Governments' roles in assuring net access

Stateline has a good undate on recent developments involving states and local governments that have sought to become involved in assuring net access for their citizens. 

To some, net access is a utility and governments have a role in assuring that everyone who wants it has ready access, particularly in rural areas where some may go unserved.  Kentucky has been a leader in this area through its "ConnectKentucky" program. 

Several cities have been leaders in attempting to provide city-wide wireless service--Philadelphia, and more recently Tempe, and San Francisco among others.

Stateline summarizes the interesting history of Philadelphia's efforts:

"In 2004, Philadelphia’s plan to become the first major urban area to propose a city-wide wireless system met resistance from state lawmakers, who introduced a bill to place strict limitations on any municipality's ability to provide a network.

After a heated debate, a law was passed that grandfathered in Philadelphia's proposal but required other Keystone State localities to consult the region’s established telecom companies and allow them 14 months to offer high-speed Internet service – “the right of first refusal.”

The city, in the form of a nonprofit called Wireless Philadelphia, partnered with service provider EarthLink to offer far-reaching inexpensive access. Philadelphia's plan intends to provide an affordable high-speed system for the whole city, including its low-income residents, as well as a unified network for city government and first-responders, according to Bernadine Hawes, a legislative assistant for Pennsylvania Rep. W. Curtis Thomas, past vice-chairman of the National Conference of State Legislature’s Internet caucus."

Stateline also notes that:

"By 2005, 14 states had laws restricting municipalities’ efforts to deploy their own public communications; half of those laws directly apply to the broadband technology. Cities in Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin face strict barriers to entry through administrative and legal hurdles, according to the American Public Power Association."

Pew's Program on the Internet and American Life has a wealth of resources, including resources on e-government.