Letter from the President: By Matt Wainwright

Kill the headlights and put it in neutral... net neutral!

So FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler finally made a decision. All this talk about the Internet and net neutrality, which is meant to eliminate app blocking and paying for faster speeds, and premiums for Internet "fast lanes" to incumbent providers. So where the hell are we now? It's a good question, and not one I can answer succinctly in this note. But I'll throw some ideas out there. Let's do it like this:

• Three out of five FCC voters "surveyed" (who voted) "established a new Open Internet Order that implements strict net neutrality rules, including prohibitions on site and app blocking, speed throttling and paid fast lanes." Okay, so that's my attempt at a rip on Trident gum, where if you're older like me you recall four out five dentists surveyed preferred Trident. Well, Trident gum did better than net neutrality but ... the net neutrality vote makes me happy for now.

• Wheeler made a decision – I like decisions.

• Andy Berke, Mayor of Chattanooga, TN, with whom I had the pleasure of laughing with during meetings at the NTIA in D.C. last year, said this: ""What I care more about is hearing from the people who live in these areas, that they are going without broadband right now and they are excited about the future. Their response is a lot more powerful than those of politicians."

• "The biggest revelation from the proposal is the decision to lump wireless networks in with wired broadband, something the FCC has avoided doing for years thanks to enormous pressure from Verizon and AT&T." Really? In the year 2015, this is a revelation? This is still a revelation when federal BTOP grants country-wide have funded state non-profit network startups in ALL 50 STATES! And the lateral connections for municipal buildings to connect to these BTOP networks via fiber cost upwards of an extra $15,000 in taxpayer money per municipal building, plus a monthly fee. Oh ... okay. It’s an important data point, especially if you're a GMIS member. 

• The FCC voted "to preempt state laws that were preventing two cities from building out their own locally run broadband networks." 

• The FCC slowing progress for places like Chattanooga, TN, and, in the same breath, supporting local politicians trying to block the municipal expansion of it's world class and highly acclaimed fiber optic network ...  Ewww. "While big telecom companies like AT&T and Comcast have fought each other over issues like cable television service, both have been wary of municipalities encroaching on their turf with TV and Internet service. And the companies are big contributors to political campaign funds." I had too much garlic in my lunch today, but not even my breath stinks that badly.

So although decisions have been put forward, it’s a mixed bag. But hey, we have some direction. And as GMIS members, this is REALLY important. Important because we are technology leaders in public service representing constituents in communities that will continue to demand more robust Internet service for the foreseeable future. Instead of using our feet to ride a bike without a chain, FCC Chairman Wheeler provided a chain – so we can pedal. But like any other regulation that starts and eventually burns, it is the deregulation that will surely follow. We've seen this over the past few years with electricity. Just look at your electric bill and let me know if I'm making sense.

Have fun and we'll see you in August for the GMIS International Conference in lovely Newport, RI. This topic will be broached in depth during the conference so be there!