Why should Sen. Gex Williams tell Frankfort what kind of broadband network it should have? | Opinion

What do you call legislation forcing the sale of an extremely popular and affordable community-owned broadband network?

A solution in search of a problem.

That describes a bill proposed by Kentucky State Senator Gex Williams that would force the Frankfort Plant Board (FPB) to sell or transfer its telecommunications business to a private entity, which will almost certainly be from outside the state.

More than 70 years ago, the city of Frankfort chose to have the FPB distribute television to the capital city, because reception in the early days of television was poor, and the closest broadcast TV stations were 60 or more miles away in Cincinnati and Louisville. The community continued to choose to invest in its network, building a full-service telecommunications network in the late 1990s, an all-digital video network in 2009, and a fiber-to-the-home broadband network in 2021. This happened because giant out-of-state cable companies weren’t willing to build affordable networks that were available to everyone in the city.

By all measures, the broadband network has been an enormous success. It serves approximately 16,000 Frankfort residents, a whopping 65% take rate that would be the envy of any network operator, public or private. It is beloved by the community, as is evidenced by the “unwavering support” of Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson, the Board of Commissioners, and numerous other local public officials.

There is no good reason to force the sale of FPB’s telecommunications business. Indeed, the only reason Senator Williams can come up with is that the money from such a sale could be used for “economic development.”

But what promotes “economic development” more than universal, robust, affordable broadband? Numerous studies have shown that companies and young people are more likely to move to a city with high-speed broadband, and more likely to leave a city without it. Cities like Chattanooga, Tennessee, Wilson, North Carolina and Lafayette, Louisiana have transformed from sleepy hamlets to vibrant centers of economic opportunity, education, and culture thanks to community-owned broadband networks.

The pandemic demonstrated unequivocally that broadband internet access is critical to full participation in our society and our economy. Schoolchildren need broadband to do their homework, remote workers need broadband to do their jobs, and families need broadband for telehealth visits and to connect with friends and each other.

While the benefits of FPBs’ broadband network are myriad, the negative downstream effects of a network sale would be significant – harming the residents of Frankfort the most. If enacted, the proposed legislation would, among other things:

▪ Increase the cost of power, water and telecommunications services;

▪ Lead to the loss of jobs; and

▪ Degrade the quality of the network and customer service.

Moreover, should Sen. Williams’ legislation become law, it would set a dangerous precedent that could threaten community broadband networks throughout Kentucky.

Like other public networks, the FPB’s sole mission is to ensure that every resident of the State Capital has affordable, robust broadband and other telecommunications services. It has accomplished that mission and then some. The out-of-state corporation benefiting from the proposed legislation would have a very different mission – maximizing its return on investment. And the result is likely to be what we have seen in cities and towns across the country – expensive and unresponsive service that cherry-picks customers from the wealthiest and most populous neighborhoods.

The residents and public officials in Frankfort have chosen a locally controlled and operated telecommunications network that serves the needs of the community. Senator Williams should respect that decision and refrain from introducing his bill.

The attack on the highly successful and immensely popular FPB is just the latest in a series of recent efforts, backed by giant incumbent cable companies, to slow the inevitable march towards communities owning their broadband futures. These efforts will fail, like those before them, because residents in those communities have fought back. Frankfort residents should do the same and join FPB in opposing Senator Williams’ proposal to force the FPB to sell its telecommunications business.

Gigi Sohn is the Executive Director of the American Association for Public Broadband (AAPB). AAPB is a national trade association representing local broadband networks. Sohn can be reached at gsohn@aapb.us.