Burlington Telecom wants to extend network throughout Vermont

There has always been acrimony between municipally-owned telecom networks and incumbent operators, and Vermont-based Burlington Telecom is no different. The Vermont-based municipal provider will face yet another challenge from rival Comcast as it goes to the Vermont Public Service board to get permission to expand its network presence throughout the state.

Although Burlington Telecom has not said what parts of the state it will initially target, Chief Administrative Officer Jonathan Leopold says he's expecting that Comcast will put up a big fight. "It's their worst nightmare," he said. "They will try to drag this out as long as possible."

Vermont is in dire need of new broadband options. Ranked 47th among states in Internet connections, the expansion would enable more of the state's residents to get broadband connections while enabling Burlington Telecom to become profitable.

For more:
- Burlington Free Press has this article

Related articles
The case for municipal telecoms
Burlington Telecom keeps Al Jazeera in line up