Tennessee should let municipal fiber optic networks expand to meet demand

Recently, Tennessee made a smart investment in its digital future when the state awarded $14.8 million in funding to local broadband projects. This funding is a welcome recognition that local networks are really good at connecting Tennesseans to high-quality, reliable, affordable internet access. But Tennessee can do more. The state could expand next-generation internet access to an even greater number of households without spending a dollar by allowing municipal fiber optic networks to expand to areas that want their service. While Tennessee law allows cities and towns to offer broadband if they have a municipal electric utility, the networks are not permitted to expand service beyond their electric footprint. This law prevents networks from offering high-quality, affordable service to neighboring communities that want and need broadband and stifles collaborative, regional development. Scrapping this restriction and allowing successful networks to expand would connect more people to broadband, all without the state spending a dollar. 

[Deb Socia is the executive director of Next Century Cities]