Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Broadband (with Bruce Patterson)

In 2021 it’s non-negotiable: quality home internet is something we all need. Our entire economy, along with almost all other aspects of our lives, relies on access to the internet. This reality is why many argue that it should be treated as a public good and operated like a public utility instead of run by a handful of corporations that leave many people underserved. This week, Baratunde sits down with technologist Bruce Patterson to learn how the small city of Ammon, Idaho gives its residents access to high speed internet through its own state-of-the-art, public broadband infrastructure.  Guest: Bruce Patterson - Technology Director for the City of Ammon, Idaho Bio: Bruce Patterson is the mastermind behind the ‘Ammon Model,’ which focuses on the separation of broadband infrastructure from broadband service, both technically and economically. During his tenure at the City of Ammon, Bruce was responsible for the creation and management of the Ammon Fiber Network. He managed everything from strategy and implementation including legal, public process, financial, construction, and technical aspects. SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Bruce Patterson for joining us! Learn more about his work at ammonfiber.com. ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT  What’s publicly or municipally run in your community? Post office, water, library, etc. How do you use these services and what would change about them if they were owned exclusively by private companies? Or if they are, do you feel your community is being well-served? If you were in charge, how would you improve these services for the public? What else could you imagine working better if it was run by the people and served more of us?   BECOME INFORMED Other Public Options Basically our participation in society and our lives now rely on the int