost of building a third competitive fiber network in the City, in addition to the residential services of Comcast and Verizon.
Community-owned internet infrastructure
The Internet Master Plan is a new vision for broadband infrastructure and service in New York City.