Over the last ten years, dozens of States have passed bills literally written by incumbent ISPs, banning or restricting the rights of local communities to wire themselves with broadband -- even if the local ISP won't. More recently such efforts have been just as obnoxious but more watered down, simply bogging communities down in rules and restrictions designed to "level the playing field" (read: make it impossible for them to succeed).
Not too coincidentally, most of the ISPs involved in passing these laws have lagged on next-generation upgrades (Time Warner Cable, AT&T, CenturyLink), while ISPs that have been heavily re-investing in their networks and last mile speeds (Comcast, Verizon) are no longer involved in these kinds of efforts.
Minnesota is the latest state that has decided to try and pass such a law, but they're not being subtle about it. HF 2695 is an outright ban on community broadband that strips communities in the state of their right to determine what's best for their own infrastructure. The Minnesota Cable Communications Association (MCCA) denies they're behind the bill:
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MCCA is denying they are behind this bill. Given how blunt the bill is, I'm inclined to take them at their word. I would expect a bill by MCCA to be more strategic, refusing to admit they wanted to revoke all authority outright. Nonetheless, this bill is still a giant gift to the incumbent cable operators in the state. Much of Minnesota lacks access to next generation broadband networks -- the kind of networks needed for economic development and maintaining a high quality of life. Minnesota law already discourages communities from building their own next-generation networks but they still have the authority to choose.
That leaves CenturyLink, who has lobbied for similar bills in the Carolinas, as the likely lobbying culprit. Mediacom has also been busy trying to kill several public initiatives to improve broadband in the state, including a
fiber to the home effort in Lake County. As is usually the case, opponents of government involvement proclaim these bills "level the playing field," when what they really are is protectionist regulation designed to keep markets uncompetitive, service slow, and prices unreasonably high. The
Ookla Net Index notes the average Minnesota Qwest (now CenturyLink) customer sees 6.63 Mbps. With so little competition that they aren't really being pressed to upgrade aging infrastructure or compete on price, there's little doubt why companies like CenturyLink or Mediacom don't want anybody (government, private industry, or otherwise) shaking up the status quo.