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 2024–2025 study, with fiber providers scoring in the mid‑70s vs. high‑60s for non‑fiber ISPs on ACSI’s 0–100 scale (ACSI 2024–2025). 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’s 2025 Readers’ Choice results (PCMag 2025).
Study Findings
Recent 2024–2025 indicators show a measurable shift toward publicly owned broadband, with clear evidence on footprint, satisfaction, and adoption:
- Footprint and availability: The Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s live Community Network Map documents hundreds of municipal networks nationwide, and more than 200 public power utilities now offer retail or wholesale broadband services according to the American Public Power Association (APPA), providing the base where municipal take rates are measured.
- Customer satisfaction leads for fiber/municipals: The latest ACSI data shows fiber ISPs in the mid‑70s vs. high‑60s for non‑fiber on the 0–100 scale (ACSI 2024–2025). J.D. Power’s 2025 regional study places fiber-led brands at the top of their regions (scores generally in the 700s on a 1,000‑point scale) while many large cable ISPs trail (J.D. Power 2025). PCMag’s 2025 Readers’ Choice results show municipal providers such as EPB, NextLight, and Cedar Falls Utilities frequently earning 9/10+ overall and top marks for value, reliability, and support (PCMag 2025).
- Adoption (take rate) benchmarks: Mature municipal FTTH systems commonly stabilize in the 40–60%+ range within built areas; Longmont, CO’s NextLight surpassed 60% citywide, a frequently cited benchmark (American Public Power Association). Open‑access municipal platforms report strong early‑ramp adoption in many cities, often in the 30–40% range rising as construction and retail choice mature—see multi‑city updates from UTOPIA Fiber. Leading mature systems like EPB (Chattanooga) continue to report robust customer growth alongside multi‑gig upgrades, consistent with high penetration for established municipal FTTH.
Demographic Data
- Geographic clustering: 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’s live map (ILSR Community Network Map) and reflects enabling institutions and policies in these regions.
- Regional exemplars and public power footprint: More than 200 public power utilities provide broadband services (APPA), anchoring municipal adoption in regions with longstanding municipal electric utilities. Notable models include open‑access city networks in Utah via UTOPIA Fiber, Vermont’s multi‑town municipal CUD districts (VCBB CUDs), and mature utility‑run FTTH like EPB.
- Policy impact on adoption: The best current count is that 16 states retain some form of restriction on municipal broadband (BroadbandNow; see also NCSL). Colorado’s 2023 repeal (SB23‑183) removed a key barrier and is influencing new planning in the West. Critically, NTIA’s BEAD rules bar states from excluding municipalities, cooperatives, or nonprofits from eligibility (BEAD NOFO), supporting public‑sector participation even where some state hurdles remain.
The idea of cities offering internet as a utility continues to gain traction. Despite resistance from major ISPs, federal program design now explicitly protects public participation: NTIA’s BEAD guidance confirms municipalities and cooperatives are eligible applicants, and recent implementation updates have reduced financing barriers for public entities (NTIA BEAD program; BEAD NOFO).
ISPs have invested heavily in lobbying against public networks, spending over $1.2 billion between 1998 and 2018. Since then, federal‑level lobbying has remained high: OpenSecrets shows the Telecom Services & Equipment sector among Washington’s top‑spending industries through the 2024 cycle (OpenSecrets industry profile), and trade groups such as NCTA have continued to spend in the high‑teens to roughly $20 million annually (OpenSecrets: NCTA).
Municipal broadband is likened to essential utilities like water and electricity, with more cities pursuing public networks to provide affordable access. Cooperative models are expanding via BEAD and USDA’s ReConnect program, which explicitly allow cooperatives and local governments to compete for funds (NTIA: BEAD; USDA ReConnect). With the federal ACP benefit winding down, many public providers are adopting local affordability plans to sustain adoption (FCC ACP), and rural finance analyses point to durable demand for fiber in co‑op territories (CoBank).
Methodology
- This update synthesizes 2024–2025 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’s Community Network Map, NextLight’s 60% benchmark as reported by APPA, open‑access adoption updates from UTOPIA Fiber, and mature‑network milestones from EPB.
- Customer satisfaction and performance benchmarks reference ACSI 2024–2025 (ACSI), J.D. Power 2025 regional rankings (J.D. Power), PCMag Readers’ Choice 2025 (PCMag), and corroborating consumer surveys (HighSpeedInternet.com 2025).
- Policy and funding context draws on recent counts of state restrictions (BroadbandNow; NCSL), BEAD eligibility rules (BEAD NOFO), NTIA BEAD program materials and 2024 implementation updates affecting public entities (NTIA BEAD), and federal lobbying totals from OpenSecrets (industry; NCTA).
