With no municipal Internet seen on horizon, users turn to patchwork of smaller initiatives
A significant number of Cambridge residents lack Internet access at home, and stopgaps such as using computers at public libraries have limitations. Since federal support for advancing Internet access has waned, Cambridge residents are turning to local efforts to improve their situation.
Most in municipal broadband group agreed on need; all call for a real financial analysis
An opponent of a Cambridge-owned broadband Internet network cherry-picks facts to assert a point of view rejected by the majority on a municipal task force. City after city has been able to make broadband pay for itself, and there’s no reason to think Cambridge couldn’t too.
Cambridge as broadband provider may be less needed, less attractive than supposed
Moving ahead with a plan for Cambridge to incur an estimated cost of $180 million on municipal broadband Internet would be irresponsible without first engaging in a thorough financial and benefit analysis, especially with competition near that could change options dramatically.