Complete Story
12/20/2016
NY Law School Studies Challenge Muni Broadband
The Law & Policy Institute (ACLP) at New York Law School has released two reports it says show that municipal broadband is risky government business that rarely pays off.
ISPs have argued the same thing in pushing for state laws limiting municipal broadband buildouts.
The first report is a case study of a failed government-owned network in Bristol, Va., and the second is a "policy briefing" looking at various efforts.
"These analyses make clear that municipal broadband remains a risky endeavor that rarely generates the benefits touted by proponents," said the Institute.
The case study points out that while the Obama Administration touted the Bristol system as a template for success, it is currently being sold for a loss, adding that early success often proves fleeting, followed by an expensive, time consuming and complicated exit strategy when the effort fails.
