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from: Public Knowledge

Connect Kentucky Disconnected At Home
By Art Brodsky on April 14, 2008 - 5:11pm

While Connected Nation is expanding around the country, it hit a big snag at home.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) Monday let the world know what his administration thinks of the controversial Connect Kentucky program. He vetoed $2.4 million in funds for the organization, which was founded under his predecessor, Republican Ernie Fletcher. Background on the program is here.

from: MultiChannel News

Tennessee Franchising Bill Aims To Extend Broadband Services
Local Governments Could Also Subsidize Deployment If Private Sector Passes
By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 4/11/2008 1:10:00 PM

Legislators in Tennessee have been presented a new version of a state franchising bill with a unique scheme to provide an incentive to new providers to extend broadband services.

from: NY Times

March 22, 2008
Hopes for Wireless Cities Are Fading
By IAN URBINA

PHILADELPHIA — It was hailed as Internet for the masses when Philadelphia officials announced plans in 2005 to erect the largest municipal Wi-Fi grid in the country, stretching wireless access over 135 square miles with the hope of bringing free or low-cost service to all residents, especially the poor.

from: Bitch Slappin'

Connect Tennessee and the Battle over State Franchising

There’s another AT&T sponsored Cable Franchising Bill in Tennessee, this one being pushed by the Telecom Astroturf group “Connected Tennessee“. It’s not the only Tennessee Cable Franchise bill, but it is the one getting the most press and attention, probably because of the dough that’s being slung around, and now that telecom money is being handed out to Democrats, much to the chagrin of the Repuglycans, who seem to be running on a budget these days.

from: Cup of Joe

Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Connected TN Backers A Front for AT&T? (Part 2)

I have a couple of updates to add on my post from last week regarding the creation of state and national programs focusing on expanding internet access which also seems to work not only as a PR machine for AT&T but as a lobbying agency as well. A flurry of activity has been taking place and rapid changes are ahead.

from: Cup of Joe

Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Connected Tennessee Backers A Front for AT&T?

A recent examination of a program to expand internet access, which began in Kentucky and then moved into Tennessee and now goes under the name Connected Nation raises some concerns that the entire project is basically a PR machine for AT&T.

from: Times Free Press

Telecoms compete EPB set to challenge Comcast for local customers

By: Jason Reynolds
TimesFreePress Audio

In the past, Comcast only offered cable programming and EPB just sold electricity.

Now, Comcast offers telephone and Internet service as well, and EPB is poised to offer the complete package of video, telephone and Internet service.

from: Broadband Reports

Connected Nation's $134 Billion Fish Tale?
Editorial: Lets make sure we adopt the RIGHT national broadband policy....
12:00PM Friday Feb 22 2008 by Karl

Last month Public Knowledge penned a piece that suggested that Connected Nation, a group supposedly created to push a national broadband policy, was actually now essentially a baby bell lobbying effort. The allegation was that what started as a real, local Kentucky effort to map U.S. broadband penetration, has ultimately been hijacked by baby bell lobbyists, and now exists primarily as a way to protect those companies' interests under the guise of a national broadband deployment model. If true, it's absolutely ingenious in a robustly amoral way.

from: Public Knowlegde

Maryland Broadband Bills Should Send Connect Kentucky Home

From Public Knowledge, February 19, 2008
By Art Brodsky

Over the next couple of weeks, the Maryland General Assembly will consider a modest step in helping to further the spread of high-speed Internet services in the state. It could be a positive step, or a harmful misstep.

from: Benton Foundation

More than Rhetoric Needed to Close Broadband Gap

Bush Administration's Disputed Claims that High-Speed Internet Access is Universal and Affordable

In 2004, during a campaign appearance in Albuquerque, New Mexico, President Bush set an ambitious and laudable goal, he said, "We ought to have universal affordable access for broadband technology by the year 2007."