As the FCC continues to debate the issue of net neutrality and fast lanes, while continuing issues with Internet Service Providers continue to plague internet users, 7 towns in Colorado have decided to branch out on their own. All 7 towns have voted to let their local governments offer internet service.

About 20 states have laws, mostly due to ISPs such as Comcast helping to get them passed, which make it difficult for a community to develop its own municipal broadband. But the rules in Colorado are unique. Colorado’s laws state that towns are able to pursue broadband if the resident’s approve the idea on an election ballot.


In Boulder, which has a population of 100,000 residents, 84 percent of the votes were in favor of allowing the city to provide high-speed internet, telecommunications, and/or cable television services to its residents, schools, libraries, businesses, and other users of these services. Similar votes were cast in the towns of Yuma, Wray, Cherry Hills Village, and Red Cliff in addition to the Rio Blanco and Yuma counties with a large majority of votes approving the measure.
However, the successful vote doesn’t mean that the government is required or guaranteed to start developing its own broadband internet service. But there is already “miles” of unused fiber to help the project get started.

Only time will tell whether or not the residents of these 7 Colorado towns will get the broadband internet they have just voted for.

But should other towns, cities, and even states pursue a similar course of action in order to provide some competition with ISPs? Sound off in the comments below!