Should Lake County, FL or local cities get FREE Federal $ and create their own local internet broadband utility?

Is it time for local county and/or cities to takeover providing internet services to local residents? There are many areas in Lake County where internet (and cell) service is inconsistent or slow, generating constant complaints that I see in neighborhood related groups. Here is an article discussing a big study showing that people now think internet should be a government run utility like water or sanitation. One cause can be lack of competition, but costs keep going up. At least if a County or City provides internet, you can vote the officials out if service is bad.

 

If you don't like your internet provider or lack of competition, contact your County or City officials.

 

https://www.americancityandcounty.com/2021/08/17/is-it-finally-time-to-acknowledge-broadband-as-a-utility/   

 

Article explaining how cities or counties can get FREE Federal grants to setup local internet utilities.

   

Note:  Florida has some "barriers" or hoops for cities to create their own internet utilities.  I don't know what they are, so that would need to be researched first, as this article explains:

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2010/01/municipal-fiber-needs-more-fdr-localism-fewer-state-bans/

 

Vance Jochim

 

 

 

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