For Immediate Release
Contact: Deb Socia, 617-251-8358
deb@nextcenturycities.org

Next Century Cities Grows to 100 Communities Nationwide Leading on Next-Generation Broadband Internet

Collaborative of Rural and Urban Communities Sees Rapid Progress since October 2014 launch

Washington, DC (July 6, 2015) – Next Century Cities, a city-to-city collaborative of mayors who recognize the critical need for fast, affordable, and reliable Internet, has grown to 100 communities across the country since launching in October 2014. Boise, Idaho was announced today as the 100^th city to join Next Century Cities, a bipartisan, nationwide effort that also includes inaugural members such as Boston, Kansas City, and Chattanooga, and more recent additions such as Charlotte.

“Since launching Next Century Cities in October, we’ve seen incredible demand from cities looking to lead the conversation about the crucial role next-generation Internet plays in helping communities thrive,” said Deb Socia, Executive Director of Next Century Cities. “The 100 city leaders who are part of Next Century Cities know that gigabit level Internet is critical infrastructure for their residents and are pushing to become more economically competitive now and in the future through better access to high-speed, low-cost solutions for all.”

Next Century Cities is a bipartisan initiative of mayors and city leaders dedicated to ensuring the availability of next-generation broadband across the country. As momentum grows around gigabit level Internet, more mayors and municipal leaders are joining together to show what’s happening in their communities and to join together to help one another realize the full power of truly high-speed, affordable, and accessible broadband.

Since forming in October 2014, Next Century Cities has already made exciting progress:

• Next Century Cities launched with 32 member cities and a convening of over 100 leaders in Santa Monica, California with a welcome video by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in October 2014.

• President Obama recognized Next Century Cities and the work being done by mayors during a January 2015 speech laying out the President’s Broadband Plan in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

• Next Century Cities joined the Southeast Tennessee Development District to host a field hearing in Chattanooga, “Envisioning a Gigabit Future,” with private and bipartisan public sector voices discussing the need for high-speed Internet and local community choice in November 2014.

• 38 Next Century Cities mayors and city officials sent a letter urging the FCC to grant petitions from two fellow members, Wilson, NC and Chattanooga, TN, seeking relief from state laws in January 2015. These petitions were granted by the FCC in February.

• Next Century Cities has held major panels feature mayors and city leaders at events such as the US Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting, Mountain Connect, and the Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC) Conference.

• 35 Next Century Cities mayors and city officials sent a letter to the FCC urging uniform and accessible reporting on broadband network performance, following a GAO report showing the lack of information given to consumers in June 2015.

• Next Century Cities also hosts monthly policy calls for its members, and distributes monthly updates publicly to keep stakeholders informed about what communities are doing to achieve next-generation Internet for their citizens.

Next Century Cities believes that there is no single pathway to a smart, effective approach to next-generation broadband. Instead, all member leaders and communities are committed to the following six principles:

1. High-Speed Internet Is Necessary Infrastructure
2. The Internet Is Nonpartisan
3. Communities Must Enjoy Self-Determination:
4. High-Speed Internet Is a Community-Wide Endeavor
5. Meaningful Competition Drives Progress
6. Collaboration Benefits All

The 100 Next Century Cities member cities are listed below and more information on each member community can be found at: https://nextcenturycities.org/member-cities

• Albany (NY)
• Alexandria (VA)
• Ammon (ID)
• Arvada (CO)
• Auburn (IN)
• Austin (TX)
• Beverly Hills (CA)
• Boise (ID)
• Boston (MA)
• Boulder (CO)
• Bryan (TX)
• Burbank (CA)
• Burlington (WA)
• Carbondale (IL)
• Carl Junction (MO)
• Cedar Falls (IA)
• Centennial (CO)
• Centerville (UT)
• Champaign (IL)
• Chapel Hill (NC)
• Charlotte (NC)
• Chattanooga (TN)
• Chicopee (MA)
• Chula Vista (CA)
• Clarksville (TN)
• College Station (TX)
• Columbus (OH)
• Cortez (CO)
• Culver City (CA)
• Duluth (MN)
• Fort Collins (CO)
• Garden Grove (CA)
• Granville (OH)
• Grand Junction (CO)
• Gresham (OR)
• Hagerstown (MD)
• Hays (KS)
• Highland (IL)
• Independence (OR)
• Jackson (TN)
• Kansas City (KS)
• Kansas City (MO)
• Lafayette (LA)
• Lake Oswego (OR)
• Lakeland (FL)
• Layton City (UT)
• Leverett, (MA)
• Lexington (KY)
• Los Angeles (CA)
• Louisville (KY)
• Madison (WI)
• Marina (CA)
• Martin County (FL)
• Medina County (OH)
• Missoula (MT)
• Montgomery County (MD)
• Monticello (MN)
• Montrose (CO)
• Morristown (TN)
• Mount Vernon (WA)
• Murray City (UT)
• New Bedford (MA)
• New Haven (CT)
• Oakland (CA)
• Opelika (AL)
• Palo Alto (CA)
• Ponca City (OK)
• Portland (OR)
• Provo (UT)
• Raleigh (NC)
• River Falls (WI)
• Riverside (CA)
• Roanoke (VA)
• Rockport (ME)
• Salisbury (NC)
• Sallisaw (OK)
• San Antonio (TX)
• Sandy (OR)
• Santa Cruz City (CA)
• Santa Cruz County (CA)
• Santa Monica (CA)
• Seattle (WA)
• Shaker Heights (OH)
• South Portland (ME)
• South San Francisco (CA)
• Spanish Fork (UT)
• Stamford (CT)
• Syracuse (NY)
• Thompson’s Station (TN)
• Tucson (AZ)
• Tullahoma (TN)
• Urbana (IL)
• Vallejo (CA)
• Vancouver (WA)
• Westminster (MD)
• Wilson (NC)
• Windom (MN)
• Winters (CA)
• Winthrop (MN)
• Yellow Springs (OH)

Next Century Cities is a city-to-city initiative founded to support communities and their elected leaders, including mayors and other officials, as they seek to ensure that all have access to fast, affordable, and reliable Internet. As innovative municipalities across the country recognize the importance of leveraging gigabit level Internet to attract new businesses and create jobs, improve health care and education, and connect residents to new opportunities, Next Century Cities will celebrate these successes, demonstrate their value, and help other cities to realize the full power of truly high-speed, affordable, and accessible broadband. For more information, visit www.nextcenturycities.org.

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