Myth #3: Is Municipal Broadband Redundant?

Myth #3: Private ISPs Already Provide Service—Municipal Broadband Is Redundant

It sounds reasonable.
If Comcast, AT&T, or another ISP is in town, why bother?
Except—try asking families at the edge of the map or neighborhoods skipped for upgrades.

“Served” Is a Generous Word

The FCC calls an area “served” if one house can theoretically get the advertised speed from one provider.
That’s how maps light up with color, while reality looks like this:

• Homes listed as covered that can’t get connected at all.

• Speeds that drop to unusable levels every evening.

• Outages dragging on for days.

• Monopolies raising prices because there’s no competition.

On paper it’s service.
In practice it’s frustration.

The Real World vs. The Map

• Rural towns: One ISP claims coverage for everyone. In reality, only houses near the highway can connect.

• Low-income neighborhoods: “Discount plans” exist, but only if residents have credit cards, spotless payment records, and no prior debt. Entire neighborhoods are left last for upgrades.

• Suburbs: New housing developments wait months—or years—for service because private ISPs don’t see enough return on investment.

Maps say “served.”
Residents say otherwise.

Private ISPs Do Important Work—But Have Limits

Let’s be clear: private ISPs have built most of the broadband backbone we all use today.
But they’re not public utilities—they’re businesses. That means:

• Prioritizing shareholder value.

• Skipping areas with low ROI.

• Charging what the market allows.

Municipal broadband isn’t about punishing them.
It’s about serving people who are left behind.

Cities Step In to Fill the Gaps

Municipal networks don’t duplicate. They fill holes.
They:

• Extend coverage into underserved homes and neighborhoods.

• Create competition that lowers prices.

• Guarantee service in schools, libraries, and city facilities.

• Put privacy, pricing, and policy decisions back in community hands.

Take UTOPIA Fiber in Utah: more than 20 cities built a shared fiber backbone.
Now, 15 private ISPs compete on the same network.
That’s not redundancy. That’s choice.

The Open Access Advantage

Open access flips the model: the city builds the fiber, private ISPs provide service.
Think about roads.
If every delivery company had to build its own streets, we’d have chaos.
Shared infrastructure means:

• More competition.

• Better pricing.

• Faster upgrades.

Municipal networks make that possible.

Competition Works—Even If It’s Just a Threat

Here’s the unspoken truth: the threat of municipal broadband often forces incumbents to improve.
We’ve seen:

• Faster upgrades.

• New discount programs.

• Suddenly friendlier customer service.

Competition works—even before the first trench is dug.

Is Municipal Broadband Redundant?

Ask yourself:

• Is one ISP enough?

• Is patchy coverage acceptable?

• Should affordable access depend on zip code?

• Should one company set all the rules?

If the answer is no, then municipal broadband isn’t redundant.
It’s essential.

Coverage Isn’t Connection

Next time someone says “your city doesn’t need municipal broadband because it’s already served,” ask:

• Are all of our residents truly connected?

• Do they have real options?

• Are we okay letting one company set the terms for everyone?

If not, municipal broadband isn’t duplication.
It’s leadership.
It’s fairness.
It’s the future.

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Coming up next: Myth #4: Most Municipal Networks Fail.