President's Letter:
Read Them Now, See Them In Dallas
By Scott DeGarmo, President & CEO
Muni broadband is hot. You'll read all sides of the muni controversy in this issue and then meet the experts at the upcoming Broadband Properties Summit, September 12 - 14 in Dallas.

Editor's Note:
The Battle Over Public Broadband
By Steven S. Ross, Editor-In-Chief
The mud has been flung back and forth for about five years now. Monopolists versus socialists - this month, we make an extra-special effort to get all the arguments out on one large table.

Provider Prospective:
The Best Route for Newcomers
By Bryan Rader, MediaWorks
So you want to be in broadband? Limit your operating area, be profitable on all systems, and build consistency into the business from the start.

Poll:
Phone Beats Cable in Vote for Converged Services
BBP Staff Report
A poll suggests cable providers have to prove they've improved service; most consumers trust telcos more.

FOCUS ON MUNICIPAL BROADBAND

Gazetteer:
A Mayor's Guide to Broadband
By Sandy Teger and Dave Waks, Broadband Home Central
A plain-English guide to the six leading broadband technologies.

Opinion:
Ten Myths About Municipal Broadband
By Jim Baller,The Baller Herbst Law Group
The attorney for many groups fighting incumbent-inspired state restrictions on muni systems, Baller makes a forceful case for public broadband.

The Law:
The Case for Municipal Broadband
By Carl Kandutsch, Ph.D., J.D.
Our regular columnist, a student of history as well as the law, says the idea of municipalities providing infrastructure is hardly a new one. Kandutsch, a former FCC attorney, also points to an interesting loophole in the key decision allowing states to restrict municipalities. Jump to page 22 to see the details.

Opinion:
The Case Against Public Broadband
By Dave McClure, US Internet Industry Association
The president of USIIA makes some good points for private industry here. Avoid them at your peril.

ILEC role:
Fort Wayne Connects with Verizon
By Graham Richard, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne's mayor shows how his community has leveraged Verizon's investment to meet its goals.

Business:
Get Your Community Ready for Business
By Andrew Michael Cohill, Design Nine
Broadband is necessary but not sufficient. Cohill, who ran the nation's first truly broadband community (Blacksburg, VA), tells all.

Suppliers:
Broadband Is Best for Business, Too
By Pat Gelsinger, Intel
Let the towns decide. An Intel senior VP reminds us that when public entities build, they buy from private corporations.

Open Access:
The Open Service Provider Network Concept
By Ben Gould, DynamicCity
A primer on what it really means to have open-access networks.

Open Access:
The Iowa Approach
By Mark Daley, Opportunity Iowa
An activist group fights restrictions on municipal broadband by mobilizing Iowa's towns.

Open Access:
It's the Law in Loma Linda
By Steven S. Ross, Editor-in-Chief
In-home broadband networks and developer-built outside plant are mandatory for new construction in this California city. An interview with Loma Linda's IS director.

Open Access:
The Story of Windom, Minnesota
By John Gumpel, Primal Solutions
How a town of 5,000 with only about 2,000 households is making broadband work.

DEPARTMENTS

Book Reviews

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