BELLEVILLE — Victor May doesn t have cable television in his house just outside Collinsville. It s an extra cost he can t afford — everything goes toward his more than $300 monthly
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Advantages, obstacles
If the network is installed, Christopher Mitchell, director of the community broadband networks initiative with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, said he expects private companies to lower their rates to compete with the city s offering.
Competition would keep more money in the community, which is good for the local economy, but it could slow the city’s efforts to move to a higher capacity, more reliable fiber optic network.
Mitchell said the biggest advantage of building a fiber optic network is competition for the dominant provider, which leads to better prices and faster upgrades.
Another upside is keeping revenue in a community rather than sending it to a corporation out of state.