Muni-ISP Gives Away Gigabit Broadband After FCC Court Loss A municipal broadband provider in North Carolina has decided to give away free gigabit broadband to several areas in North Carolina, after a state law written by incumbent ISPs prevented the ISP from expanding. Wilson, North Carolina-based Greenlight said last month that it might be forced to shutter service in neighboring counties after the FCC's recent municipal broadband court loss. The FCC back in February voted to take aim at protectionist laws in more than nineteen states that prohibit towns and cities from improving local broadband networks, even in instances when an incumbent ISP won't.

Such laws are written by and lobbied for by incumbent broadband ISPs eager to protect the current status quo in countless markets: high prices, slow speeds, poor service. But the FCC found its attempts slapped down by the courts, which stated the FCC's Congressional mandate to speed broadband deployment can't be extended to state law -- even if said laws are hindering broadband. With the ISP hamstrung by North Carolina's incumbent ISP-friendly bill, the ISP has decided to simply give the service away for free to around 200 customers, according to the quote: "While the short-term fix is not perfect, it was the only alternative we had to disconnecting our neighbors,” said Wilson Mayor Bruce Rose. “Taking broadband service from the people of Pinetops would have been a terrible blow, especially when they are still recovering from Hurricane Matthew." Greenlight says it will continue to fight against North Carolina's protectionist broadband law, which was only passed after With the ISP hamstrung by North Carolina's incumbent ISP-friendly bill, the ISP has decided to simply give the service away for free to around 200 customers, according to the Wilson Times Greenlight says it will continue to fight against North Carolina's protectionist broadband law, which was only passed after four attempts by regional incumbent Time Warner Cable (now Charter Communications).







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Most recommended from 133 comments



TIGERON

join:2008-03-11

Boston, MA 39 recommendations TIGERON Member The ultimate FUCK YOU to the incumbents I can see AT&T and Comcast pissed. Gigabit internet = free versus mediocre cable or inferior last mile DSL that is BOTH very expensive, metered and utter SHIT service. LOL



PRICELESS. Well done Greenlight. davidhoffman

Premium Member

join:2009-11-19

Warner Robins, GA 21 recommendations davidhoffman Premium Member "Free" Gigabit due to bad law. This is what good communities do. Similar to fire departments providing mutual aid. Few big for profit companies really care about the communities they are in. I view it as operational jujitsu. The big guys just had their attack deflected. If the legislature comes to its senses and gets rid of the illogical law, then this "free" service will not cost the ISP too much.

Anon18ff7

@comcast.net 15 recommendations Anon18ff7 Anon The law is anit-American Laws that prevent competition or even the possibility of legitimate business that is harming no one; is not what this country. The Internet is a necessary utility.

Anonc56e0

@zenmate.com 8 recommendations Anonc56e0 Anon Republican governor NC has a republican governor. In my opinion,democrats are more consumer friendly. decifal

join:2007-03-10

Bon Aqua, TN 7 recommendations decifal Member meanwhile Meanwhile att fanboys would like to pretend that we have a free and open market... This isn't real capitalism, we might as well have foodstamp net at this rate.. If we are not going to allow real competition, then to hell with it

ham3843

join:2015-01-15

USA 3 recommendations ham3843 Member If I was in this situation.... If I was a potential customer I would be more than happy to

sign up for their service and "donate" the reasonable suggested retail price to

Greenlight...everyone in that area should do the same to keep Greenlight afloat.

It's the honorable thing to do.