Broadband access for all: The economic and political implications of municipal wireless networks

While many individuals in the United States enjoy access to broadband Internet access, many are left out. In an age of streaming multimedia, telecommuting, and "always-on" connections, these people are at a significant disadvantage. This is mostly due in part to the economics of rolling out broadband services, where carriers offer services only in population areas dense enough and at price points high enough to bring in revenues that will satisfy investors. Large-scale wireless networks taking advantage of new technologies are poised to capture a portion of the market that has never subscribed to broadband internet access. This paper examines the economic and political aspects of the trend by municipalities to offer their own wireless broadband data services to compete with for-profit providers. It also explores for-profit companies looking to bridge the digital provide, as well as public-private partnerships.