President Biden wants local governments to provide broadband internet. Could they compete with Comcast and Verizon?

President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan has renewed debate over whether municipal broadband makes the internet more affordable and accessible. Advocates, including Democrats in Washington, argue that public networks give internet titans like Philadelphia-based Comcast Corp. and Verizon Communications Inc. much needed competition. That would drive down prices and create more options. But critics, including Republican lawmakers and the cable industry, say the taxpayer-funded networks are unfair competition, discourage private investment, and are ill-equipped to keep pace with technology. A University of Pennsylvania study found the public projects can be money-losing operations. And Philadelphia offers a cautionary tale about how municipal internet projects can fail.