{"id":361574,"date":"2025-11-10T14:18:57","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T19:18:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/?p=361574"},"modified":"2025-11-10T14:18:58","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T19:18:58","slug":"40-percent-would-switch-to-municipal-internet-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/utilities\/internet\/40-percent-would-switch-to-municipal-internet-study\/","title":{"rendered":"STUDY: 40.2% of Consumers Would Consider Switching To Municipal Broadband if Made Available"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Municipal broadband<\/strong> continues to expand in 2025 as fiber-first, community-owned networks post strong adoption and the highest customer satisfaction. Independent trackers report that fiber ISPs outperform cable\/DSL on every ACSI benchmark in the latest 2024\u20132025 study, with fiber providers scoring in the mid\u201170s vs. high\u201160s for non\u2011fiber ISPs on ACSI\u2019s 0\u2013100 scale (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.acsi.org\">ACSI 2024\u20132025<\/a>). Reader surveys echo this: municipal fiber utilities like EPB (Chattanooga), NextLight (Longmont), and Cedar Falls Utilities lead overall satisfaction, often above 9\/10 in PCMag\u2019s 2025 Readers\u2019 Choice results (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\">PCMag 2025<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<nav aria-label=\"Table of Contents\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#study-findings\">Study Findings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#demographic-data\">Demographic Data<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#methodology\">Methodology<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"study-findings\">Study Findings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Recent 2024\u20132025 indicators show a measurable shift toward publicly owned broadband, with clear evidence on footprint, satisfaction, and adoption:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"is-style-blog-list\">\n<li><strong>Footprint and availability:<\/strong> The Institute for Local Self-Reliance\u2019s live Community Network Map documents <a href=\"https:\/\/communitynets.org\/communitymap\">hundreds of municipal networks<\/a> nationwide, and more than <strong>200 public power utilities<\/strong> now offer retail or wholesale broadband services according to the American Public Power Association (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicpower.org\">APPA<\/a>), providing the base where municipal take rates are measured.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Customer satisfaction leads for fiber\/municipals:<\/strong> The latest ACSI data shows fiber ISPs in the mid\u201170s vs. high\u201160s for non\u2011fiber on the 0\u2013100 scale (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.acsi.org\">ACSI 2024\u20132025<\/a>). J.D. Power\u2019s 2025 regional study places fiber-led brands at the top of their regions (scores generally in the 700s on a 1,000\u2011point scale) while many large cable ISPs trail (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jdpower.com\/business\/press-releases\/2025-us-residential-internet-service-provider-satisfaction-study\">J.D. Power 2025<\/a>). PCMag\u2019s 2025 Readers\u2019 Choice results show municipal providers such as EPB, NextLight, and Cedar Falls Utilities frequently earning <strong>9\/10+ overall<\/strong> and top marks for value, reliability, and support (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\">PCMag 2025<\/a>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adoption (take rate) benchmarks:<\/strong> Mature municipal FTTH systems commonly stabilize in the <strong>40\u201360%+<\/strong> range within built areas; Longmont, CO\u2019s NextLight surpassed <strong>60%<\/strong> citywide, a frequently cited benchmark (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicpower.org\">American Public Power Association<\/a>). Open\u2011access municipal platforms report strong early\u2011ramp adoption in many cities, often in the <strong>30\u201340%<\/strong> range rising as construction and retail choice mature\u2014see multi\u2011city updates from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utopiafiber.com\/news\/\">UTOPIA Fiber<\/a>. Leading mature systems like <a href=\"https:\/\/epb.com\/newsroom\/\">EPB (Chattanooga)<\/a> continue to report robust customer growth alongside multi\u2011gig upgrades, consistent with high penetration for established municipal FTTH.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"demographic-data\">Demographic Data&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"is-style-blog-list\">\n<li><strong>Geographic clustering:<\/strong> Publicly owned networks are concentrated in the Midwest, Mountain West, Pacific Northwest, and New England, with sparser coverage across much of the Southeast. This distribution is visible on ILSR\u2019s live map (<a href=\"https:\/\/muninetworks.org\/communitymap\">ILSR Community Network Map<\/a>) and reflects enabling institutions and policies in these regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regional exemplars and public power footprint:<\/strong> More than <strong>200 public power utilities<\/strong> provide broadband services (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicpower.org\">APPA<\/a>), anchoring municipal adoption in regions with longstanding municipal electric utilities. Notable models include open\u2011access city networks in Utah via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utopiafiber.com\/news\/\">UTOPIA Fiber<\/a>, Vermont\u2019s multi\u2011town municipal CUD districts (<a href=\"https:\/\/vcbb.org\">VCBB CUDs<\/a>), and mature utility\u2011run FTTH like <a href=\"https:\/\/epb.com\/newsroom\/\">EPB<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Policy impact on adoption:<\/strong> The best current count is that <strong>16 states<\/strong> retain some form of restriction on municipal broadband (<a href=\"https:\/\/broadbandnow.com\/report\/municipal-broadband-roadblocks\">BroadbandNow<\/a>; see also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/technology-and-communication\/municipal-broadband\">NCSL<\/a>). Colorado\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/leg.colorado.gov\/bills\/sb23-183\">2023 repeal (SB23\u2011183)<\/a> removed a key barrier and is influencing new planning in the West. Critically, NTIA\u2019s BEAD rules bar states from excluding municipalities, cooperatives, or nonprofits from eligibility (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ntia.gov\">BEAD NOFO<\/a>), supporting public\u2011sector participation even where some state hurdles remain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea of cities offering internet as a utility continues to gain traction. Despite resistance from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/utilities\/internet\/guide\/\" class=\"achor-toggles\">major ISPs<\/a>, federal program design now explicitly protects public participation: NTIA\u2019s BEAD guidance confirms municipalities and cooperatives are eligible applicants, and recent implementation updates have reduced financing barriers for public entities (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ntia.gov\">NTIA BEAD program<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ntia.gov\">BEAD NOFO<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ISPs have invested heavily in lobbying against public networks, spending over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/ajdellinger\/2019\/05\/31\/heres-how-telecom-giants-spent-more-than-1-billion-lobbying-congress\/?sh=4df38a3475c8\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"achor-toggles\">$1.2 billion<\/a> between 1998 and 2018. Since then, federal\u2011level lobbying has <em>remained high<\/em>: OpenSecrets shows the Telecom Services &amp; Equipment sector among Washington\u2019s top\u2011spending industries through the 2024 cycle (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/federal-lobbying\/industries\/summary?cycle=2024&#038;id=T06\">OpenSecrets industry profile<\/a>), and trade groups such as NCTA have continued to spend in the high\u2011teens to roughly <strong>$20 million<\/strong> annually (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/federal-lobbying\/clients\/summary?cycle=2024&#038;id=D000000672\">OpenSecrets: NCTA<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Municipal broadband is likened to essential utilities like water and electricity, with more cities pursuing public networks to provide affordable access. <a href=\"https:\/\/muninetworks.org\/content\/rural-cooperatives-page\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"achor-toggles\">Cooperative models<\/a> are expanding via BEAD and USDA\u2019s ReConnect program, which explicitly allow cooperatives and local governments to compete for funds (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ntia.gov\">NTIA: BEAD<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rd.usda.gov\">USDA ReConnect<\/a>). With the federal ACP benefit winding down, many public providers are adopting local affordability plans to sustain adoption (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcc.gov\">FCC ACP<\/a>), and rural finance analyses point to durable demand for fiber in co\u2011op territories (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cobank.com\/knowledge-exchange\/communications\">CoBank<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"methodology\">Methodology&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"is-style-blog-list\">\n<li>This update synthesizes 2024\u20132025 research with primary local sources: city utility reports, bond\/board packets, and provider dashboards used to calculate take rates (no single federal dataset tracks municipal adoption). Representative sources include ILSR\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/communitynets.org\/communitymap\">Community Network Map<\/a>, NextLight\u2019s 60% benchmark as reported by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicpower.org\">APPA<\/a>, open\u2011access adoption updates from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utopiafiber.com\/news\/\">UTOPIA Fiber<\/a>, and mature\u2011network milestones from <a href=\"https:\/\/epb.com\/newsroom\/\">EPB<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customer satisfaction and performance benchmarks reference ACSI 2024\u20132025 (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.acsi.org\">ACSI<\/a>), J.D. Power 2025 regional rankings (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jdpower.com\/business\/press-releases\/2025-us-residential-internet-service-provider-satisfaction-study\">J.D. Power<\/a>), PCMag Readers\u2019 Choice 2025 (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\">PCMag<\/a>), and corroborating consumer surveys (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.highspeedinternet.com\/resources\/customer-satisfaction-survey\">HighSpeedInternet.com 2025<\/a>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Policy and funding context draws on recent counts of state restrictions (<a href=\"https:\/\/broadbandnow.com\/report\/municipal-broadband-roadblocks\">BroadbandNow<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/technology-and-communication\/municipal-broadband\">NCSL<\/a>), BEAD eligibility rules (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ntia.gov\">BEAD NOFO<\/a>), NTIA BEAD program materials and 2024 implementation updates affecting public entities (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ntia.gov\">NTIA BEAD<\/a>), and federal lobbying totals from OpenSecrets (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/federal-lobbying\/industries\/summary?cycle=2024&#038;id=T06\">industry<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/federal-lobbying\/clients\/summary?cycle=2024&#038;id=D000000672\">NCTA<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Municipal broadband continues to expand in 2025 as fiber-first, community-owned networks post strong adoption and the highest customer satisfaction. Independent trackers report that fiber ISPs outperform cable\/DSL on every ACSI benchmark in the latest 2024\u20132025 study, with fiber providers scoring in the mid\u201170s vs. high\u201160s for non\u2011fiber ISPs on ACSI\u2019s 0\u2013100 scale (ACSI 2024\u20132025). Reader [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":345,"featured_media":361579,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[21563],"tags":[26028],"post_author":[25025],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>40% of Consumers Would Switch to Municipal Broadband | Reviews.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a recent study, we found that a significant portion of people would switch to municipal broadband if internet service was a public utility in their area.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/utilities\/internet\/40-percent-would-switch-to-municipal-internet-study\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" 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