Leadership is a key determinant of whether a community moves forward on a public broadband project. The leadership team needs to move systematically through the information-gathering process described in this handbook and determine whether to pursue a project. Once committed, a community can proceed through a decision-making funnel of project goals and desired outcomes, technology choices, ownership and operating models, and financing.
Communities that are members of AAPB provide evidence of the viability and benefits of public broadband ownership. Community members range from those who have been delivering world-class broadband services for years to those in the middle of network deployment and expansion to those in the exploration process. All are role models for those just beginning their broadband journey. Several of these examples have been included as profiles in this guidebook, but there are many more. The profiles illustrate the multitude of options by which project leaders gather the best information, examine options, and design an approach that is right for their community.
In addition to the many AAPB community champions who are willing to share expertise and experience are industry expert associate members. They make their own businesses successful by helping ISPs of all types, including public ISPs, to build and operate long-term, successful enterprises. They provide engineering, operations, marketing, and finance services so that ISPs can adopt best practices and equipment and operations strategies to deliver quality services and avoid costly mistakes. They can help communities understand the ramifications of each of the many choices required throughout the process.
In addition to its critical role in public policy, AAPB serves as an information exchange between its members. We hope that this handbook has provided motivation to community leaders interested in realizing the many benefits of public broadband. It’s up to you, but we are here to help!
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