Vermont's approach to rural broadband was in the spotlight at the American Association for Public Broadband (AAPB) inaugural conference, held May 14-15 in Washington, D.C. The event, co-hosted by New America Open Technology Institute, brought together leaders to discuss public broadband advocacy.
Three Vermont representatives served on panels: Ellie de Villiers, executive director of Maple Broadband and chair of the Vermont Communications Union District Association; Christa Shute, executive director of NEKCV Broadband and secretary of VCUDA; and Alex Kelley, director of broadband consulting for the Center on Rural Innovation. They covered topics including network building, public-private partnerships, and policy.
“Vermont’s public broadband-first strategy via its communications union districts provides a bold model for advancing the public interest,” said Gigi Sohn, AAPB executive director. Following the conference, attendees met with congressional offices from both parties to discuss barriers and opportunities for universal broadband access. Shute noted the bipartisan support for public broadband, calling it “one of a relatively small number of non-partisan issues.”
Key themes included the importance of competition, rural access, and broadband’s role in economic development. De Villiers emphasized that fiber-optic networks like those built by Vermont’s CUDs are a long-term investment. “Using public funds efficiently and effectively, and focusing on the long-term total cost of ownership is particularly critical in areas where low population density and/or incomes makes private investment challenging,” she said. Kelley added, “If you can build broadband in a state as rural as Vermont, you can do it anywhere.”
Originally reported by NEK Broadband.
Photo: Anil Baki Durmus via Unsplash. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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