This morning, The New York Times ran an editorial on the importance of consumer choice to telecommunications services, including broadband Internet. In the piece, the Times editorial board shared that “Although Americans now have more choices than ever for how they watch TV, about seven in 10 American households can only get broadband Internet service from one or two providers, usually cable and phone companies.” The editorial continued by suggesting policy changes at the federal, state, and local levels, including federal preemption of state laws inhibiting local choice, and reforms to state and local policies to encourage the deployment of fiber-optic cable.

Next Century Cities applauds the Times for its support of the principle of local choice. We know that local choice empowers consumers and strengthens communities by ensuring access to the benefits of high-quality broadband Internet, and we are proud to support communities in their quest to improve broadband access through competition and choice. For more information about how communities can encourage local choice to improve broadband services, check out our recent report “Connecting 21st Century Communities: A Policy Agenda for Broadband Stakeholders.”