Wilson Hits a Fiber-to-the-Home Run with Greenlight Municipal Broadband Network

Due to monopoly control of broadband technology, millions of Americans do not have internet access because it is not available or affordable. To circumvent this problem, the city of Wilson began building a citywide Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network called Greenlight in 2008, after half a decade of negotiations with Time Warner Cable over price hikes, slow service, and poor reliability. This report outlines the development and growth of Greenlight and discusses its positive effects on local communities and businesses. Ultimately, this case study demonstrates how communities can thrive from local investment and a focus on building community rather than charging the maximum that can be extracted from families.