Comcast Tries to Derail Fort Collins Community Broadband

Comcast Tries to Derail Fort Collins Community Broadband

Colorado is one of more than twenty states where incumbent broadband ISPs have quite literally written and purchased state protectionist laws prohibiting towns and cities from getting into the broadband business, even in instances where the private sector has failed to deliver. But Colorado is unique in that town and cities in the state have been able to vote locally on whether to overturn this ISP-lobbying-for- law, SB 152. And guess what? They keep voting to exempt themselves from the law, usually overwhelmingly.

Dozens of cities and towns continue to opt out of the restrictive state measure during local elections. More than 100 have done it so far, which should tell you plenty about how locals feel about their local broadband options.

Fort Collins, Colorado will be the latest to try and table a petition on November 7 simply exploring the idea of opting out of this state provision and considering a city-run broadband network. But Motherboard highlights how incumbent ISPs like Comcast have already spent more than $200,000 to prevent this conversation from even happening. To be clear Fort Collins isn't certain to proceed with such a network, but incumbent ISPs are terrified they've even begun to have the conversation, and have been running ads like this one to try and derail it.

"It's been wild," said Glen Akins, a Fort Collins advocate for municipal broadband tells Motherboard. "We're overwhelmed by the amount of money the opposition is spending."

Of course if companies like Comcast really wanted to prevent towns and cities from getting into the broadband business, they could provide cheaper, better services. These towns and cities aren't getting into broadband because it's fun, they're doing so because they're so disgusted by duopoly pricing, service quality and abysmal customer service that they're looking for more creative alternatives.

But it remains easier and cheaper for companies like Comcast and AT&T, with the help of groups like ALEC, to instead convince clueless lawmakers to pass laws restricting your right to determine for yourself how your money gets spent, and what it gets spent on.

"The (Comcast backed) CCTA forked over $125,000 to Priorities First Fort Collins, the anti-municipal broadband campaign, according to filings published Wednesday," notes Motherboard. "But there's also been a $85,000 contribution from Citizens for a Sustainable Economy, a local nonprofit run by the city's Chamber of Commerce, which include local provider CenturyLink as a member."