Free Broadband From Socialism

Summary: Municipalities do not have a right to experiment with socialism. Municipalization is their attempt to turn back the clock and "snuff out" private competitors.

Should municipalities be allowed to build and operate broadband networks in competition with private companies? States around the country are considering laws making it difficult for cities to do so.

Informed, honest debate over municipal broadband is rare. Advocates of municipalization accuse anyone who disagrees with them of being in the pocket of big telecom companies. For example, Lawrence Lessig, writing in the March issue of Wired, refers to skeptics of municipal broadband as "broadband toadies."

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