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Houston Matters

Why is Municipal Broadband Illegal in Texas? And Could that Change?

According to a recent report in the Washington Post, the FCC will hold a public meeting next week at which the commissioners might vote on whether to intervene against state laws in North Carolina and Tennessee, limiting Internet access sold and operated by cities in those states. Like Texas, North Carolina and Tennessee don’t allow […]

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According to a recent report in the Washington Post, the FCC will hold a public meeting next week at which the commissioners might vote on whether to intervene against state laws in North Carolina and Tennessee, limiting Internet access sold and operated by cities in those states.

Like Texas, North Carolina and Tennessee don't allow what's known as "municipal broadband." And 17 other states have similar laws, which could be in jeopardy if the FCC steps in.

To tell us more about municipal broadband — and why it’s illegal here in Texas — we talk with Dwight Silverman, the tech blogger and social media manager at the Houston Chronicle.

Michael Hagerty

Michael Hagerty

Senior Producer, Houston Matters

Michael Hagerty is the senior producer for Houston Matters. He's spent more than 20 years in public radio and television and dabbled in minor league baseball, spending four seasons as the public address announcer for the Reno Aces, the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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