So I read the new FTTH Guidebook for communities and I kinda like it. (For non-Minnesotans who might be reading this – that’s pretty high praise.) The meat of the work is in 4 case studies of successful municipal FTTH projects.
The case studies are detailed. The talk about the legal, technical, financial and management issues that have come up for the providers. They get at pricing and specific local laws that had to be overcome. I was impressed with the amount of detail provided.
The rest of the guidebook draws conclusions and makes recommendations based on the collective experience of the case studies. I think this would be helpful reading for anyone looking into the option of community-owned FTTH.
But you know what I wish was also there? Maybe a study of a community that wasn’t successful or a study of a community that decided to go another route – just for comparison.
Blandin on Broadband 
The biggest challenge with looking at muni failures is that those doing the autopsy have a vested interest in making sure that nothing is learned except that munis shouldn’t be doing it. (See The Reason Foundation.) It’s hard to find many who will take the time to look at what failed, explain why it failed and give suggestions on how to avoid it. I’ve been trying to do that for the last two years.
Please let me know if you have any luck. I think we can learn a ton more about failures than successes.
Thanks! Ann
There is much to be learned from the variations of broadband networking of our muni/regional communities. There are a number of techno-economic models appropriate in different places. Less than successful and unsustainable projects are easy to cite. And they can teach us much.
There are many factors still not in place or well understood (national/state policies; structural separation; public-private cooperation; open networking; ecological economics) which are part of the mix, as we work to build economically vital, technically adaptable, and creatively smart networked communities. Smart, objective reporting/study of ‘case studies’ is not difficult, if that is the intent. I applaude the folks at Blandin Foundation for their important good work in this arena.
Also I think the national perspective will be changing soon so that should throw a wildcard into the process – hopefully a good wildcard.
Pingback: St Louis Park WiFi Fails « Blandin on Broadband