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Another sobering look at the lack of internet access for many San Francisco residents shows students’ work impacted and costs as a barrier, bolstering a citywide fiber broadband initiative to connect every home and business to the internet.

Nearly 30 percent of the 1,100 San Francisco seniors, students and affordable housing residents surveyed say they do not have internet access and, of those, 60 percent said cost was the main factor. A majority said The City should play a lead role in providing internet service.

Cities are attempting to deploy and operate municipal networks emphasizing affordable access for all, and net neutrality. This is being opposed by the current FCC, and various red state legislatures, who have passed laws inhibiting or banning such municipal networks. Needless to say, perhaps, PSA is a strong supporter of municipal networks, and their provisions of affordable access to all residents. Municipal networks also provide affordable access to mom&pop local cloud service providers, and thus support local businesses, and proliferation of cloud services of benefit to residents.

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