No State Can Afford To Outlaw Municipal Broadband

[Commentary] While not a new trend, recently there's been a relative explosion in efforts at state legislatures across the country to introduce legislation that will impede or outlaw municipal broadband projects. But no state can afford to embark on any effort to stop municipal broadband. Why? We face too big a challenge in wiring our country to force any players to the sidelines. Imagine if we'd left the building of roads or electric lines purely to the private sector. How much longer would it have taken to get the job done? This is particularly true in less economically attractive areas, like rural communities and the urban poor. In tackling the challenge of getting every last American connected to the best possible broadband, outlawing municipal broadband will force us to fight with one hand behind our back.